[tomaldinho1]

Lol at the above digging up stats on Rio's interceptions. Rio was a comfortably better defender than Smalling.

Credit where credit is due - Smalling has been our best defender and deserves to be praised. Would like to see a top CB alongside him and some continuity at full backs. Couple that with Mou tactics and DDG should be gunning for VDS's clean sheet record.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Two moments of deft brilliance from Smalling last night. He actually played a cracking 30 yard lofted ball down the line to Alli's feet and scored with a text book glancing header into the bottom corner that any striker would have been proud of!

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

Two moments of deft brilliance from Smalling last night. He actually played a cracking 30 yard lofted ball down the line to Alli's feet and scored with a text book glancing header into the bottom corner that any striker would have been proud of!

That's was a cracking header to be fair

 

[Skills]

Can't wait to see him under Mourinho.

 

[Rossa]

Lol at the above digging up stats on Rio's interceptions. Rio was a comfortably better defender than Smalling.

Credit where credit is due - Smalling has been our best defender and deserves to be praised. Would like to see a top CB alongside him and some continuity at full backs. Couple that with Mou tactics and DDG should be gunning for VDS's clean sheet record.

The trouble with Rio is that stats hardly showed the truth. I recall a pundit saying that Rio, at his prime, knew just how to cope with pretty much any attacker, and how he often knew when to let the attacker get in front of him and when to intercept. Sometimes it is better to let the opponent think he has the upper hand. Smalling is very good, but Rio was world class.

Hopefully, the Euro's won't tire Smalling as he looked a little leggy in the last couple of matches.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Two moments of deft brilliance from Smalling last night. He actually played a cracking 30 yard lofted ball down the line to Alli's feet and scored with a text book glancing header into the bottom corner that any striker would have been proud of!

I liked in the 1st half too when Rafa Silva had the ball and tried to drive at him 1v1. Smalling just turned on the boosters, and took the ball cleanly off him. It's in situations like that he is just so difficult to beat.

 

[MadDogg]

Yet he loses almost every second speed chasing i see him in, if not more. I hardly believe he can be faster than Young, Shaw, Valencia, Martial, so even if we don't go to Ander, Lingard and the rest, being 5-th hardly qualifies "one of the fastest" and this four players are much much faster.

Smalling's acceleration isn't particularly good if he has to turn and start running from a standing start. It's not bad, but it's the closest thing to a physical weakness that he has. It just takes him a couple of steps to really get going (probably because of his size), and small nippy players can get a step or two ahead of him at times. Of course, after those first couple of steps he then reaches top speed and he normally makes up that ground as he is very fast once he gets going.

In saying that, I have no idea what happened against Wickham, that was just strange.

 

[Vilev]

Smalling's acceleration isn't particularly good if he has to turn and start running from a standing start. It's not bad, but it's the closest thing to a physical weakness that he has. It just takes him a couple of steps to really get going (probably because of his size), and small nippy players can get a step or two ahead of him at times. Of course, after those first couple of steps he then reaches top speed and he normally makes up that ground as he is very fast once he gets going.

In saying that, I have no idea what happened against Wickham, that was just strange.

His "long-range" speed is not great either, it's fairly average and if it's a dash from the halfway line to the goal, he will lose to many attackers, especially in PL. Although Wickham just overplayed him basically, Smalling tried to muscle him down but fell himself.

 

[Beachryan]

I always thought he was the 'fast' one in each of the pairings, but as noted, he's actually not that rapid. He is good in the air though, and has gotten better.

Will be interesting to see what type of partner Mourinho picks for him. The chat about the Villareal CB suggests that Smalling will actually be the organiser, with his partner as the more physical one. Which is odd, given I don't feel like communication and defensive intelligence are Chris/Mike's strong point.

 

[Amar__]

He outpaced pretty much any striker he faced in the first part of the season, everyone can see he badly needs a rest, he looks dead in every game after 45 minutes, no way fecking Wickham is quicker than him.

He played 4974 minutes just for United this season(that's around 55 full games) plus couple of for England, just a random comparision Real Madrid's most featured player is Ronaldo with 4293, Kroos is second with 3741. This is the stat they quoted on United's site:

Daley Blind and Chris Smalling both made 55 starts in 2015/16, the most by any United outfield player since Gary Pallister (58) in 1994/95.

