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2017-18 Performances


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11101

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VAR is going to be a big problem for him when it comes to the PL next year. Hopefully by that point we've found someone else who can stay fit long enough to take his place.
 

Pogue Mahone

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I certainly didn't perceive Jones to be a different class CB in that run. He was just fit and didn't make big mistakes, Rojo however did put in a few great performances at that time. But i'll see and have another look, do you remember who we were playing or when the "rojones" run was?
End of 2016, beginning of 2017. Here's a thread about them.
 

MikeKing

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VAR is going to be a big problem for him when it comes to the PL next year. Hopefully by that point we've found someone else who can stay fit long enough to take his place.
Players use their arms in the box to gain leverage. If VAR arrives and players stop using their arms extensively, then Smalling will be better for it as he usually is stronger than most of his opponents so he will win those same duels, just cleaner. If attackers are allowed to use their arms, and not defenders.. that might be a problem in general

People make out Smalling is some sort of Skrtl mess in this area, which i don't know where that has come from.
 

Minimalist

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Jones has more potential than Smalling (he’s a lot younger) and has been involved in all our best runs of looking solid defensively in the last couple of seasons. He looked different class when we were all raving about “Rojones” and you’d expect more consistency and better decision making as he hits his late twenties. The injuries thing is impossible to ignore though.

As for Smalling, we can’t expect much more from him. He’s proven himself to be a very solid defender when he’s on form but he always seems like he has the potential for a horror show in him and his (lack of) ability on the ball is a massive concern for a team with aspirations of winning major trophies.
Unless Google is lying to me, Jones is 26 and Smalling is 28. Am I missing something?

Also don't see the potential in Jones at all (frankly haven't in years). Doesn't matter anyway - he's not reliable.
 

11101

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Players use their arms in the box to gain leverage. If VAR arrives and players stop using their arms extensively, then Smalling will be better for it as he usually is stronger than most of his opponents so he will win those same duels, just cleaner. If attackers are allowed to use their arms, and not defenders.. that might be a problem in general

People make out Smalling is some sort of Skrtl mess in this area, which i don't know where that has come from.
I was thinking more his love for the texture and feel of opposition shirts.
 

Pogue Mahone

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Unless Google is lying to me, Jones is 26 and Smalling is 28. Am I missing something?

Also don't see the potential in Jones at all (frankly haven't in years). Doesn't matter anyway - he's not reliable.
Jones is two and a half years younger and central defenders peak relatively late. I’d say he’s got a lot more scope for improvement than Smalling, that’s for sure. Obviously he’ll need to stop getting constantly injured.
 

MikeKing

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I was thinking more his love for the texture and feel of opposition shirts.
Yeah, that is more like his conceptual lover than his actual wife so i don't think he'll be to worried about sidelining that habit if need be.
 

stevoc

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Jones is two and a half years younger and central defenders peak relatively late. I’d say he’s got a lot more scope for improvement than Smalling, that’s for sure. Obviously he’ll need to stop getting constantly injured.
2 and a half years is stretching it mate, its as close to 2 years as it is 2 and a half. Some defenders peak relatively late but not all, Jones is 27 this season and he looks basically the same player we signed in 2011. He hasn't really developed for me, granted thats mostly because of all his injuries. But i don't see his injury situation improving as he gets older either so i don't expect to see much improvement from him if any at all.
 

settembrini

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VAR will work both for and against Smalling. Yes he does like to pull shirts and wrestle with opposition attackers and will need to cut that out. However he is also the only one of our six CBs who offers any threat at all in the opposition box and consequently gets fouled on almost every corner and set piece he goes up for. The only reason to think he will suffer especially because of VAR is if you believe he won't adapt his game but the other defenders in the league will, which is ofc a baseless assumption.
 

Di Maria's angel

Captain of Moanchester United
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I’m glad he’s not at the World Cup. As a neutral I think England have been fairly pleasing on the eye generally and I just find Smallings attempts at receiving and passing a football painful to watch. He will refuse to attempt a greater than 1/10 difficulty of pass and that is a massive hindrance for any top team that wants to move the ball up the pitch quickly. I’m more a fan of Jones as he atleast has some bollocks but he’s fairly limited on the ball too tbh. Stones ability on the ball makes him the right pick in the centre and the other defenders in he squad are all more comfortable on the ball than Smalling to play in the positions to the side of him
All good and well knowing how to pass, but you must know how to defend. We looked incredibly shaky against the 2nd string Belgium team with young Pickford inspiring no real confidence.
 

MadMike

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Jones has more potential than Smalling (he’s a lot younger) and has been involved in all our best runs of looking solid defensively in the last couple of seasons. He looked different class when we were all raving about “Rojones” and you’d expect more consistency and better decision making as he hits his late twenties. The injuries thing is impossible to ignore though.

