If I was Smalling I wouldn't want anything to do with us. Scapegoated for year after year as the reason we are trash, new CBs signed every year to replace him, constantly mocked as a chuckle brother because for some reason he is always linked to Jones, told by Ole hes not going to get game time or ever be first choice, goes to another club who seemingly adore him. Why would he want to come back to this shite?
2
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 47
- Clean sheets
- 19
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 6
- Status
He shouldn't, If Maguire and Lindelof aren't good enough then buy players who are because Smalling certainly wasn't and no way he should be starter for us any more he had enough chances prove his worth but was never Fully convincing it's time to move on.
It's sad how much our standards have fallen when that is considered a decent centre back performance.
He was all over the show in the first half, gave the ball away a couple of times in dangerous areas, lost a 50/50 softly on the half way line because he didn't really challenge, let Traore run through unchallenged and was out jumped at the corner for the Romero save. He improved in the second half and made some reasonable blocks and passed it well, but that was about that.
We look so unbalanced with Maguire trying to win the ball high (without any recovery pace) and Lindelof being completely scared of doing any covering. That was the exact issue with Jiminez hitting the post - Maguire getting turned 40 yards from goal and Lindelof refusing to confront Jiminez (despite no Wolves players anywhere near his zones and 2 covering defenders).
I don't see why he is any more the CB version of Lingard, Pereira etc. A useful body in the squad but lacking any positive individual impact on the team. The difference is Lindelof is a guaranteed nailed on starter - despite having probably the worst clean sheet record of any regular starting Utd centre back I can remember.
He was all over the show in the first half, gave the ball away a couple of times in dangerous areas, lost a 50/50 softly on the half way line because he didn't really challenge, let Traore run through unchallenged and was out jumped at the corner for the Romero save. He improved in the second half and made some reasonable blocks and passed it well, but that was about that.
We look so unbalanced with Maguire trying to win the ball high (without any recovery pace) and Lindelof being completely scared of doing any covering. That was the exact issue with Jiminez hitting the post - Maguire getting turned 40 yards from goal and Lindelof refusing to confront Jiminez (despite no Wolves players anywhere near his zones and 2 covering defenders).
I don't see why he is any more the CB version of Lingard, Pereira etc. A useful body in the squad but lacking any positive individual impact on the team. The difference is Lindelof is a guaranteed nailed on starter - despite having probably the worst clean sheet record of any regular starting Utd centre back I can remember.
Amazing to see how different opinions people have. Some say he had a shit game and some good game. And the best thing is that Everyone thinks they know fotboll 
Fair comment. I'm sure Lindelof would be just as average in Italy where Smalling is a top performer. Terrible decision to let him go.
We clearly would be a much better team with Smalling instead of Lindeloff. Lindeloff brins the worst out of Maguire and doesnt complement him at all. If anything Lindeloff exposes Maguires weaknesses. Smalling would be an amazing complement to Maguire.
With that said, Smalling is getting up there in age so while we should have him back the moral of the story is that Lindeloff isnt a long term solution.
We got Maguire to be our defensive leader for a lot of money, we should get him a partner that will complement him best. Lindeloff is completely wrong for that.
With that said, Smalling is getting up there in age so while we should have him back the moral of the story is that Lindeloff isnt a long term solution.
We got Maguire to be our defensive leader for a lot of money, we should get him a partner that will complement him best. Lindeloff is completely wrong for that.
Getting a defensiv leader for 80 mil and talk about getting the right partner to cover for weaknesses is crazy. For 80 mil i expected him to elevate Linds like vvd did with pools crappy CBs.
VNL is a good defender, he plays in the Wrong leauge though.
it’s not covering for weaknesses, it’s complimenting the player.
Lindelof is a very average player, and doesn’t bring the right attributes to the partnership. He stays fit, which is probably his biggest strength.
i agree they need to compliment each other. Dont agree for the weakness Part. Maguire has a big weakness in his speed and lindelöf a big weakness in physical play.
The funny thing is that Maguire also is a very average player. Putting a new cb next to him wont fix anything if you dont get a new midfield.
With a new midfield I think Maguire/Lindelöf is good enugh for top4.
