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2014-15 Performances


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6.0 Season Average Rating
Appearances
29
Clean sheets
8
Goals
4
Assists
0
Yellow cards
3
Red cards
1

Ekeke

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Milner was in the team to close down the defenders and be close to Carrick and it started off working well. But after about 15 minutes he decided he'd had enough and we were able to play it around without trouble
 

Americano

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He started nervously on the ball, and Jones did too I think. He also had to cover quite often for Valencia which didn't help him. He grew into the game though and was good. Switched off at the end which was disappointing, but I guess ultimately not too big of a disaster.
Good summary. I'm just looking to the future what it might be like when he can deliver a full 90 minutes of solid play with the improving understanding of the other defenders. And maybe with a more defensively accomplished player than Valencia next to him.
 

beergod

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Milner was in the team to close down the defenders and be close to Carrick and it started off working well. But after about 15 minutes he decided he'd had enough and we were able to play it around without trouble
I thought Milner played it perfectly for the first 15 minutes. Good thing that he fecked off and did his own thing after that, because I thought they were going to reduce us to passing slowly among the back four at one point early in the match.
 

Sied

I..erm..love U2, baby?
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Nov 28, 2013
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Always looks awkward when running with the ball but defended well enough today and tried to show leadership across the line
Really? I didn't think that at all. Smalling and McNair looked very confident running the ball out to me. Maybe looked a little lost with what to do with it when Chelsea let them run really far forward, but that's not particularly surprising or a problem.

Defensively there were some impressive Varane-esque shows of his pace too. Caught Drogba at full sprint a few times when it looked like he was only at three quarters pace.
 

DWelbz19

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Good game from both he and McNair but really they saw too much of the ball. Couldn't break Chelsea's walls.
 

kps88

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22,511
Haven't seen a replay - could he have done more to stop the goal?
 

Nighteyes

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Nov 14, 2012
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25,467
I don't understand why he shits himself in the opposition half when he's actually quite good in the ball. It's almost like he thinks to himself "Oh feck. I'm past the halfway line. PANIC!!!!"
 

Skills

Snitch
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Jan 17, 2012
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42,010
They let him have the ball today and he couldn't/wasn't able to take real advantage of it. Expected though, his on ball ability is a still work in progress though one that is improving exponentially based on this season.

Solid defender though. Won every header against a (past it) Drogba without having to even jump.
 

Adam-Utd

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Haven't seen a replay - could he have done more to stop the goal?
He was marking Oscar tight at the time, so probably no. Valencia needed to close the gap to Smalling IMO, but it's easy to say I suppose.
 

Devil may care

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Jan 7, 2010
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Really? I didn't think that at all. Smalling and McNair looked very confident running the ball out to me. Maybe looked a little lost with what to do with it when Chelsea let them run really far forward, but that's not particularly surprising or a problem.

Defensively there were some impressive Varane-esque shows of his pace too. Caught Drogba at full sprint a few times when it looked like he was only at three quarters pace.
I didn't say he lacked confidence, just that he looks awkward running with it, like it's not natural for him, unlike say McNair who is very smooth when running with it. Not a criticism, just an observation as I think Smalling is more a traditional CB than a ball playing one but is doing his best to fit with what LvG demands even if it's not his natural game.
 

Sied

I..erm..love U2, baby?
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I didn't say he lacked confidence, just that he looks awkward running with it, like it's not natural for him, unlike say McNair who is very smooth when running with it. Not a criticism, just an observation as I think Smalling is more a traditional CB than a ball playing one but is doing his best to fit with what LvG demands even if it's not his natural game.
Oh right, fair enough. I thought awkward implied a lack of confidence. Can't say I've noticed that myself.
 

The White Pele

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Dec 2, 2006
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One thing I'd like to see him change: when he steps out of defence with the ball it's fantastic but he then often negates it by playing a sideways or backwards pass.

It's great though that we have start to see him step out more often.
 

Bwuk

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Feb 29, 2012
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17,281
Paddy McNair out performed him.

I know we all want our younger English players to do well, but if we go into next season with Smalling as the main defender we won't win the league.
 

Yorkeontop

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That was the hesitant and unsure version of him today, an eyesore at times. Look out for the decisive and precise version, a damn right treat really.
 

Dominos

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Wonder what game some people were watching, I really do.

He was excellent. Why is McNair having a good game a slight on Smalling? They can both deliver good performance, which is what happened.
 

Loublaze

ATLien
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Aug 30, 2009
Messages
16,593
Wonder what game some people were watching, I really do.

He was excellent. Why is McNair having a good game a slight on Smalling? They can both deliver good performance, which is what happened.
You know why
 

Walrus

Oppressed White Male
Joined
Aug 25, 2008
Messages
11,156
Their goal was primarily just the fact that Hazard is the best player in the league and showed why. Could we have defended better? In hindsight, sure, but there was no blindingly obvious defensive error.

Overall another good game from him.
 

Dominos

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Their goal was primarily just the fact that Hazard is the best player in the league and showed why. Could we have defended better? In hindsight, sure, but there was no blindingly obvious defensive error.

Overall another good game from him.
I remember thinking if Valencia was stood a yard further infield he'd have blocked Hazard's path through on goal. Also don't like how he gave up once hazard was goal side. Paying the price for not having an actual defender in defence.
 

ThanksBoss26

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May 18, 2013
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Showing signs of finally fulfilling his potential for me. Feel like we've been here before with him but hope he can see it through now and become the player I think he can.

Smalling, Jones, Rojo, a new CB and McNair will do me fine for our group of centre halves next season.
 

DWelbz19

Correctly predicted Portugal to win Euro 2016
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Paddy McNair out performed him.

I know we all want our younger English players to do well, but if we go into next season with Smalling as the main defender we won't win the league.
On the ball, yeah. Neither really had anything to do defensively and when they did they both were more than competent.
 

Walrus

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Messages
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I remember thinking if Valencia was stood a yard further infield he'd have blocked Hazard's path through on goal. Also don't like how he gave up once hazard was goal side. Paying the price for not having an actual defender in defence.
Yeah I did notice that he seemed to just start ballwatching as though he were simply bedazzled by the beauty that is Eden Hazard.

Still, there was no way Valencia (or anyone else) would have caught Hazard once he had reached that point - we would more than likely have just given away a penalty. Herrera should have done better at tracking his run initially - and (this was pointed out in the HT analysis) could have simply checked Hazard off the ball to prevent the situation developing. It may have been noticed by the ref, but either way I think giving away a FK would have been a better option for us.

Of course Herrera was playing an unfamiliar position so perhaps wasnt quite clued up to execute a professional foul in that circumstance, but there you go.
 

Shamwow

listens to shit music & watches Mrs Brown's Boys
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Smalling was excellent on Saturday, not sure what some others were watching.
 

DWelbz19

Correctly predicted Portugal to win Euro 2016
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Only player who has played well today, I'd say.