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2014-15 Performances


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6.0 Season Average Rating
Appearances
29
Clean sheets
8
Goals
4
Assists
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1

Bwuk

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There's been as many bad or barely average performances since that City game as there has been good ones.
I agree with you but most won't. Another player who we over-rate like mad on the caf.

If any other side attempting to challenge for the league had a centre half as poor on the ball starting regularly for them we'd mock them big time.

Smalling is good defender, but isn't a good footballer. Watch someone come in and post a lot of stats and other nonsense, but watch him with the ball at his feet when someone presses him. Panicks.

That's what let's him down majorly. Otherwise he'd be great. I just don't think you can get away with that.
 

Tomuś

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I think his talent ceiling is extremely high. I mean, our biggest qualm was he couldn't pass to save his life and he's improved on that massively. Not just the last couple of games but it has been clear for some time now. His confidence must by pretty high right now. I don't think he can 'just be a player for us' like many claim but I see him as a potential star. The way he improved his on the ball skills scares me.

And don't forget he lacks the football education Jones or Evans possess. Van Gaal was the best manager he could get atm for he values features that Smalling lacked and already improved on. There were never question marks over his defending.
 

Tomuś

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I agree with you but most won't. Another player who we over-rate like mad on the caf.

If any other side attempting to challenge for the league had a centre half as poor on the ball starting regularly for them we'd mock them big time.

Smalling is good defender, but isn't a good footballer. Watch someone come in and post a lot of stats and other nonsense, but watch him with the ball at his feet when someone presses him. Panicks.

That's what let's him down majorly. Otherwise he'd be great. I just don't think you can get away with that.
He was our passing defender at Anfield in a game we dominated and were as comfortable in possession as ever. If you were talking about pre-LvG Smalling then you'd be right.
 

Keeps It tidy

Hates Messi
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He was our passing defender at Anfield in a game we dominated and were as comfortable in possession as ever. If you were talking about pre-LvG Smalling then you'd be right.
Even last match he had some bad giveaways. I am happy with his recent form but, passing still is not a strong suit of his.
 

Tomuś

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Even last match he had some bad giveaways. I am happy with his recent form but, passing still is not a strong suit of his.
It's not his biggest strength but you couldn't watch him the last few games and say that he's a calamity waiting to happen on the ball in recent games. That's a good platform to build upon. Granted he's not Rio but I can't say his passing vs Spurs and Liverpool was worse than Nemanja's for starters.
 

m1y2

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I agree with you but most won't. Another player who we over-rate like mad on the caf.

If any other side attempting to challenge for the league had a centre half as poor on the ball starting regularly for them we'd mock them big time.

Smalling is good defender, but isn't a good footballer. Watch someone come in and post a lot of stats and other nonsense, but watch him with the ball at his feet when someone presses him. Panicks.

That's what let's him down majorly. Otherwise he'd be great. I just don't think you can get away with that.
you actually watch some games right? Or you stick to these nonsense statements like Smalling's still 21. He developed his passing game quite well. He can make those surging runs through the middle carrying the ball from the defense really well and doesn't look like shitting his pants at all. He usually does one or two great cross field passes per game, he's not hoofer of the ball either.

There is one think about Smalling he just looks quite clumsy at times and his first touch is not always perfect but apart that he's brilliant with the ball let alone he's the best defender in the team.. Just because he doesn't look elegant like Carrick with the ball doesn't make him being shit with it. These dull misjudgements will never end I guess. It's like saying Rafael's still rash just because his game is set on aggressiveness.

They will never get rid of their sticks for some people just because those people are too lazy to change their opinion or actually watch them play and use their brain judging them.
 

Tomuś

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I'd say that his passing has been scrutinized even more so because he hasn't had the company of a great ball-playing cb like Rio. He's in this case unfortunate compared to Nemanja. Evans would be that guy had he developed the way we wanted. Now if we have Smalling and Jones who're both hit and miss, pretty hot-headed with the ball at their feet it's more visible.
 

ZDwyr

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Jan 14, 2014
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If he goes to Arsenal I will be crushed. Get the contract sorted! He's our best CB.
 

Jiggs'Hamstring

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Never lost faith in him. If he can stay fit he's got incredible potential. I've argued with posters in the past about referring to a 25-year-old's 'potential', but he's still got relatively few hours on the clock. It's all about staying fit.
 

