[yan man utd]

In that case you have no problem with him finding a simple pass with high accuracy to a teammate so that the doesnt have the ball, they do. What you would hate is him trying to do more on the ball, trying to go past players or open up passing avenues because that would require him being on the ball more.

it’s a non starter - red star has been watching different matches to us. A tenacious proper defender wins the ball high up the pitch which suits a high press. Instead we have lindeloff who backs off until we are falling over ourselves trying to block crosses and shots

I remember us having all of the game against city at home in fact I think Smalling hit the bar in the last minute.. but hey let’s just jump on the wagon. Because we have Jones and crew or let’s just find another imaginary defender who is actually better like beckenbauer and Ferdinand and vidic rolled into one

or on the other hand just play our best defender of the last 7 years alongside Maguire and see if we are any better. He has pace and power and is aggressive. He even did score the winner away at city but that too is forgotten - funny

 

[andersj]

Fewer teams press much in the last third in Serie A compared to the PL. Suits Smalling better. You still dont want to involve him in build up play.

 

[Clermontois]

LVG wanted Hummels and Sergio Ramos but since we couldnt get them he settleed for Smalling,

Smalling can not be part of a team that wants to build from the back. He is great for a team that doesn't expect to have a lot of possession. So if you want United to be the later, then fine keep him.

How often do we actually do that? Besides the odd Lindelof ball or Bailly ball/dribble we struggle to move the ball from defense to midfield. Doing that is overated in any case if the pass is not on midfield we should play to the wings just like the old days.

Smalling is better than both Maguire at everything and he is a better defender than Lindelof except for his passing. He should be welcomed and one of current starting CBs take the bench.

 

[Isotope]

LVG wanted Hummels and Sergio Ramos but since we couldnt get them he settleed for Smalling,

Smalling can not be part of a team that wants to build from the back. He is great for a team that doesn't expect to have a lot of possession. So if you want United to be the later, then fine keep him.

Well, if LVG could only see Ramos or Hummels as an upgrade to Smalling, then he rated him high enough.

 

[EwanI Ted]

Well, if LVG could only see Ramos or Hummels as an upgrade to Smalling, then he rated him high enough.

Some of the arguments in this thread are hilarious.

 

[reddevilchennai]

it’s a non starter - red star has been watching different matches to us. A tenacious proper defender wins the ball high up the pitch which suits a high press. Instead we have lindeloff who backs off until we are falling over ourselves trying to block crosses and shots

I remember us having all of the game against city at home in fact I think Smalling hit the bar in the last minute.. but hey let’s just jump on the wagon. Because we have Jones and crew or let’s just find another imaginary defender who is actually better like beckenbauer and Ferdinand and vidic rolled into one

or on the other hand just play our best defender of the last 7 years alongside Maguire and see if we are any better. He has pace and power and is aggressive. He even did score the winner away at city but that too is forgotten - funny

Don't you remeber he costed us a goal in that derby. With his shirt pulling antics, he would cost us many goals with VAR.

I don't understand why some people don't want to ship dead woods. We should have sold him Rojo and Jones few years ago when they had a decent value in the market but we have kept them for a long time. Now they won't get us any value in the market, which is a foolish decision from the board.

 

[flappyjay]

Don't you remeber he costed us a goal in that derby. With his shirt pulling antics, he would cost us many goals with VAR.

I don't understand why some people don't want to ship dead woods. We should have sold him Rojo and Jones few years ago when they had a decent value in the market but we have kept them for a long time. Now they won't get us any value in the market, which is a foolish decision from the board.

He played for us in the ucl where there was VAR and played for roma with VAR and no pens. He has literally given away 1 pen from shirt pulling let's not make it a thing.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

What's his stats for Roma with regard to penalties (given against Roma, I mean)?

If the idea that he can't stop pulling shirts has some merit, you'd think he would've been in serious trouble this season - the number of penalties given (for all sorts of reasons) in the Serie A has been insane/off the charts.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

What's his stats for Roma with regard to penalties (given against Roma, I mean)?

If the idea that he can't stop pulling shirts has some merit, you'd think he would've been in serious trouble this season - the number of penalties given (for all sorts of reasons) in the Serie A has been insane/off the charts.

