[Sam]

He looked absolutely destroyed when he went off.

 

[ManUnitedCanuck]

You could tell he was completely gutted and thinking some of the same thoughts as are being shared on this board.

He knew he'd be out for a bit and was clearly disappointed.

 

[Ringo 07]

He's probably our best center half which doesn't say much...we just can't rely on jones, evans or smalling long term.....I'm sure LVG will splash the cash in january if the right player becomes available but I don't think anyone will be available then

 

[Al-T]

A shame for Smalling as he's actually looked quite decent of late. The trouble is that, yet again, his quality is secondary to his inability to stay fit. The same applies to Evans, Jones and Rafael. We can't go on with having one hobble into the treatment room just as one hobbles out and playing with converted wingers as fullbacks.

All of them out of contract in summer 2016. I reckon they have about nine months to convince van Gaal they can stay fit or they'll be moved on.

 

[Irrational.]

He's been very good recently, and has given our defence a look of solidity and confidence.

Really annoyed and frustrated he's out again, hope it isn't for very long.

 

[matherto]

And then buy THREE new defenders we have to integrate into the squad? Do you even? I don't even...

We've got money to burn, go mad.

Three new defenders to integrate into the squad or three players who take it in turns to be fit and are error prone when they come back every single time. I think I'd take a chance on the three new ones. Smalling, Jones and Evans have had far too many.

 

[Devil may care]

He was good against Chelsea, Arsenal, Hull and Stoke but once again his body just gives out on him, it's like we need to send him back to the factory as we got sent a faulty Smalling.

 

[Bojan11]

You just know if we sell him that he'd be fit constantly for his new team.

 

[Raoul]

Losing my patience with him. It's even more frustrating after his recent form. Looked so much more solid with him in the team.

So why are you losing patience if as you say, he's been in good form lately ?

 

[rotherham_red]

The useless Sky interviewer didn't ask about Smalling, did LVG say anything in the postmatch presser?

 

[ZDwyr]

The useless Sky interviewer didn't ask about Smalling, did LVG say anything in the postmatch presser?

Some form of muscle tear that will be assessed tomorrow.

 

[Freak]

Well what's new with smalling? We need to have an injury prediction thread for smalling, Jones and Evans - how many matches will they last before injury strikes again.

 

[Ole's_toe_poke]

At what point do you give up on him.

Very good player when fit and has a run of matches, but you can't keep hoping that he stays fit.

I'd say the same goes for Rafael and Evans.

 

[Loublaze]

Well what's new with smalling? We need to have an injury prediction thread for smalling, Jones and Evans - how many matches will they last before injury strikes again.

We have a Jones, Smalling and Evans injured thread. Thats enough

 

[ZDwyr]

At what point do you give up on him.

Very good player when fit and has a run of matches, but you can't keep hoping that he stays fit.

I'd say the same goes for Rafael and Evans.

Well certainly not before Jones or Evans who are injured just as often and aren't as good when they do play.

 

[Winrar]

The sad thing is, I wasn't even surprised one bit that this happened. Of course an injury would follow after a string of good performances.

 

[reelworld]

So why are you losing patience if as you say, he's been in good form lately ?

The fact that the cycle that he's been in good form and injured happen again?

 

[ricky-romeo]

just a matter of time, nothing surprising here..

the story of chris smalling. decent for 4 or 5 games and look set to be our long term CB before injuring himself and out for a couple of months or so.

 

[rotherham_red]

Some form of muscle tear that will be assessed tomorrow.

Ah right, fingers crossed it's nothing serious...

 

[bosnian_red]

Such a shame. Think Smalling and jones for that matter have it in them to become top class center backs, just I doubt either will ever get there because they are crocks. Always get injured. Nobody can say that Smalling picking up an injury was unexpected, I was surprised he managed to go a month without picking one up really. He was doing well and I'm gutted for him, but there has to be a point where you cut your losses. This season should be the last chance for all 3 of them.

 

[gza the genius]

Sell him and Evans. No point waiting around for them anymore. We need players that are going to actually play every week and it's starting to be pretty obvious we'll never get that with these two. Jones is still young enough to turn it around while we hopefully get some experience and leadership in the squad.

I do like Smalling as a player, it just isn't really paying off to rely on him anymore.

