Smalling's better at those last ditch tackles as well, he just doesn't have to pull them off as often. He's a cleaner tackler than Jones or anyone else at the club. How many penalties has he given away for us? I can only remember the one at Stamford Bridge in his first season for a handball.
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 29
- Clean sheets
- 8
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 3
- Red cards
- 1
So much confirmation bias with smalling. He was really solid and passed the ball v well. Yet all I read is how he was shaky in defense and terrible in the ball. He's a quality centre half. Just needs to stay fit
Distribution from the back wasn't great yesterday, especially in the second half and Smalling was definitely one of the culprits for that.
Distribution can suck on one. We didn't concede a goal as brainless as the second we conceded against West Brom and that is largely down to Smalling's ability to defend. If people seriously want us to finish inside the top four then the distribution conversation should be well down the list of complaints. Smalling is the best defender we've got and he proved that again yesterday. Fitness is the main issue going forward.
I thought his distribution was much better yesterday especially in the second half. In the first, he kept in relatively simple, using Rojo or Rafael. In the second, he completed an excellent cross field ball, and some great lofted ball's into Fellaini and RvP that were much more than hoof's into the striker.
Never shies away from a physical battle either.
This.
United played the best side in the Premier League yesterday and we produced our best defensive performance by far. I thought that Rojo/Jones would have been our best central defensive partnership however, I stand corrected and admit I was wrong. Smalling/Rojo were immense. The whole back four produced some amazing moments and some great tackles and Shaw looked really good going forward. There was only one moment where I got nervous about conceding a goal when Willian was running through on goal and Smalling tackled him and passed the ball back to De Gea.
LvG has found his back four now and should be reasonably happy with it.
Yes, but that's only because Smalling is really bad on the ball.
Is Jones actually good on the ball? Seems to me that all he does is pick the ball up and try to run through any player that comes in his way. I'd say when Smalling first joined he looked a lot more composed on the ball until we ruined his confidence by playing him at RB.
I don't see Smalling's distribution to be that bad anyway. Sometimes his clearances can skew out for a throw in, but his forward passing always looks very good. Made some very sharp forward passes to the attackers yesterday. Even though his RB performances were a bit guff last season (and before), I think it's improved his dribbling, as he looks decent at bringing the ball out from the back into the midfield.
His pass completion % was very high considering the amount of passes he made and the amount of clearances he needed to get away too.
He's damn quick too, for a lad as big as he is.
His pass completion % was very high considering the amount of passes he made and the amount of clearances he needed to get away too.
He's damn quick too, for a lad as big as he is.
I agree with the statement that Smalling is better than Jones. SAF said he loved to defend. Jones is Mr Last Ditch, Smalling thinks beforehand and positions himself accordingly. Jones gets injured more often from his "car-crash" approach. Screw ball distribution - Smalling and Rojo passed between them until the Chelsea players came out, then Blind made himself available for a 10 yard pass. Blind received and away we went. I'd rather have a good defender who can actually defend first and foremost, than a "ball-playing centre-back". One swallow and all that - Smalling played really well yesterday, better than Rojo, who for me, the jury's still out. He needs more time to settle in.
Smalling did well.
Rojo made at least two mistakes which could very easily have led to goals. Hardly a stellar performance from him.
It was definitely Smalling's best performance so far this season yesterday. Even on the ball he didn't look as full of panic as he usually does. There's no doubting his defensive capabilities and he rarely seems to get beaten one-on-one, even by the likes of Hazard.
It must be said though, that was an absolute stone-wall penalty on Ivanovic
. As long as he doesn't get into the habit of wrestling people to the ground in the box, I'm all for the occassional sneaky clothes-line if he gets away with it...
It must be said though, that was an absolute stone-wall penalty on Ivanovic
. As long as he doesn't get into the habit of wrestling people to the ground in the box, I'm all for the occassional sneaky clothes-line if he gets away with it...Smalling has always been a competent, strong CB. I actually think he can become a world class CB if played in his best position consistently.
He has never been a RB and it has stunted his development. Keep him and Jones at CB and see how good they can become.
He has never been a RB and it has stunted his development. Keep him and Jones at CB and see how good they can become.
Thought he was brilliant yesterday.
Aren't you the least happy that Smalling was in fact able to wrestle Ivanovic into the ground? I'm proud of the ladIt was definitely Smalling's best performance so far this season yesterday. Even on the ball he didn't look as full of panic as he usually does. There's no doubting his defensive capabilities and he rarely seems to get beaten one-on-one, even by the likes of Hazard.
It must be said though, that was an absolute stone-wall penalty on Ivanovic
Smalling and Rojo I think compliment each other well. Would like to see the pairing continue. Until one falls unfit or gets tired.
Didnt think either were faultless yesterday. But I like both of them.
