need the time
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 55
- Clean sheets
- 24
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 13
- Red cards
- 1
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
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He's not..the problem with the caf is the extremes, if he plays poorly then they will be cries to sell him..see the reaction after the City game less than 12 months ago.
He is in phenomenal form though and if he remains this consistent, he will be counted among some of the best soon enough.
Chris has been a colossus.
It was literally the last action of the game.need the time
This is negative. Even last season he suffered less injuries and time off than all our other senior CBs. He's now started 12 consecutive games, which is more than Jones and Evans started consecutively (Evans best for 4 seasons was 7 consecutive before he left).
Nice to see some of the other players acknowledging his performance at the end, didn't notice that last night.
What a player
I'm biased but meh, still think it, I just don't ever expect Smalling to be dribbled of beaten in the air, ever.
This sudden Media narrative of 'Oh wow where did this Smalling come from?' is so annoying. One of the journos even asked in the press conference today what LVG Had done to Smalling as his 'progress has surprised a lot of people'.
Sorry, but anyone with a brain cell who has watched Smalling since he signed for us could have been his obvious talent.
Sorry, but anyone with a brain cell who has watched Smalling since he signed for us could have been his obvious talent.
It's clear that he's always had plenty of potential, but to be fair his game has improved massively in the past year.
Defensively he seems pretty much the same to me. More physical and confident though thanks to actually getting game time in his best position.
His defensive ability is perhaps fairly similar, but the physicality and confidence aspect can be a massive factor which affects a players game. He's also a lot more reliable: not that he was too error prone as such, but he's ironed out most of the weaknesses and errors which we perhaps did occasionally see.
His ability on the ball and his confidence have improved (although that is to be expected with age). But he's always been a fantastic defender. Everyone could see that from day one. Its really not this huge massive surprise that as he gets more experience he's developed further. But its not like this big massive shock thats come from nowhere.
Yeah people on the cafe have said that for years now. The majority of oppostion fans I know still think Smalling is clueless and braindead so it's no surprise the media think the same.
Considering Smalling is 25 and Jones 23 I'm starting to wonder if he will also prove himself to be a formidable defender
Lee Dixon last night - 'Smalling is the kind of defender you always think has a mistake in him'.
They clearly don't actually watch us, and just run with the preset narrative. Sadly, most people follow what the media says.
Yep, Smalling has been in good form since before that Man City red card but the media has largely ignored it. I myself at the time thought he was useless/stupid after the redcard but now looking back I can see that it was only a blip in form. It's a shame that people getting paid for this analysis can't be bothered to look back and accept they might be wrong with their initial opinion
Anyway it seems Smalling is finally getting the praise he deserves
I am still waiting how can Jones improve if he can stay injury free for a long time. I think he is even bigger talent than Smalling.Amazing what an injury-free run can do, as well as playing alongside someone like Blind who is so good on the ball, and Darmian on the right has helped him. He's looking like the best CB in the league atm.
LvG deserves credit as well. Long may it continue.
Nice to see so many supporters with Smalling 12 shirts on this season too. Shows how far he's come.
Take my hat off to him, he has been fantastic this season.
Don't know what else he has to do to convince opposition fans and the media, he's been fecking colossal for some time now and yet you still get those sorts of comments from pundits like Lee Dixon and oppositions fans smirking and laughing when you try and discuss Smalling.
Doesn't matter really, as long as he keeps performing the way he is doing I couldn't give a feck what they think, it's our defence and team that will benefit.
Doesn't matter really, as long as he keeps performing the way he is doing I couldn't give a feck what they think, it's our defence and team that will benefit.
Even jackass Roy Keane said something similar just recently
His talent and ability was obvious years ago. Yes he was prone to the occasional glaring error, but most young defenders are. Then came the injuries. He's now finally getting a proper run in the side, and he's putting it all together.
What's surprised me though, is how he's picked it up psychologically. He now plays like he truly believes he can lead the Manchester United defence. That was something that Evans, for all his experience and undoubted talent, could never do.
What's surprised me though, is how he's picked it up psychologically. He now plays like he truly believes he can lead the Manchester United defence. That was something that Evans, for all his experience and undoubted talent, could never do.
This! He certainly is the bigger talent but needs to stay injury free and apply the same consistency and discipline Mike has shown. Before his injury, I was really looking forward to see to Smalling - Jones CB pairing this season.
Yeah. I still genuinely believe that without the injuries, and a little of the old ruthlessness from Ferguson, Smalling could have and should have been doing this two or three seasons ago.
His defending is visibly more aggressive right now, in part due to confidence, but Smalling's actual ability to defend has never, ever been in doubt and I've been convinced on that since his first derby game against Manchester City.
This form hasn't surprised me in the slightest.
I really doubt it. Point is, I always thought that Smalling is the more talented of two. If you look at Smalling's debute season, he showed there much more than Jones has ecer shown. Then, it was a combination of injuries, playing as RB and suddenly getting behind Evans in pecking order which made Smalling's career not progress that much. But for as much as defending goes, he was always very talented. If he plays like this for the entire season (which I think he will barring injuries) then he would be accepted as the best defender in the league.
On the other side, Jones has so many basic problems with his defending. At times, he is as naive as Valencia. Obviously, the defenders generally peak in their mid/late twenties so there is still time, but Jones need to improve even basic defending things, something that Smalling never had to cause he always read the game very well.
