I've given up. I genuinely thought our defenders would stay fit and step up to the plate after years of playing out of position and not all that often this season. I was completely wrong. We need quality reinforcements as soon as January.
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 29
- Clean sheets
- 8
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 3
- Red cards
- 1
Just came in to say that I remember someone making this prediction. Made me laugh when it happened.
Had few good games and showed some promise but inevitably gets injured, same story with jones, evans and smalling, it's just boring now and needs to be rectified by two new signings. We look a complete mess at the back and the next few games suddenly look a lot harder.
The core of most SAF sides was a stable center back pairing. Smalling probably won't ever be able to form part of one.
What else to expect of smalling and jones. They have a good run of form then get injured. What a difference our defense looked when he went off though. Him and jones clearly have ability but if they can't stay fit it's just going to be difficult for them to progress.
Massive loss IMO. His pace and power have bailed out our defence a lot this season, barring City. Evans doesn't have the same presence, he's smaller, not as quick and looks less assured. Its thrown the whole back line out of whack losing Smalling. Couldn't believe it when he went down after nothing more than a slip.
Can anyone say they were surprised to see Smalling go off injured? Seeing our defenders go off injured has become the norm now, and I fully expected this to happen before the match, and that's probably the worst thing about it all.
Defence went to shit without him (though the system was failing too).
Hopefully not serious.
Hopefully not serious.
Hope he's back against liverpool, Smalling is our best defender. Can't fathom what his body is made of though, his record is appaling.
Did his injury look serious? I didn't see it.
Looked like a groin strain. Probably out for 2-4 weeks.
So whats the news?
I was telling a work colleague earlier today about us having 40+ injuries this season and he thought I was over-exaggerating...
Surely we're on 45+ injuries now? An injury every 4/5 days.
It's ridiculous.
Surely we're on 45+ injuries now? An injury every 4/5 days.
It's ridiculous.
We shat the bed without him. It's only typical that he was going to get injured after 3 really good games.
Hope it's nothing bad. We badly need him
Van Gaal said he'll be back as soon as one of Rojo or Evans injure themselves.
And here I was thinking he had turned a page, alas as soon as Evans got fit it was Smalling's turn. We desperately need one good defender next month if we want to consolidate our position.
If Smalling doesn't make it at United, it's because of his injuries. So fecking gutted for him.
Was thinking.. "Smalling looks our best defender now, so confident and someone to potentially build the defence around... but he's injured so often that you can't rel..."
5mins later...Injured.
Waste of time, we need 2 CB's brought in over the next 2 transfer windows.
5mins later...Injured.
Waste of time, we need 2 CB's brought in over the next 2 transfer windows.
Its got to the point with him and Jones where I can't even bring myself to be annoyed.
Its just so fecking predictable.
Badly missed his presence at the back once he came off. Evans really needs a run of games to be fit in the first team before he's anywhere near being reliable at the back and McNair got exposed because Soton closed him down quickly from the start, forced him to make mistakes and lose his cool!
I'm there with you. I think he's brilliant, when fit, but United cannot keep hoping for him to stay fit. Hopefully it's not something that will keep him out of play for long. He's so important for us now; just look at how we struggled in the air after he came off, and his ability to read the game is also unparalleled in our squad (bar Carrick).
It's all too predictable yea, you knew he'd go down.. maybe not today but within 2-3 more games, you'd bet your house on it
but personally still ended up swearing lividly at the tele.
Last edited:
Fact is that Evans lacks the physical presence of Smalling and that is something we miss without him. We lost too many duels today.
When was the last time when he was fit enough for more than 5 games at a stretch?
Good defender, horrible injury record. I don't know how long can we keep waiting for him to get over his injury issues.
Good defender, horrible injury record. I don't know how long can we keep waiting for him to get over his injury issues.
I figure till the end of the season personally.
We should really be trying to pick up a cb in january because the 3 of them are made of glass.
Any that dont stay fit for the rest of the season replace.
Good defender, its a pity.
Up until this season his fitness was better than Evans or Jones, which isnt saying much but the answer is last season. Last season he was fit for more than 5 in a row
We can make do with revolving defenders for the remainder of this year, then buy a very good CM in the summer. Smalling, Evans, Jones, Rojo, McNair, and Carrick are more than capable of carrying the water until then.
We just can't keep any of these defenders fit can we?
Really hope he's back in time for the scousers. Deluded, I know but we need all we can against the irrepressible Lambert.
Showed again why he is our best defender. We were an absolute rabble without him. As soon as he went off all composure was lost. Hopefully the injury is not too bad. You could see the disappointment in his face because he was just starting to put some games together. Really, really unfortunate.
Johnny Evans is back, Smalling breaks down. Jones gets back and Evans is done. Rinse and Repeat.
Why is it when one of our returning defenders is on the bench then the one starting gets injured? No doubt Jones will be on the bench next game and Rojo will get injured.
Damn you @Red Katie
Damn you @Red Katie
Get rid of him, Jones and Evans.
Don't care if he has potential, or quality. Useless if he can't stay fit.
Said before the season started that it was ludicrous to base your defence on them three with their histories, it's proven to be true.
Don't care if he has potential, or quality. Useless if he can't stay fit.
Said before the season started that it was ludicrous to base your defence on them three with their histories, it's proven to be true.
And then buy THREE new defenders we have to integrate into the squad? Do you even? I don't even...
Wouldnt be surprised if he left and never got an injury again. Its not just him though is it? With the number of injuries that our players keep getting, rather than the players, something deeper should be looked at. Training? Food habits? Anything else? Must be something.
Also thought he was looking our best CB the last few games and it was nice to see him CB rather than RB.
Also thought he was looking our best CB the last few games and it was nice to see him CB rather than RB.
Losing my patience with him. It's even more frustrating after his recent form. Looked so much more solid with him in the team.
That's what I keep thinking will happen too