Didnt think either were faultless yesterday. But I like both of them.
LOL. Yeah, that is a big improvement for me. Due to his skinny stature, I've always thought he was liable to be bullied a bit. Taking down Ivanovic is definitely a good sign for me that he's building up the needed strength.Aren't you the least happy that Smalling was in fact able to wrestle Ivanovic into the ground? I'm proud of the lad
me too, i've been saying this since we bought Rojo. Smalling and Rojo should be our CB pairing and they would complement each others style. If they can stay fit a form a partnership we will be solid. Both are good at defending, strong and are 2 fastest CB, we wont be beaten for pace. Rojo does need to settle in a bit more and next to a composed Smalling will bring the best out of him. Jones should be back up to the pair and Blackett and McNair as cover. As for Evans i think its time for him to find a new club.
I've always been a massive Smalling fan - he was colossal in his first season here. If he can just stay clear of injuries now..
First off I really rate Smalling and when he first came, for me he didnt put a foot wrong and was a huge surprise. Think Smalling has done what a few players do though when moving to a big club. Really concentrate and put over 100% in and it shows performances are good above expected and they continue to develop and they start to feel they are supposed to play at that level. When they feel comfortable that they can play at that level they take their foot off, and their performances slip. Coincide that with a few injuries due to requirements to play and train harder and increased pressure of starting 11 at a top club. This is what I believe happened to Smalling and to some extent Jones.
I think now its time for Smalling and he'd realise that now after injuries etc that he needs to get back to basics and at the moment has a real chance of cementing himself permanently in our starting 11.
I think now its time for Smalling and he'd realise that now after injuries etc that he needs to get back to basics and at the moment has a real chance of cementing himself permanently in our starting 11.
He was fantastic when Willian got the ball after the Rojo mistake. Really focussed, didn't panic and dealt with it perfectly - didn't jump in, stepped off him and let him advance while waiting for the right moment to break the attack up.
He was quite yesterday, certainly one of the best centre-back performances from our players this year (though it's not saying much). Should keep his place and hopefully can get a run without injuries. He is our most solid defender, and I think if he got a run of games his touch/passing would get sharper too.
If there is anybody to bring composure to our backline, I think Smalling is the one player who can do that. He is calm in high pressure situations and his ability to communicate with other players and keep the backs organized is underrated. He is not particularly great with the ball, but views of this might be exaggerated by all of the time he spent at RB, where Rafael is supposed to play as a pivot. Smalling is actually pretty decent with the ball as a CB, where it's more about making the safer pass to start the buildup.
I think we may have hit upon our CB pairing yesterday. Rojo can be sloppy in his play but he is generally OK and should be given a fair amount of time to settle into the team. I already predicted on this board that Smalling, Jones, and Evans would be gone in a year or two because of their injury problems but if there is anybody on the current squad to replace some of Rio or Vidic's leadership (it is never going to be replaced completely), Smalling is the guy to do it.
I think we may have hit upon our CB pairing yesterday. Rojo can be sloppy in his play but he is generally OK and should be given a fair amount of time to settle into the team. I already predicted on this board that Smalling, Jones, and Evans would be gone in a year or two because of their injury problems but if there is anybody on the current squad to replace some of Rio or Vidic's leadership (it is never going to be replaced completely), Smalling is the guy to do it.
Ignore the rest of the video which is probably shit and pointless for a defender, but at the start you can tell Owen rates pretty highly as a defender. Owen's someone who's been around and up against some good defenders in his time.
The defence looked much better yesterday with Smalling there. If he can keep fit he is a better centre back than the others.
He isn't that good on the ball at all IMO and certainly not 'much better' than Smalling. You constantly see him dally in possession, even when he has acres of space to bring the ball forward or has several passing options around him. A better distributor yes, but someone who lacks in composure in possession just as much as Smalling does anyway. And Smalling is comfortably the better defender too.
Not helped by Rojo's Rio Hoof (Aimless long balls)
Sadly there is not much chance of that happening.
I would say Smalling and Jones are on the same level, neither are good enough to be automatic first choice and they would both have to go through an amazing metamorphosis to become the world class CB's we all want them to be.
Man City 1:0 Man Utd
What a stupid little boy he is.
I hope he never plays for this club again.
I hope he never plays for this club again.
What the feck 
Absolute moron. fecking dick.
I can't forgive him for that.
Had enough of him. Two of the stupidest yellows I've ever seen.
Idiot. The first booking was completely pointless, the second completely stupid. Dumb fecking cnut.
Hes on a card for doing something equally stupid and then lunges in like that? So stupid its untrue
That first yellow was the most retarded thing I have ever seen anyone do on a football pitch.
Face it no matter what we have at the back they are all shit. Gut the lot of them.
So stupid. Shouldn't be playing for us.
Get rid of this piece of junk.