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- Sep 30, 2011
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I am personally sad that the dream paring of Jones and Smalling is gone.
That logic seems a bit weird. Would you say Lovren was that good of a defender that Liverpool had to spend a world record 75 mil to replace him? Or Mignolet and Karius that good that they had to spend a world record to get Allison?Actually you just summed up exactly what I was saying the entire time. That Smalling isnt a "top class CB" but he's the best we had and has never had a "top class CB" next to him while he's been a first choice. That there have been a million suggestions for grass is greener CB upgrades, but it would actually be very very expensive to replace him with someone who defends as well as he does.
We've played 1 game against a weak Chelsea side who should have scored at least 1 goal, but we survived with a clean sheet by the skin of our teeth. Even if this is the end of Smalling starting, and Maguire + Lindelof build on this and do better from this point on than the Chelsea match - it cost £80 million, a record for a CB to replace Smalling.
Lets see where we're at after 15-20 matches, not 1 match where we could easily have conceded.
People have forgotten how poor Evans was in his last 18 months here.Why did we get rid of Johnny Evans again? Seems he's better than either Smalling or Jones.
Oh come on...Those two + Young are the reason we finished 6th.
You're looking at it wrong. I never said Smalling is such a good defender that it takes £80 million to replace himThat logic seems a bit weird. Would you say Lovren was that good of a defender that Liverpool had to spend a world record 75 mil to replace him? Or Mignolet and Karius that good that they had to spend a world record to get Allison?
Maguire's price has nothing to do with Smallings quality as a player. Maguire is a big step up and Leicester held out for as much as possible as is their right.
Smalling didn't make the bench last match (Tuanzebe made it instead) and all our CBs bar Bailly (who was injured) played more in preseason than him. He is fifth choice at best, maybe even sixth choice.Jones will see very little play time. Smalling seems to be first in line to rotate when Maguire/Lindelöf needs to rest. Considering that we're in Europa league, there will be very few league games that CBs needs to be rested in.
If that's the case he should've been told already and a transfer would follow in the same window. Doubt Smalling would sit around to be 5th choice CB for the season.Smalling didn't make the bench last match (Tuanzebe made it instead) and all our CBs bar Bailly (who was injured) played more in preseason than him. He is fifth choice at best, maybe even sixth choice.
That's another matter, but it is pretty clear that Ole doesn't like him in this system. I think this is his last season here.If that's the case he should've been told already and a transfer would follow in the same window. Doubt Smalling would sit around to be 5th choice CB for the season.
Didn’t Ole say he’s going to play an important part this year. I’d personally keep him over Rojo, Jones and Bailly. Rojo is an absolutely liability for staying on the pitch and I’d rather have someone fit constantly as a back up than the other two.Smalling didn't make the bench last match (Tuanzebe made it instead) and all our CBs bar Bailly (who was injured) played more in preseason than him. He is fifth choice at best, maybe even sixth choice.
If only Everton had put in a serious offer instead of taking the piss with a loan deal. I’m glad United didn’t give in, if you can fork out £40m on frickin Iwobi then you can afford to pay £20m for Smalling.I'm gutted that you didn't let us have Smalling. He's a good player and I understand why you're phasing him out as Maguire - Lindelof will be an outstanding partnership and it makes sense to ease in Tuanzebe but he'd do very well for clubs outside the top 6. Look at Evans for example at Leicester - he's restarted his career and looks ready to make the step up again. He's the best player out of Jones/Smalling/Bailly I reckon too.
Sure, we can afford it, but I also understand why we didn't pay 20m for Smalling - his age. It would be silly to spend that amount of money on a 29 year old and I think we are trying to move away from that model of signing that we regularly made in the past. Yes, we bought Delph at 29 but at only 8m it offered a cheap experienced player who is versatile. Smalling only offers us CB, is an injury risk and is far too much in terms of asking price.If only Everton had put in a serious offer instead of taking the piss with a loan deal. I’m glad United didn’t give in, if you can fork out £40m on frickin Iwobi then you can afford to pay £20m for Smalling.
Fair fecks to him for thinking he can get back into the side? At least he seems willing to give it a shot rather than be like Lukaku and quit as soon as he is not the first choice?If that's the case he should've been told already and a transfer would follow in the same window. Doubt Smalling would sit around to be 5th choice CB for the season.
Because he was awful.Why did we get rid of Johnny Evans again? Seems he's better than either Smalling or Jones.
Darmian and Rojo say hi.Hopefully both will be gone by this time next year.
This. The uproar over him not being selected at all for England was so strange, especially when our own United manager has now dropped him for similar reasons.Some people are too sensitive when it comes to Smalling.
I remember a lot of negative things being said about Southgate for doing that and trying to implement a style that Smalling has no part of. In fact, didnt Southgate take Jones over Smalling, one of the reasons why I think Jones may play more than Smalling for United (if both are fit, but thats a big if).This. The uproar over him not being selected at all for England was so strange, especially when our own United manager has now dropped him for similar reasons.
Smalling is one of the stranger players to have developed such a devoted following.
Vidic was as dodgy as hell when he first came here. They will be fine.Having seen the first outing for Maguire & Lindelof, doesn't it make you realize just how very badly our standards had slipped since Rio & Vidic...?
Yeah because defenders like Rio Ferdinand are a dime a dozen waiting to be signed.Having seen the first outing for Maguire & Lindelof, doesn't it make you realize just how very badly our standards had slipped since Rio & Vidic...?
Yeah because defenders like Rio Ferdinand are a dime a dozen waiting to be signed.
Peculiar couple of replies....Is there something funny in the water today..?Vidic was as dodgy as hell when he first came here. They will be fine.
He was in the squad for all the games and had some game time in the earlier matches but he didn't even get on the pitch against Kristiansund and AC Milan, the last two games.Is it true he wasn't in the squad for half of our preseason games?
You most definitely misunderstood what the poster you quoted said.Vidic was as dodgy as hell when he first came here. They will be fine.
feckin hell, now even rival fans think Smalling is Injury prone. He isn't, he's actually one of the best players in terms of injury records. So weird this became a 'thing'.Smalling only offers us CB, is an injury risk.
Most seasons he's missed 5-10 games through injury. For a 29 year old at 20m that's too much of a risk that we are looking to avoid now in our transfer tactics. That's what i meant by it.feckin hell, now even rival fans think Smalling is Injury prone. He isn't, he's actually one of the best players in terms of injury records. So weird this became a 'thing'.