BringNaniBack

Leaves a bullshit trail behind him
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No way should we be letting this guy go. Smallings only real weakness is his passing and sometimes he looks a little panicky on the ball; Now im not in any way saying Smalling is up to Vidic standards yet but Vidic was utterly shocking with the ball at his feet at times, his passing was poor, along with his lack of pace and every now and then getting torn apart by certain pacey strikers and getting sent off etc. But he was forgiven for this because he was suck a rock and a beast at every other aspect of the game. Smalling can be the same, athletically, in the air, winning the ball against pacey tricky players, I haven't seen many better recently and he is improving with every game. As with Vidic I think Smalling's sometimes erratic/poor passing can be forgiven unless its really causing us problems which I don't think it is and he is improving that aspect of his game all the time. We all talk about his poor passing or being poor on the ball but when do we ever really see him get us into trouble or lose the ball in a dangerous position? If he ever does lose the ball or misplace a pass its usually from when he has driven forward into the oppositions half looking for an attacking pass.

The more he plays the more composed he will become, he has all the qualities to be the best CB in the league in the next few years IMO.
 

Ballache

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No way should we be letting this guy go. Smallings only real weakness is his passing and sometimes he looks a little panicky on the ball; Now im not in any way saying Smalling is up to Vidic standards yet but Vidic was utterly shocking with the ball at his feet at times, his passing was poor, along with his lack of pace and every now and then getting torn apart by certain pacey strikers and getting sent off etc. But he was forgiven for this because he was suck a rock and a beast at every other aspect of the game. Smalling can be the same, athletically, in the air, winning the ball against pacey tricky players, I haven't seen many better recently and he is improving with every game. As with Vidic I think Smalling's sometimes erratic/poor passing can be forgiven unless its really causing us problems which I don't think it is and he is improving that aspect of his game all the time. We all talk about his poor passing or being poor on the ball but when do we ever really see him get us into trouble or lose the ball in a dangerous position? If he ever does lose the ball or misplace a pass its usually from when he has driven forward into the oppositions half looking for an attacking pass.

The more he plays the more composed he will become, he has all the qualities to be the best CB in the league in the next few years IMO.
Smalling's only problem for me is his fitness. If he stays fit he's a beast of a CB.
 

Shimo

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I don't want to rain all over the Smalling circle jerk but do you realise this thread just keeps going in cycles? Smalling wank fest after a couple of good displays followed by the "he's useless & will never learn" posters (me included) after his usual run of poor performances.
I'll hold my hands up if he puts in a good run of games between now & the end of the season & looks to have turned a corner but I still can't ever see him turning into a reliable defender.
Usual run of bad performances? When? Only knock on him has been his injury issues. His performances for the most part have been pretty good to very good. Like most young defenders he's had his bad moments but, they've not been that often and more and more you can see him growing into a top CB.
 

Sam

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Never lost faith in him. If he can stay fit he's got incredible potential. I've argued with posters in the past about referring to a 25-year-old's 'potential', but he's still got relatively few hours on the clock. It's all about staying fit.
Don't forget he was playing at non-league Maidenstone until he was about 18 as well. So he hasn't even had the 'upbringing' in a proper academy that most players benefit from. In that sense, I always think of him as a 'young 25'.
 

DWelbz19

Correctly predicted Portugal to win Euro 2016
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3 who arent better at all, one who would cost his fairly extortionate buy out clause and another who Arsènal have no chances of getting? Right...
 

Walrus

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Terrible, terrible article - and I normally dont mind Bleacher Report.

Umtiti is completely unproven at a decent level and I expect would just become another average defender like a Sakho, Squillaci, Mangala, Nastasic etc.
Stones is a great option, but £8.8m? :lol: Everton will be wanting £30m for him I would expect.
Varane is a decent shout but would be very expensive and by no means the finished product yet. Untested in the PL, which for a CB can be a big factor.
Hector Moreno im afraid to say I havent heard of, but he is too old to be considered 'one for the future', and hasnt played at a particularly high level yet which should say something.
For Laporte, see Varane.
 

ChrisG11

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Untested in the PL isn't a great reason not to sign someone, at what point do you "test" someone?

I think Hummels is our best option. I do think he's overrated, but he's good on the ball and he plays on the left side which is ideal. For me, Hummels LCB with Jones and Smalling competing for the other spot would be a healthy position for us to be in with our centre halves.
 

Keeps It tidy

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Terrible, terrible article - and I normally dont mind Bleacher Report.

