[ivaldo]

He still fired a really hard pass to Di Maria that he mis-controlled and set Southampton on an attack. Michael Owen says that Smalling has no 'pass appreciation', that was an example of it, leathering in a really hard pass to your teammate in an area of the pitch where you really don't want to lose the ball.

I wouldn't take too much notice of what Owen has to say. He's not going to finish the game with 100% pass completion, its not perfect but its a hell of a lot better than last season.

 

[friendlytramp]

Really good today. Thought the whole defence played well

 

[Classical Mechanic]

I wouldn't take too much notice of what Owen has to say. He's not going to finish the game with 100% pass completion, its not perfect but its a hell of a lot better than last season.

He does it nearly every game. Owen mentioned after he did it to Mata in a previous game. Luckily Mata had the ability to control it under pressure but if he hadn't the opposition would have been in like today. I agree with Owen, you can't be a top class centre back doing that every game.

Smalling is a Tottenham level player for me, a Euro Cup player if you like.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

The refs are gonna take notice of all those replays of him tearing the shirt of his man's back at every corner. There will be penalties.

 

[The Mitcher]

He does it nearly every game. Owen mentioned after he did it to Mata in a previous game. Luckily Mata had the ability to control it under pressure but if he hadn't the opposition would have been in like today. I agree with Owen, you can't be a top class centre back doing that every game.

Smalling is a Tottenham level player for me, a Euro Cup player if you like.

They all do it though.

 

[Sammyjunn]

He does it nearly every game. Owen mentioned after he did it to Mata in a previous game. Luckily Mata had the ability to control it under pressure but if he hadn't the opposition would have been in like today. I agree with Owen, you can't be a top class centre back doing that every game.

Smalling is a Tottenham level player for me, a Euro Cup player if you like.

The thing is, he doesnt do it everygame and that's not the criteria of a top class defender.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

They all do it though.

Are any of them top class defenders?

 

[The Mitcher]

Are any of them top class defenders?

Ramos, Pepe, Silva etc.

 

[Adam-Utd]

The refs are gonna take notice of all those replays of him tearing the shirt of his man's back at every corner. There will be penalties.

Bollocks will they. Every defender in the premier league has done it for years and nothing ever happens.

Thought Smallings passing was also very good today. People criticise him for his distribution usually but he looked composed and made great forward passes regularly.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Ramos, Pepe, Silva etc.

What, they all leather passes to players in dangerous positions?

 

[The Mitcher]

What, they all leather passes to players in dangerous positions?

Have done yeah. Also push, shove, and grab peoples shirts.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Have done yeah. Also push, shove, and grab peoples shirts.

Owen's point is that he doesn't weight his passes properly. Owen has played with him too.

 

[RedDevilCanuck]

He was good today. We didn't lose today due to poor defending. No shots at old Trafford is the problem. .

 

[711]

Smalling's not ideal, but at the moment I rate him higher than Evans or Jones, so maybe he's the wrong target to bash.

 

[lem8sh]

His lack of technical ability is laughable at times

 

[Jippy]

The refs are gonna take notice of all those replays of him tearing the shirt of his man's back at every corner. There will be penalties.

Skrtel seems to keep getting away with it. It happens at every corner in every match in every division tbf.

 

[Ole's_toe_poke]

I thought him and Jones were excellent today. Actually the entire back 5 was very good and we looked very solid defensively for the first time in eons against a good side.

Ofcourse Van Gaal had to feck it up by briniging in Blackett and rearranging the defense.

 

[Lawman]

Was solid today, impressive from the big fella.

 

[m1y2]

He still fired a really hard pass to Di Maria that he mis-controlled and set Southampton on an attack. Michael Owen says that Smalling has no 'pass appreciation', that was an example of it, leathering in a really hard pass to your teammate in an area of the pitch where you really don't want to lose the ball.

are you really picking one bad pass? his passing was very good, played a lot of nice balls through the middle and was quite effective in starting our attacks by doing so let alone his surging runs. One over hit pass doesn't change it. Carrick does it also these driven passes and sometimes hits it too hard too but is obviously better as he is ball palying midfielder and one of the best at it. Smalling is top defender doing his defensive work and everything else is a bonus. I think he matched carrick or was even better than him against soton..

great and underrated performance for me, he was man of the match

 

[m1y2]

He is terrible with the ball at his feet which is strange because when he was signed he was portrayed as being a young Rio Ferdinand, classy on the ball and carries it out of the defence with minimal fuss. He's not any of that, his touch is heavy, he always over plays the ball and gives it away or has to make a clumsy tackle to compensate for his error.

what are you actually on about, you are right with his first touch which is not the best but once he carries the ball out of defense he doesn't lose it today it was a great example. Yes you are right he once had one heavy touch so had to make strong tackle which he won but apart that he was brilliant. This can be easily overlooked but still there will be some people like you who will make it as the biggest mistake in the world and make him look bad. Was MOTM won so many challenges and handled ball well. If you are criticising his one or two mistakes then critisice every player for everything also so I guess you must be all over the forum. I am actually happy and uite confident when he has got the ball. Sometimes he had no choice than going out of defense with the ball at his feat as there is walking carrick who can't play at the top tempo and is not as much available as we wanted. Once we start playing ith back 4 and some players who actually use their legs like Herrera, di María in midfield this will not be needed but it is a bonus when defender does it.