It is pretty much incredible stat, especially for a player who barely played complete season before in his career and always had injury problems.

 

[Mike09]

This video will satisfy the doubters. Smalling has outpaced many pacey strikers so many times. His reactions are always quick too. Though he looked very tired both mentally and physically towards at the end of season.

 

[3KDré]

Began the season excellently, form of his life. Then that Wolfsburg game happened and didn't look the same since. Didn't help that he had to play so many games. He is improving with every season now and it is great that he is probably the first name on the team sheet for both United and England.

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

He played around 50 games for us, i'm quite sure he's never done that and i'm happy he didn't get any injuries.
Maybe lack of rest caused his dip in form, he really is a beast when fully fit.

I have been harsh on Smalling lately stating that we need 2 defenders because he lacks the technical ability, but if we find the right partner for him like Blind, there is no reason he shouldn't be first choice.

Hopefully he continues to develop even though he isn't young anymore. I've always said since Moyes that he was our best defender, when he turns on beast mode you just can't get past him.

 

[Revan]

Began the season excellently, form of his life. Then that Wolfsburg game happened and didn't look the same since. Didn't help that he had to play so many games. He is improving with every season now and it is great that he is probably the first name on the team sheet for both United and England.

Nice thing is that Mourinho knows how to play defenders. While I think that Blind outperformed Smalling this season, I think that under Mourinho, Smalling will develop into a top top defender, something that I cannot see Blind doing (under any manager).

 

[Loublaze]

His "long-range" speed is not great either, it's fairly average and if it's a dash from the halfway line to the goal, he will lose to many attackers, especially in PL. Although Wickham just overplayed him basically, Smalling tried to muscle him down but fell himself.

Bullshit. How many times does he have to prove people wrong in this respect? His run against Willian last season saving a 1v1 when Rojo fecked up and him catching up with Welbeck and getting the ball off him from a scoring position wasn't enough?

 

[m1y2]

This video will satisfy the doubters. Smalling has outpaced many pacey strikers so many times. His reactions are always quick too. Though he looked very tired both mentally and physically towards at the end of season.

he will only get better under Mou and become United legend eventually, with Baileys pace and aggression it will be a bit overkill but at least it wont be an one-man defence

 

[Irish_Red]

Watching that video makes me astonished at how much we take him for granted here. England's and United's no.1 centre back in his first injury free season and being asked to play every single game.

If he stays fit next season and is playing in a decent team under Mourinho then I can see him creeping back towards that elite list of top defenders in the world, where he was rightly halfway through the season

 

[Jippy]

Oh man, his (admittedly cute) dog is called Miley.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/chris-smallings-dog-miley-thinks-8152992

 

[Rossa]

Did really well tonight against a big and strong opponent. And for those who still think he is slow - isn't that just the most stupid comment ever? It's like saying Rio at his prime was slow because his last two or three years were a bit sluggish. Smalling is one of the fastest players at United, as quoted by many players including Smalling himself.

I don't like the way he is tugging at people's shirts much too obviously though. It's almost as bad as Skrtel.

 

[the unknown one.]

A very good defensive performance from Chris today and almost scored as well from a corner.

Needs to play at RCB imo, he struggles with distribution anyway nevermind on his left foot.

I think Cahill has a better left foot so I dont understand Hodgsons thinking putting Chris at LCB.

 

[#07]

Tweet

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[Sammyjunn]

Tweet

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24 in two matches? That's insane.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

24 in two matches? That's insane.

and they played against Russia and Wales!

 

[Tom Van Persie]

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He's been solid for England so far and seems to be forming a good partnership with Cahill.

 

[SwansonsTache]

Hasn't he been playing LCB as well? He is mostly used to RCB.

Good to know that he can handle LCB as well since Bailly is most comfortable as RCB, and will probably need to play in his favourite position while bedding in.

 

[Amar__]

Apparently he was soft yesterday.

 

[sizzling sausages]

Apparently he was soft yesterday.

Good to hear, I'd be worried if he was hard while surrounded by men in shorts.

 

[DWelbz19]

and they played against Russia and Wales!