He gave away one penalty, although that was for handball, and it hit him in the face!!

It’s a myth that Smalling gives away pens for shirt pulling.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

It’s a myth that Smalling gives away pens for shirt pulling.

Yeah - it happened, what, once for United? So, there you have it: absolute liability!

 

[Bobski]

Yeah - it happened, what, once for United? So, there you have it: absolute liability!

Baffles me, do people just ignore the shirt pulling that goes on that does not involve Smalling. VAR has not eliminated shirt pulling in set piece situations, far from it, it has not been the priority that some assumed it would be.

Probably because it has always been part of the game.

 

[RedPed]

Are people still clinging on to the hope that Smalling will play for us next season? Let me go take a looksie.

 

[EwanI Ted]

He gave away one penalty, although that was for handball, and it hit him in the face!!

It’s a myth that Smalling gives away pens for shirt pulling.

He gave away 4 penalties actually.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

He gave away 4 penalties actually.

How many for shirt pulling compared to the number he gave away by getting hit in the face?

 

[Chesterlestreet]

VAR has not eliminated shirt pulling in set piece situations, far from it, it has not been the priority that some assumed it would be.

It's just something that became a thing (and a stick to beat Smalling with): the idea that VAR would mean that shirt pulling would be highlighted.

And then the idea that Smalling's game actually depends on shirt pulling to a significant degree (compared to other players).

And finally that his shirt pulling results in referee decisions against him to a significant degree (compared to other players).

None of which happens to be true, as per the evidence.

 

[EwanI Ted]

How many for shirt pulling compared to the number he gave away by getting hit in the face?

None for shirt pulling. That's not a point I'm trying to make.

 

[Dr. McBeasty]

Roma selling Schick for €27M. Perhaps now they’ll have the money to buy smalling permanently.

 

[Nori-]

Just had a thought.....maybe United are delaying the sale of some of these players who are meant to be living so Dortmund can't then say, "Well you have the money for Sancho, look at the sales you've made"

We claim the money just isn't there for £108m, we get the price down, then you start clawing some of that money back by selling 4-5 fringe players?

 

[MikeKing]

I hope he stays, his pace and aggressiveness will be useful to cover Maguire and we'll be able to play a high line, besides with possibly Maguire returning late just imagine starting the season with Lindelof and Jones. Hopefully Maguire can return soon, but I think him and Smalling would form a very dominant partnership.

We can afford to push the team up more often and play with a higher line if we back ourselves to win the ball higher up the pitch. Playing out from the back is fine, and we've made great improvements in that area but we've not found the balance. More often than not, doing that has been ineffective for us. Not saying we should stop doing it, but if Smalling can bring in something else then we can work with those qualities to get more variety and balance.

Especially against mid-table clubs where you often just need to worry about shutting down one or maybe two good attacking players, just having an aggressive defender like Smalling taking care of that threat could improve our possession game alone.

 

[izak]

Roma should just pay up for Christ sakes, £20m is not too much for a defender of his ability!! I'm even surprised at the fact that clubs like Everton are not interested in him.

 

[HowYouDoin]

If its less than 20 mil, Mike stays

 

[Red_toad]

Looks like Roma have finally agreed to pay a fair market value for him. Wish him all the best and many thanks for his service at United. Hope he does very well at a club where it’s fan’s actually appreciate what he brings to the team.

 

[arnie_ni]

Looks like Roma have finally agreed to pay a fair market value for him. Wish him all the best and many thanks for his service at United. Hope he does very well at a club where it’s fan’s actually appreciate what he brings to the team.

Link?

 

[Bwuk]

About time. We were never going to keep him this season after loaning him out last year, and he probably would rather play.

I don't rate Smalling at all, but glad he seems to be getting the move to the club he wants to go to.

 

[EwanI Ted]

For the best if he gets a move he likes. He wants to play first team football and Italy suits him. For us, we're unlikely to get much of a fee in a years time, him turning 31 having spent a season on the bench. Makes sense to cash in now.

 

[Red_toad]

Link?

Nothing official as yet just on my Twitter feed by a reliable source.