You are completely wrong with what you said

 

[Laphroaig]

I've not a clue who was at fault for the goal, but thought our entire defense was a shambles after the substitutions. I couldn't tell who played where at all. I reckon our players probably could, but I still suspect the goal might have been a result of post-subs chaos.

Furthermore, it's pretty obvious that we should play four at the back and that Smalling should be the first name on the sheet there.

 

[NinjaZombie]

I think he's most culpable for the goal. He had an opportunity to assert himself when they crept into the box, he should've come across and broken up the attack. What is he doing standing there, looking for offside? I've backed him for a long time but there are moments like this when I feel he's not cut out to be here.

I agree. He committed himself and missed when Pelle touched the ball on before Pelle fell over, then was holding his arms up trying not to foul while not pressuring Tadic who fed in Pelle who was free after Blackett had to cover the space that Smalling had left behind.

It was just a shambles of a goal to give away.

 

[Sam]

Dropping Smalling for Evans, for an away match against a physical striker, is just a criminal decision.

 

[Rossa]

Dropping Smalling for Evans, for an away match against a physical striker, is just a criminal decision.

Ridiculous isn't it? That is one shocking decision!

 

[Cassidy]

Dropping Smalling for Evans, for an away match against a physical striker, is just a criminal decision.

He was on the original team sheet though, has he actually been dropped? Or is he injured?

 

[Bojan11]

He was on the original team sheet though, has he actually been dropped? Or is he injured?

Why's he on the bench?

 

[Cassidy]

Why's he on the bench?

No idea, but the original team sheet, he was in the lineup.

From bbc:


Manchester United have recalled Radamel Falcao after leaving him out of the squad for last week's defeat by Southampton. He comes in in place of the injured Robin van Persie while Marcos Rojo is in for Luke Shaw and, in a change to the initial team sheet, Jonny Evans is in for Chris Smalling.

 

[Walrus]

I can only guess that Smalling suddenly felt a bit unwell or a minor niggle and LVG thought he would be better off with Evans in the starting lineup.

 

[Stadjer]

I suppose he picked up an injury again. He was fit for a few matches so it's time for him to get injured again...

 

[Sam]

Did we ever find out why he was dropped on Saturday?

If he wasn't injured then the only explanation I can think of is that LVG blamed him for the Southampton goal and thats why he was dropped (along with Blackett?). Does smack of cutting off your nose to spite your face though, when the player coming in is Johnny Evans.

 

[Getsme]

Did we ever find out why he was dropped on Saturday?

If he wasn't injured then the only explanation I can think of is that LVG blamed him for the Southampton goal and thats why he was dropped (along with Blackett?). Does smack of cutting off your nose to spite your face though, when the player coming in is Johnny Evans.

I'd hazard a guess that he was dropped. Why else would he be on the bench?

 

[Sam]

I'd hazard a guess that he was dropped. Why else would he be on the bench?

Yeah, thats seems the obvious answer. I really hope it was just a one off.

 

[Pexbo]

Seems harsh to drop him for a mistake just because it led to a goal when Evans has had numerous mistakes that could easily have led to a goal but somehow didn't. It was Evans that played Sterling through which drew that great save from de Cat.

 

[Loublaze]

Seems harsh to drop him for a mistake just because it led to a goal when Evans has had numerous mistakes that could easily have led to a goal but somehow didn't. It was Evans that played Sterling through which drew that great save from de Cat.

Evans has given away a chance almost every game he's played. He also did it in the 19th minute against PR

 

[Getsme]

Yeah, thats seems the obvious answer. I really hope it was just a one off.

Get a feeling that he's not rated at all by LVG. I have nothing to base that on, as I said, its just a feeling.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Read in some match review that the kit man messed up the team sheet and included Evans instead of Smalling.

 

[Raw]

Why does the threadmark say QPR 0-0 Man Utd?

 

[sizzling sausages]

Why does the threadmark say QPR 0-0 Man Utd?

The threadmark was made when it was still 0-0.

 

[Giggsy92]

So it wasn't a case of him picking up a slight knock or feeling unwell or whatever in the warm up? It'd be pretty baffling if he's fallen behind Evans in LVG's pecking order, hopefully it was just a one-off.

 

[Getsme]

Personally, I think Smalling is rated far higher in here than he is outside the Caf. This isn’t a dig by the way, I feel he has played slightly above average this season, which is something when you consider our defensive woes this season.

However, I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if he was the first player out the door in the summer (No I don’t think he or any of our CB’s should be sold) He doesn’t seem to be suited to a LVG team, I wasn’t surprised at all that he was dropped, my only surprise was we went three at the back again.