Unlikely theory, but... Ole let Smalling go out on loan to an Italian side, where the author of the article states, "Roma employ a higher defensive line than Smalling has experienced before. He’s not alone in thinking the game is more tactical in Italy, but has enjoyed the change to a league where teams deploy three at the back with two strikers up front and hit a lot of balls into the channels." So Smalling, who I believed was forming a decent partnership with Lindelof at the end of last season, goes off to learn how to move the ball out of a backfield where there are only three defenders? Did I read that correctly? So if Ole wanted to play a high defensive line with three at the back, and Smalling returned, we'd have an older, experienced player, who has learned how to do it? Sort of... maybe...