Not the best stat, that.

 

[3KDré]

He is England's most important player. No other player in the team offers what he does.

 

[m1y2]

I reckon he will be at least shortlisted for FPL player of the season next season, what Sir Alex started, Mou finishes, hopefully we will make him our captain and drop rooney for good, will be interesting if we pair him with Bailly straight away or buy another defender to complement Smalling better, there will definitely be a lack of vision and passing ability from the back but we could fix it with some DLP ala Pjanic or other and having two super aggressive center backs could bring us some nice moments as well.. intercepting a lot and bombing forward

 

[Devil may care]

He's been fantastic aerially in the Euros, if only we could get Bonucci to partner him!

 

[Obiorahking_]

Smalling is slow? Tell that to Aguero.

 

[RedElf]

He's been fantastic aerially in the Euros, if only we could get Bonucci to partner him!

At first glance I totally read that wrong.

 

[Silverman]

I don't know if he is good enough for us moving forward. He can't pass so and he wouldn't be considered a destroyer either. He's quick but as a whole not that solid and gets bullied by some strikers.. He done well last season but that was in a complete possession based style which meant he wasn't tested as much as other CB's. I wonder would Bailly be seen as his replacement and Mourinho may look to bring in a ball playing CB as well.

 

[wiz4231]

I don't know if he is good enough for us moving forward. He can't pass so and he wouldn't be considered a destroyer either. He's quick but as a whole not that solid and gets bullied by some strikers.. He done well last season but that was in a complete possession based style which meant he wasn't tested as much as other CB's. I wonder would Bailly be seen as his replacement and Mourinho may look to bring in a ball playing CB as well.

Lol, some opinions just crack me up, Bailly a Smalling replacement he's not even good enough to tie Smalling shoe laces

 

[DWelbz19]

I don't know if he is good enough for us moving forward. He can't pass so and he wouldn't be considered a destroyer either. He's quick but as a whole not that solid and gets bullied by some strikers.. He done well last season but that was in a complete possession based style which meant he wasn't tested as much as other CB's. I wonder would Bailly be seen as his replacement and Mourinho may look to bring in a ball playing CB as well.

Because further progression under a new manager is out of the question, right?

 

[Perrick Dubois]

I don't know if he is good enough for us moving forward. He can't pass so and he wouldn't be considered a destroyer either. He's quick but as a whole not that solid and gets bullied by some strikers.. He done well last season but that was in a complete possession based style which meant he wasn't tested as much as other CB's. I wonder would Bailly be seen as his replacement and Mourinho may look to bring in a ball playing CB as well.

It is a good thing he is an excellent defender then.

 

[ZDwyr]

I don't know if he is good enough for us moving forward. He can't pass so and he wouldn't be considered a destroyer either. He's quick but as a whole not that solid and gets bullied by some strikers.. He done well last season but that was in a complete possession based style which meant he wasn't tested as much as other CB's. I wonder would Bailly be seen as his replacement and Mourinho may look to bring in a ball playing CB as well.

Such as?

 

[Footyislife]

Some fans will just find anything to argue about. Smalling last season was one of the best defenders in the PL baring his inability to make long passes. I don't think Huth or Morgan were that good at long passes but Leicester still won the league. Let the defenders do their job and defend, just because some managers prefer defenders who can make long passes doesn't mean all top defender need to do so. What top defender wouldn't get bullied by giants such as Lukaku, Rondon, Benteke, Carroll. It's part of their game play to be slow but strong. Smalling on the other hand has to shape his physical attributes to defend against the strong, technical, or quick forwards. And he holds his own pretty well against all types so i'd be very happy with that.

Smalling is quick, strong, good at tackling, and good in the air. For being the only CB on the field for the majority of the games he did a great job. Hopefully we have more competent manager now who will actually pair him with a proper CB.

 

[ryan cook]

I don't know if he is good enough for us moving forward. He can't pass so and he wouldn't be considered a destroyer either. He's quick but as a whole not that solid and gets bullied by some strikers.. He done well last season but that was in a complete possession based style which meant he wasn't tested as much as other CB's. I wonder would Bailly be seen as his replacement and Mourinho may look to bring in a ball playing CB as well.