 

[POF]

You've got to feel for him. He was visibly distraught as he left the pitch. He'd been playing superbly and that injury surely means we won't see him again in 2014.

With the current run of form and the gap closing to Chelsea and City I was starting to think that United still had a chance to win the league this season. After seeing how bad the defence was after he went off I have now dismissed those thoughts.

 

[KeninDC]

I fear his great future is slowly receding into the past. Pity-but no reason to hold on to him if he can't stay fit.

 

[daniel9988]

He needs to stop getting injured ffs.

He was getting into a good run of form as well, which can't be said of Evans or Rojo.

 

[Loublaze]

I was totally gutted when he went off injured. Evans was utter shit

 

[Loublaze]

You've got to feel for him. He was visibly distraught as he left the pitch. He'd been playing superbly and that injury surely means we won't see him again in 2014.

With the current run of form and the gap closing to Chelsea and City I was starting to think that United still had a chance to win the league this season. After seeing how bad the defence was after he went off I have now dismissed those thoughts.

Whats the word on the injury?

 

[Devil may care]

His last 2 injuries have happened without any real contact, he looks such a strong athlete but his muscles seem fragile.

 

[2 man midfield]

I was gutted but not surprised. You always felt even in the last game that it could happen any second, or between games we'd hear that he's now on crutches for some reason.

 

[kouroux]

He's so unlucky with injuries. The pain on his face made me feel sorry for him.

 

[ricky-romeo]

LVG needs to sign a world class CB next summer, and i expect the team to challenge for the tittle by then. unfortunately there are not many out there but someone like godin, eventhough in his late 20's and is going to cost us pretty lot, should be our target.

no matter how good and talented chris smalling is,he is going to spend half of the full season on the treatment table. and i can say the same about jones and evans.

time to get ruthless by offloading at least one of smalling, jones or evans. at this rate i'll probably say evans should be off.

new CB, rojo, smalling and jones sounds fine to me. plus we still got mcnair and blackett. smalling and jones can still take their turn with injuries though.

 

[Melvyn]

Congratulations to Chris Smalling who wins this week's Manchester United injury raffle! Who will be the next winner in the Liverpool match?

 

[Skills]

He had a groin injury earlier in the season as well no? Then he just pulls up after nothing, 10 minutes into the game. That's surely something to do with the warm up?

 

[VanGaalEra]

So why are you losing patience if as you say, he's been in good form lately ?

Keeps getting injured, there's no point being in good form for 3/4 games if you're going to miss the next 6.

 

[Nighteyes]

Sigh...

 

[Feed Me]

He injured himself while walking. Slapstick stuff.

His form has been very good, but yesterday was proof that we should ditch him and probably the likes of Evans and Jones too.

What's the point in having players who destabilise everything by continually picking up absurd injuries during games? We were quite comfortable yesterday up until Smalling's injury and then things went tits up.

 

[Feed Me]

Keeps getting injured, there's no point being in good form for 3/4 games if you're going to miss the next 6.

I absolutely agree. Being able to stay fit is an important part of a player's make-up.

 

[Feed Me]

I was totally gutted when he went off injured. Evans was utter shit

Overly harsh assessment - he just looked like a player who has been out injured for ages.

 

[Mark_GrumpyLion]

Gutted that hes injured. Been really enjoying him and Rojo together lately.

 

[BarstoolProphet]

At what point do you give up on him.

Very good player when fit and has a run of matches, but you can't keep hoping that he stays fit.

I'd say the same goes for Rafael and Evans.

At what point do we give up on almost all of our defenders? There's a reason we struggle to say "he's definitely our best defender/CB" because no-one seems to be able to play a few matches on the trot without getting injured. Add to that we have Kamikaze Jones who seems to enjoy to injure the rest of his team mates in addition to every part of his own body. Rafael, Jones, Evans and Smalling all has the potential to be a certain starter for United but this has been going on for a few years now. I'm about to give up on all of them. Too tired of having to say "can't wait til Rafa/Evans/Smalling/Jones is back, he's our best in that position". Is this the main reason for us struggling to go through the transition from Rio/Vidic/Evra to a new, solid back four seamlessly? They are all useful when fit but we can't keep up with this unstable defence. It's the 2nd or 3rd season in row now that he haven't had a stable back four.

 

[PvsNP]

He's so unlucky. Please don't become our Diaby.