Remember even David Moyes prefer and pick Fellaini and most of the fans don’t rate him. Doesn’t mean the manager is right and the fan is wrong.
Same with Smalling. Even Ole pick Lindelof or Bailly over Smalling. I decide that Smalling is not good enough for a regular starter last season. Mean that Ole decision is right and some of fans who think Smalling is better Lindelof is wrong.
First a manager rating and prefer is subjective, not objective. I pick what he think will suit his style and philosophy. And style and philosophy is many and subjective.
Second. Trust and meant. Someone are meant to work for specific manager. Still subjective and a cup of tea. I like this cup more than the other. What is right for you. Maybe not right for other. Its matter of suit or meant to work for each other’s. Like Smalling for this United top 3. But the time. A new manager in Ole came. Everything will change. Same with the team of a manager. Many manager change the whole staff. It doesn’t mean the previous are not good enough. This is objective point of view. That managers have different taste of player and different taste of cup.
So for Smalling or like Lukaku. Scoring over 20 goals for Inter this season. Even Ole doesn’t prefer you. But keep believing in yourself, doing well at other clubs. BUT in some occasions. Players are out of date, not good enough anymore. Yeah Smalling might not good enough for a premier league team. But i am sure United will get top 4 if United keep Smalling and buy Bruno in last summer. 100% sure about this. Bruno is the biggest impact this season. Bruno was lifting every player. Including Bruno lifting Matic too. Better teammates lift your confidence. And with Bruno. United have the ball more, dominate more and it help United defend too. Because if United dominate and have the ball, it mean opponents teams have lesser time to create chances.
Luckily for United. Bruno came and still available. If not that top 4 ship would sail away. If Bruno didn’t came.
So unlucky for Smalling. Smalling didn’t play at the time with Bruno. If Bruno came January 2019. Smalling wouldn’t be loan. Because after PSG last year. United were really poor. Not only because of Smalling. But the injury of Herrera and of course no leader like Bruno. So things happen that way.
In the end. I try to be as objective as i can. I am not on Smalling or manager side. I just telling what i observed. From the last PSG game last season. And from objective of view. Managers taste and who they prefer.
Objective = managers has different taste of players and cup. At the same time. Still the taste.
Subjective = This manager/I like this player and cup more.
Discussion base on subjective point of view. Will never end.
But again. From my subjective point of view. If i was United manager. I would not loan out Smalling before last season. I am 100 % sure of this. I will just blame on Bruno. Why not came few years earlier. So sorry. I might blame Mourinho. Portugese countryman = joke but still wish Bruno came last summer.
And one of the reason is. United prefer and use time on Eriksen and Dybala as nr.10, until the last days of summer transfer. Bruno was premier league unproven and managers were not 100 sure. So from what things happen. United prefer Eriksen and Dybala over Bruno. Both of them rejected United. Dybala in the last days of transfer window. Then you don’t have enough time. To work on the next option.
But luckily for United. Spurs, Arsenal, Wolves, Chelsea and the unbelievable Leicester City that could drop so many points and let United slide ahead, before last match of the season. Strange season. Feel like it was meant to happen. Like a script. Soyuncu red card and 3 match ban. And Leicester goalkeeper mistakes. Feels like the script is already written. Meant to happen.
So it is like are meant to be, or not meant o be. Born to be a winner. Another, at the right time and place. Right place , but wrong time. Bad for you. Many factors and reasons behind a result (success or fiasco)
That are mine thoughts and knowledges i want to share with you. On a positive direction. To lift peoples up. You still young and passionate. Even managers and peoples who to pick or prefer you, doesnt mean you are good enough. Success is like a meal. Success need every factors, reasons, ingredients to make the end result happen. Success or your goal. Again. I have tried to be as objective as i can. I am on no one side. Wish you all the best