Man Utd 1:3 Man City
Real Jekyll and Hyde performance. Torrid first half, best player on the pitch in the second.
It was a poor header against Gundogan. He could do with some competition from Axel but he isn’t fit.
Played well when the tie was over. He is bang average in most aspects of defensive play, I don't see the impact of having Lindelof as a starter.
Agree. First half was worst from him in a long while. But with this starting eleven we would have needed a miracle anyways.
He's not good enough to be a starting center back. He's repeatedly found out by his weakness, poor heading, and misreading of the game. He's far more likely to fall over waving for a foul or offside than he is to put in a decent challenge.
Horrible first half, quite good in second half.
Just here to reiterate what a spineless and terrible defender he is. Who cares that he was decent in the second half when the game was practically over.
I just cannot get beyond how poor he is in the air for a Centre Back. He’s terrible and it’s cost us again today for the 2nd goal
I thought he'd turned a corner last year. I was wrong.
Pure shite.
Pure shite.
You thought Lindelof was better than every City player?
Ronald McDonald performance tonight but then again I'm starting to absolve of any faults any defender that plays alongside Jones.
Slow, weak, can't jump, shits himself when pressed, nowhere near good enough with the ball to continue having this reputation of being a ball playing defender. He isn't one. There's so many times where he looks more awkward in possession than Chris Smalling ever did, and he doesn't make up for it with any sort of athleticism.
Shite.
Shite.
Such a bad defender
Williams was our best player
Spot on. His defending against traore in the wolves game was comical. He kept backing off into our own box until Maguire put a tackle in. He maybe the most passive defender we have had at this club. Not an ounce of aggression.
Ok.
His performances last year were vastly over-hyped. The thing about Lindelof's game is that it is passive and meek, but because of that he rarely puts himself into position to make mistakes another defender who is trying to effect the game might make. In a year when Utd conceded 56 league goals his lack of obvious errors compared to the others made some think he was playing well, he really wasn't, the same flaws were present, the same timidity.
Proper wuss of defender.
You can complain about a lot today, but hardly that he is poor under pressure. He handled the press good and was the only defender who was able to play through it.
Yeah we need 2 CB's.
That sliding tackle in the first half was such a joke, if Tuanzebe or Williams did that people would be calling for droping them back to the reserves.
Very poor first half, but did better in the second. The lack of midfield options and cover did expose him a bit. Although I think for the second goal he should have done better to prevent it.
The more I watch him the more I think he is like another Jonny Evans. I feel like he needs a big character / leader to guide him through games - and he will never be the man to lead the back line.
That header into trouble for the 2nd was a joke. He's trash in the air.
That header into trouble for the 2nd was a joke. He's trash in the air.
In the 1st half in particular he crumbled under not that much pressure and gave the ball away in his own half on a few occasions. He was a bit better in the 2nd half, but he still has far too many weaknesses overall.
Smalling didn't take much risk with the ball and at least his passes hit its target. This guy is just passing the ball randomly around as long as it's risky. No purpose, lack of any safety or control. Even his runs forward is just like Smalling in that he runs that stops up, like Smalling he hasn't got the vision and is prone to panicking. But as I said, you have to know you limitations, this guy is just gifting the other team opportunities every game.
Terrible game.
I've tried to be patient with him until the end of the season but it has proven to be pretty much impossible. He just sucks in every department, he isn't good on the ball like he was supposed to and he isn't defending with any sort of purpose. Struggles in a high line and is even worse playing deep to accommodate the partnership with Maguire. He is not proactive. He is a reactive defender who doesn't react. Meaning, when is the actual defending going to happen? Compare him to someone like Rio or Vida and tell me he'll improve to the level we should be aiming for.
If Tom Pope played Lindelof every weak, he would have 60 goals a season. #weakerthanpiss
Nah I’m not having that. Last season it was smallings fault that lindelof was shite, this season maguires to blame and now it’s jones fault too. Jones is shite we know but when are people gonna realize what a liability lindelof is in the defense
People are really gonna die on the Lindelof is a good player hill then? Give it up people he's dog shite.
Agree 100%. How you can be a CB without ability to head a ball I’ve no idea. Add in he’s a absolute coward then all his other flaws are irrelevant. Bring back smalling
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