He really, really isn't. He's a great athlete which potentially makes him a great defender. Smalling is a freak of an athlete. Athleticism wise there is no contest between them.
Then you look at their games, Smalling's has always been far more polished than Jones - ever since he joined the club as a 21 year old. Stronger in the air, cleaner on the ground and his positioning has never been suspect. Unless Jones suddenly develops into a Pique/Ramos on the ball, Smalling's defensive talent will always make him the superior player.
Smalling is a better athlete, but Jones was the better footballer. However I'm not convinced that's the case anymore.
Smalling has came on so much this season. He's improved on the ball a lot, and his defending/athleticism was never bad, but he's improved upon that and presses higher.
Jones has a higher potential ceiling but due to injuries it's doubtful he'll ever reach it. He can't stay fit, and he'll struggle to break up the Blind - Smalling partnership.
Smalling has came on so much this season. He's improved on the ball a lot, and his defending/athleticism was never bad, but he's improved upon that and presses higher.
Jones has a higher potential ceiling but due to injuries it's doubtful he'll ever reach it. He can't stay fit, and he'll struggle to break up the Blind - Smalling partnership.
I agree, it's obvious that Rio was the better player.
Everybody were creaming themselves silly on here after Jones's debut. Injuries and his own temperament have held him back but to claim his ceiling is less than Smalling is very disingenuous.
I still have hope for Jones. As frustratingly stupid as he is most of the time, his tenacity makes the lad very endearing. Hopefully he can shake off his bad luck as he matures, and kick on at Utd.
I still have hope for Jones. As frustratingly stupid as he is most of the time, his tenacity makes the lad very endearing. Hopefully he can shake off his bad luck as he matures, and kick on at Utd.
Center backs mature little later than other players IMO, you always tend to play experienced players at the back, leaders like Vida/Ferdinand/Evra are gone so there should be someone to take over and express himself and that's what is Smalling currently doing. He had always big potential but you can't bench Ferdinand and Vidic while completely omitting Evans and start him every game, that's why he spend a lot of playing time as RB, he was slowly gaining that experienced and probably developed some skills which are useful now. He brings the ball forward really well. You can argue that it slowed him a bit down but he was always getting there. He picked so many injuries and more experienced players were ahead of him which is the cause he bloomed little bit later than one might expected, he's still has a great career ahead of him and thanks to his athleticism he can play on top level to his mid 30s.
Jones stagnated a lot but if he can overcome injuries and get back on track he will hopefully progress as well. He lacks a bit of brain as athletic type as Smalling but he still can reach the very top if he stays fit, he won't be as great distributor as Blind but much better and more aggressive defender forming potentially great understanding with Big Mike.
Jones stagnated a lot but if he can overcome injuries and get back on track he will hopefully progress as well. He lacks a bit of brain as athletic type as Smalling but he still can reach the very top if he stays fit, he won't be as great distributor as Blind but much better and more aggressive defender forming potentially great understanding with Big Mike.
thats not true. Majority of cafe always said Smalling was the better defender but Jones was more talented(able to do a lot of things except defend).
I've never thought Jones was better than Smalling, I still think Smalling is the better defender, smarter & overall more polished. Not surprised by his recent performances as the only thing that has held him back was his constant injuries. He's a fantastic center back, hope he stays fit for the majority of this season, and continues his impressive performances.
I'm usually very positive towards our young players. But I really can't see Jones will turn out to be more than ok-ish to good player for us. At least, not as a CB.
And agreed with others opinion on Smalling. I grew up watching Serie A 90's, and since he joined us, Smalling really reminds me some of those Italian CB hard bastards. Physically, he's got it all. And his man marking has always been very good.
And agreed with others opinion on Smalling. I grew up watching Serie A 90's, and since he joined us, Smalling really reminds me some of those Italian CB hard bastards. Physically, he's got it all. And his man marking has always been very good.
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This is my take, and so far this season he has shown an increased desire to bring the ball out of defence when the situation arises - which I have no doubt is something LVG has instructed him to do.
But Smalling has always been an excellent defender. His time at RB and not getting consistent gametime didnt help his development (injuries also a factor) but when he first joined I remember games where he looked extremely confident not just defensively, but on the ball as well. He is now getting the consistent gametime he needed, and the confidence has come as a result.
Thats what most said about Smalling a year ago. It's amazing (but not really) what regular football in their best position can do for a player.
It has been a very welcome development, and something of a surprise for me too. It always felt like in the fabled Jones/Smalling combo, Jones would be the leader - the vocal one, putting himself about, screaming and making crazy faces. Smalling is starting to look very like a young Rio Ferdinand however in the way he is orchestrating the back four. As you said - that was not something you ever really associated with Evans, who I think is a similar case to Ben Foster as someone who simply didnt have the mentality to really be a starter for a club like United, despite being talented.
He's been superb. Best defender in the league at the moment.
Smalling's problem was command and presence. He was perfectly capable of his performances if he had Rio or Vidic to lead the way. Now he's got the look of a leader, someone who leads the back line and can work together with DDG (who has also grown into leading vs taking instruction). They've stepped up tremendously into the void left by the likes of Rio, Vidic, and Evra.
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