12
While I did think the Rojo and Smalling was the best partnership, Jones has come in recently and done really well too. You don't change a winning team in my eyes, and Rojo will have to wait his turn to get back into the team.
Wasn't Jones on the left against Spurs and Liverpool? It'd be him that was dropped for Rojo or Evans if so.
He's pretty much a laughing stock as is Ashley Young and many others at the club. But so were Fletcher and park and other mainstays of trophy winning teams. Once opposition fans have an opinion on a player its impossible to shift it.
Smalling is a laughing stock?
Pretty much I live in London and as soon as his name is mentioned its all jokes. For example an Arsenal fan at work has been getting ripped by everyone from West Ham to Chelsea fans about being linked with Smalling. West Ham fans think he's a poor mans Reid!
I think he means opposition fans love to make fun of Smalling and even Jones as overrated players
Excuse me?
He is for most opposition fans, along with Evans and probably Jones as well
I didn't realise that. All the opposition fans I've spoken to about Smalling all rate him highly. Pretty much the only United defender they'd take.
Most of my Liverpool and Arsenal supporting friends think he's just a tall, dumb defender who is good in the air and that's it. Obviously they are basing this off some of his bad performances, and like someone said earlier in the thread, once they make up their mind about an opposing player, very hard to change it.
Well down here all I can say is they'd rather take a beating than take Smalling.
Most of my non-United supported friends also think Smalling is shite.
I've got a few footballing mates who seem like knowledgeable guys but still don't rate Carrick. I just can't take them seriously anymore.
And there's me being so envious of Arsenal's, Liverpool's and even City's centre backs for that matter - NOT!
It is not a good era for centre backs in all honesty.
This is news to me too. Most people I speak to outside of the Caf all think Evans is fecking gash, Jones is overrated but Smalling is actually quite good.
True and no-one currently stands out for me who would actually improve us next season
Yeah and Herrera is already getting it as well. To be honest you cant have a sensible argument as even if we get Pogba and I say "a midfield of Carrick, Herrera and Pogba and I'd be happy"...to any non United fan Pogba is the only one in there they wouldnt laugh at!...same all over the team, same when we were winning everything in sight.....and I had Arsenal fans down here telling me their midfield of Fabregas and co dicked on ours....on paper perhaps but never worked out that way.
There's obviously something about Carrick that just isn't appreciated by some. It's not like it's just the normal bloke in the street that doesn't rate him but pretty much every England manager during his career hasn't thought much of him either.
Someone that can stay fit for more than half a dozen games in a row would be a start.
Same when looking at the entire PL and who's possible to buy..afew from Southampton but nothing you'd be very sad to miss out on.
He doesnt score. Thats basically it. Gerrard and Lamps always going to look great in comparison. Scholes scored the odd worldy and chipped in most seasons. If you dont score you aint rated by rival fans as your basically not mentioned on MOTD!
We may be getting there, personally, probably contrary to many on here, I'd be quite happy for any 2 out of Smalling/Jones/Rojo to be our regular centre-back partnership. The key is to form a partnership and understanding. Ie injuries being the stumbling block so far
They love to hate us, and the sum total of their exposure to Jones and Smalling is 2 or 3 games where they played at right back or central midfield back in 2012.
Jones said the other day they have been partned together at CB 4/5 times in 4 years.....
Unsurprising if thats true.
The irony is that their biggest problem was staying healthy, all three are injury prone defenders.
Ahh yeah I see, apologies that's poor form from myself.
Nah, you didn't mean it in that way anyway.