Umtiti is completely unproven at a decent level and I expect would just become another average defender like a Sakho, Squillaci, Mangala, Nastasic etc.
Stones is a great option, but £8.8m? :lol: Everton will be wanting £30m for him I would expect.
Varane is a decent shout but would be very expensive and by no means the finished product yet. Untested in the PL, which for a CB can be a big factor.
Hector Moreno im afraid to say I havent heard of, but he is too old to be considered 'one for the future', and hasnt played at a particularly high level yet which should say something.
For Laporte, see Varane.
Umtiti is actually pretty good. If we sign a left footed CB he would be my second choice to Laporte.
 

dsch

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Terrible, terrible article - and I normally dont mind Bleacher Report.

Umtiti is completely unproven at a decent level and I expect would just become another average defender like a Sakho, Squillaci, Mangala, Nastasic etc.
Stones is a great option, but £8.8m? :lol: Everton will be wanting £30m for him I would expect.
Varane is a decent shout but would be very expensive and by no means the finished product yet. Untested in the PL, which for a CB can be a big factor.
Hector Moreno im afraid to say I havent heard of, but he is too old to be considered 'one for the future', and hasnt played at a particularly high level yet which should say something.
For Laporte, see Varane.
Bleacher Report will publish anything. It's the platform of last resort for people who can barely string two sentences together but who nevertheless mistakenly think that people care about what they say. This particular writer has managed to somehow not figure out that transfermarkt prices are only values, not what the club will sell at. Use value rather than exchange value.
 

Nickosaur

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Manchester United are prepared to reject a £12m offer from Arsenal for 25-year-old defender Chris Smalling. (Manchester Evening News)
From BBC Gossip Column, and of course to be taken with a fistful of salt. They've also got another golden nugget, where we're bringing Ronaldo back home.

Another link to Arsenal though. What's the status of his current contract?
 

Skills

Snitch
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Jan 17, 2012
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Manchester United are prepared to reject a £12m offer from Arsenal for 25-year-old defender Chris Smalling. (Manchester Evening News)
From BBC Gossip Column, and of course to be taken with a fistful of salt. They've also got another golden nugget, where we're bringing Ronaldo back home.

Another link to Arsenal though. What's the status of his current contract?
One year left at the end of the season I think.
 

ricky-romeo

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wtf with this smalling and arsenal link? every transfer window there will be news about arsenal making a bid for him.
 

DWelbz19

Correctly predicted Portugal to win Euro 2016
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wtf with this smalling and arsenal link? every transfer window there will be news about arsenal making a bid for him.
Wenger is a big fan. He wanted him back when he was at Fulham too.
 

Red_Beans

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Havent Arsenal already tried unsuccessfully to sign him last summer?

or was that just the rumour mill at it again?
 

Skills

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Havent Arsenal already tried unsuccessfully to sign him last summer?

or was that just the rumour mill at it again?
I believe they asked for him in an exchange for Vermaalen. Imagine if we actually went through with it...
 

amolbhatia50k

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It would be pure madness to sell Smalling. Defensively, he has no real weakness barring the odd mistake any defender can make. He's strong, quick, reads the game well, and is a good tackler. He's well worth sticking with till he becomes less injury prone.
 

Rozay

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We need to sort the deal asap. I don't think we would want to sell him, but who knows if he may want to go if they promise him the status he desires? He's seen Welbeck make the same move, who will likely be trying to sell it to him, and on the pitch - we aren't really the one level above Arsenal as we have been in years gone by.

We should offer him a new deal and the role of first-choice centre-half here.
 

Adam-Utd

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Smalling has started pretty much every game he has been fit I believe, and I think LVG is becoming a real fan of him. I was worried he would be dropped when Rojo came back, but it just shows how impressed he must be with him recently as he is going against his left + right foot policy.

I would be absolutely gutted if he did leave, as in my eyes he is the best CB in the league on his day IMO.
 

Rozay

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Smalling has started pretty much every game he has been fit I believe, and I think LVG is becoming a real fan of him. I was worried he would be dropped when Rojo came back, but it just shows how impressed he must be with him recently as he is going against his left + right foot policy.

I would be absolutely gutted if he did leave, as in my eyes he is the best CB in the league on his day IMO.
Agree with all of that. Absolute monster and virtually unbeatable when he's on it. No way should Rojo have a spot secured in the team going forward by virtue of being left-footed.