 

[Shimo]

He's definitely on his way out. Him and Rojo trained separately from the rest and left early. Oh well - wish him the best.

 

[FrankDrebin]

So,is he going or what ?

 

[SATA]

Why is he still here and still paying his wages if United don’t want him at the club? This is quite baffling

 

[GiddyUp]

The best of a bad bunch that still needs clearing. I did like the guy. So long Mike.

 

[Woodenlung]

I guess we won't sell for what Roma are prepared to bid. So just like Dortmund and Sancho.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[ValenciasDrilledCrosses]

Looks like Roma were lowballing us in classic Italian fashion and we weren't willing to offload for as low as they wanted. Understandable from both sides I guess, we had the right to demand a decent amount when he was one of their best players last season. However, at this point, we have to weight whether trying for a good transfer fee is worth not offloading the massive wages these deadwood players are on.

If Rojo, Jones, and Smalling are all at the club come October 5th it will be a massive failure by Ed. Rojo and Jones should be going pretty much for free at this point if they're willing to take a paycut somewhere else. I'd think some lower/midtable Prem club would be willing to pay 12-15 million for Smalling. West Ham would be perfect if they weren't fecking broke

 

[#07]

Looks like Roma were lowballing us in classic Italian fashion and we weren't willing to offload for as low as they wanted. Understandable from both sides I guess, we had the right to demand a decent amount when he was one of their best players last season. However, at this point, we have to weight whether trying for a good transfer fee is worth not offloading the massive wages these deadwood players are on.

If Rojo, Jones, and Smalling are all at the club come October 5th it will be a massive failure by Ed. Rojo and Jones should be going pretty much for free at this point if they're willing to take a paycut somewhere else. I'd think some lower/midtable Prem club would be willing to pay 12-15 million for Smalling. West Ham would be perfect if they weren't fecking broke

If I'm in Morrisons carpark and someone walks up to me as I load the boot and says they wanna buy my car. It's understandable if I say fine only if you give me much more than it's worth. I ain't looking to sell. I am being approached out of the blue. You gotta make it worth my while if you want me to sell.

It's not understandable though if I stick my car on Auto trader, cos I am actually trying to sell it, but I reject every bid that comes in. At the end of the day buyers can just keep looking for an alternative. There are tons of listings and, eventually, they'll find someone who needs ready cash and will sell at a markdown. Whereas I am left with a car I don't want.

We clearly want to let Smalling go. We clearly don't want to be stuck paying his wages. So holding out for the price we want hurts us more than the reverse. That may seem understandable to you. To me it seems silly.

 

[izec]

Just sell him to anyone

 

[The Man Himself]

We are not even able to sell a guy who was supposed to be best defender in Serie A

 

[pratyush_utd]

Roma is not going ahead for 3m? Our ask is quite reasonable also.

 

[flappyjay]

Actually I would rather have Maguire, Lindelof, Smalling and Mengi. Then see how we can get rid of the injury prone brigade, the whole lot. Tuanzebe, Bailly, Jones, Rojo, If in a season they were all starters when they are fit I doubt the would make up a combined 60 games. Who is the better player is irrelevant when the other guy can't stay fit.

Start afresh next year by adding Upamecano to the cb options.

 

[pratyush_utd]

Actually I would rather have Maguire, Lindelof, Smalling and Mengi. Then see how we can get rid of the injury prone brigade, the whole lot. Tuanzebe, Bailly, Jones, Rojo, If in a season they were all starters when they are fit I doubt the would make up a combined 60 games. Who is the better player is irrelevant when the other guy can't stay fit.

Start afresh next year by adding Upamecano to the cb options.

Tuanzebe and Bailly deserve another season. Jones and Rojo doesn't. With the way our CB get injured, having 5 CB is actually not that much

 

[Jev]

Smalling is not deadwood. He's a very good defender and would improve our selection quite a bit. It would make a big difference if he was coming on instead of Rojo/Jones when we had an injury. At this rate, with no top-class CB seemingly available and the transfer window nearing its end with the attack yet to be strengthened, keeping Smalling and waiting for Upamecano next year is by far the most sensible option.