As for Smalling, we can’t expect much more from him. He’s proven himself to be a very solid defender when he’s on form but he always seems like he has the potential for a horror show in him and his (lack of) ability on the ball is a massive concern for a team with aspirations of winning major trophies.
Jones has a far higher potential for a horror show in my eyes. Far far higher. He gives more penalties away, gets more cards, slips and trips and falls more often, slide tackles badly....
 

devips

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We have already watched a number of Jones and Bailley horror shows. A Smalling horror show will be something of a novelty!
 

Wayne's World

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Sorry for the bump but just seen a picture from his twitter account and I just wanted to say jesus he's lost a hell of alot of weight over the summer. He looks like he needs to seriously bulk up again now :eek::eek:
 

The Mitcher

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Sorry for the bump but just seen a picture from his twitter account and I just wanted to say jesus he's lost a hell of alot of weight over the summer. He looks like he needs to seriously bulk up again now :eek::eek:
Hasn't he always been lanky?
 

El Jefe

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His missus has him on a vegan diet but to be fair to him he could have made this decision along with her.

I'm no health or dietary expert so maybe someone else can confirm if this drastic change of diet could impact performance in any way.
 

Alabaster Codify7

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Jesus, I mean good on the guy for keeping himself in good shape but I think he needs to put a few pounds back on. He's always been a bit hit-and-miss physically going up against centre forwards, he doesnt look healthy-slim right now to me. Too thin, for a 6ft 5in guy or whatever he is. Doesnt need to get huge, but that's too much.
 

flappyjay

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Sorry for the bump but just seen a picture from his twitter account and I just wanted to say jesus he's lost a hell of alot of weight over the summer. He looks like he needs to seriously bulk up again now :eek::eek:
Not surprising seeing he was cycling from location to location with his wife in Indonesia or was it Thailand
 

UnrelatedPsuedo

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VAR is going to be a big problem for him when it comes to the PL next year. Hopefully by that point we've found someone else who can stay fit long enough to take his place.
I don't think they'll have VAR in place for 2019/2020. It needs so much work.

Little cost in letting all other leagues (and domestic cups) wear the growing pains then jump in after it gets to a suitable standard.
 

Giant Midget

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His wife is one of those annoying vegans who makes their whole life promoting what they eat. Wouldn't be surprised if his dietary changes have had an effect, although I'm sure we have enough nutritionists and sports scientists at the club who monitor this kind of thing.
 

UnrelatedPsuedo

I pity the poor fool who stinks like I do!
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His missus has him on a vegan diet but to be fair to him he could have made this decision along with her.

I'm no health or dietary expert so maybe someone else can confirm if this drastic change of diet could impact performance in any way.
No impact whatsoever. A healthy diet is a healthy diet.

She's a vegan chef, not a loopy do-gooder protecting animals wearing hemp undies. He's fine.

Look's in great shape.
 

Morpheus 7

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His wife is one of those annoying vegans who makes their whole life promoting what they eat. Wouldn't be surprised if his dietary changes have had an effect, although I'm sure we have enough nutritionists and sports scientists at the club who monitor this kind of thing.
Wonder if she can introduce him to a vegetable that makes him better on the ball.
 

maniwin

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Couldn't care less about his weight as long as he could play football with his feet.
 

Andersons Dietician

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Sorry for the bump but just seen a picture from his twitter account and I just wanted to say jesus he's lost a hell of alot of weight over the summer. He looks like he needs to seriously bulk up again now :eek::eek:
Jamie oliver on his tip toes tho...

Does look a lot smaller than he usually does, maybe just one of those people that if he isn’t training specifically or eating for it just drops mass like it’s nothing. Sure in the next few weeks he’ll probably start bulking.
Smashing down black beans, lentils, quinoa and sweet potatos 24/7.
 

OnlyTwoDaSilvas

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Most folk I know who have gone vegan, a fair amount of weight just fell off them over the first 2 months. He definitely doesn't look "unhealthy" though.

I don't think he was ever particularly stacked anyway. His arms have always looked a little gangly. His lean frame is probably what allows him to be so quick despite being so tall. If he was any bulkier, he'd probably be a carthorse.


Jamie looks a bit podgy, tbh. He's probably scoffing turkey twizzlers and downing tax-free full sugar coke when the cameras are off, the little chubber.
 

Robaldo

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Swear he's the guy that can do no right; very good defensively and he's the only one of ours who is consistently fit, but I don't think I've seen him in anyone's 11's for next season. Should be in the England squad too.

Found it odd in Pilib de Brun's periscope that he said United wanted to sell him, because he played more than any one of our other defenders last season. He and Bailly are the only centre backs I'm bothered about keeping.
 
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