The “Agenda” argument when someone thinks your favourite player isn’t that good is one of the more tiresome aspects of the caf. Just because you have an opinion on a player doesn’t make everyone else with an opinion agenda ridden.
I personally don’t rate Lindelof because he isn’t, in my view, particularly good at the basics of defending. He’s ok. He’s probably seen as a modern defender who is comfortable jockeying, avoiding aerial duals, dribbling and trying to be a bit more cerebral in his defending. Fine if that’s what you like but it’s not for me. I don’t rate him any higher than Blind in that regard though which is frustrating as I can’t see him as an upgrade.
Smalling has his deficiencies too but in my old fashioned view, I’d rather find a way of making his style work with Maguire than Lindelof’s style. The legend of Smalling’s shite passing that has been handed down through generations of the caf so it’s now established as gospel when it was never horrific. Is he a baller...? No, he’s not but the passing problem is overplayed in my view. “Son, just go out, win me the ball and then ping a quick pass in to Pogba, Fred, Bruno etc...(OT even Maguire)...“ Maybe I’m just old fashioned but let the defender actually defend and the midfielder get, create, pass, dribble, score etc...
When you measure his ability and attributes against the best defenders out there at all aspects of actual defending, he measures up extremely well. I just don’t think Lindelof does personally, whether it’s against his own type or the more aggressive, physical front foot defender. I just think he’s average i.e. I don’t see anything that he excels at. This is why I’d have Smalling as Maguire’s partner for now (if we’re not in the market)
I don’t know how Sir Matt managed to put together such fantastic teams and be so successful without having access to the copious amount of stats these days such as Lindelof averaging 0.5 through balls per game or whatever nonsense it was. I prefer the eye test given that’s how you watch football and I felt more secure watching Smalling at the back than Lindelof. I know I would just much rather play up against a Lindelof than a Smalling or Maguire, even acknowledging their respective weaknesses.
It’s obviously horses for courses and no doubt both would be useful in the squad but I would just rather we had someone strong and pacy next to Maguire. If it needs to be Smalling for now, so be it! Shame Tuanzebe hasn’t been able to stay fit because then there’d almost certainly be no need for this thread...ifs and buts though...