Agreed and very few CBs are what you'd call world class at a young age- hopefully he can still go up a few notches and be remembered in the pantheon of Rio, Vida, Bruce, Pallister, Stam etc...
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 55
- Clean sheets
- 24
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 13
- Red cards
- 1
- Status
Our best CB last year and this one so far.
Considering how out of sorts he looked just 2 seasons ago he looks to be on the improve with experience curve.
he needs a new top partner, just like when rio got vida back then to take him as a player and their partnership to a whole new level.
blind is no CB, i don't think rojo is a top tier CB while phil jones, well he is already out for 3 weeks.
blind is no CB, i don't think rojo is a top tier CB while phil jones, well he is already out for 3 weeks.
He was fabulous yesterday against Spurs. The timings of his tackles was perfect.
I really hope we can find a reliable cb to compliment him that can stay healthy. Otamendi is the most realistic option imo.
I really hope we can find a reliable cb to compliment him that can stay healthy. Otamendi is the most realistic option imo.
It's him we are looking to upgrade and not Blind/Rojo according to Van Gaal. No wonder we aren't interested in many CBs as van Gaal admits it's tough to get someone better than him.
Absolutely baffling though.
Absolutely baffling though.
He's played well against some of the best already, but you're right he'll need more help. I don't think Blind would contain a world class striker. Let's keep Rojo kicks on when he gets back to full fitness. Jones clearly can't be relied on. This whole right and left footed CB thing is kinda ridiculous to me, its never been a problem for two quality right footed CBs to play together
Solid performance from him .Growing more and more into the roll.A case of Smalling and whoever will partner him.
So he says its tuff to find someone better than him and in the same time you think he would just replace the best CB we have in the starting lineup?
I'm pretty sure he didn't mean he's trying to upgrade on Smalling, just that if he were to buy a new Centre Back they'd have to be better than Smalling. Not exactly an outlandish statement to make,
Ive read the Guardian interview, and it specifically makes mention of signing a right sided defender..and that he will only sign one if they are better than the right handed defenders he has now..he mentions all three, with that list including smalling..He doesnt talk about the left handed cb..
He didnt have a problem with playing Jones and Smalling last year. So if we get for instance Ramos somehow I'm sure he'd use Smalling and Ramos. With Ramos he'd have one CB who's good on ball and given the fact Smalling is the 3rd captain and the best CB we have right now I dont think he would just drop him.
He has gone on record multiple times that his preference is to have a left footed defender..he was almost forced to play two right footed ones especially with Rojo's injuries..He has emphasized that again this year , so it must be really be important to him..In the interview he gives, he makes it specific, that the signing of a right footed cb would be to replace a right footed one too..that is why he says he will only sign one that is better than Smalling, as he regards Smalling probably as his best right footed defender.
He was asked if United are in the market for a Centre Back, and he said no but if one who was much better than what we have becomes available then of course we'd try and get him. Again, he's not trying to upgrade on Smalling but if a CB were available, they'd need to be much better than Smalling to be considered. Its something that applies for all positions.
A lot of the articles seem to be cutting out the fact that he replied "No" to the question of whether we're actively looking to get another Centre Back in for that position though.
We played with Jones and Smalling last year even when Rojo was fit.
From the article:
Notice that in mentioning the centre backs , he does not mention any of the left sided cbs such as Rojo or Blind..Only the right side, He mentioned the same concerns in pre-season too, whereby he mentioned that Smalling and Jones would be competing for the second spot..a third rb would be to compete with those as he has mentioned again.
yes, I remember that..but Rojo spent a lot of time out..I think near the end of the season, LVG tried to play the same defense each week in the run in in order to give it solidity..It wasnt a particular preference of his, and that is why he has emphasized that, and gone back to his preference since pre-season..
He did only mention RCB players, but he also said that he's not looking for another player for that position unless someone much better becomes available. It's a statement which will apply to every position on the field. That's the point I was trying to make when someone said he's trying to upgrade on Smalling.
Still looking solid. I just hope he's stay FIT! and hopefully Rojo gets match fit quick so he can line-up next to him.
He specifically mentions that the new cb should be better than them though..the three defenders he has mentioned..From the reports of the interview both from MEN and the guardian, the question appears to be specifically about the rcb position, which when LVG when quizzed about earlier in preseason was not happy about..I dont know whether has a lcb target, but this looks specifically to be about a rcb one..
So far the only serious links we have had have been to right footed defenders too, Otamendi and Ramos, so its a reasonable scenario that could be the plan.
He's becoming a beast of a player for us 
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.I heard Jason Burt, a guardian journalist, mention the same at least on two different occasions on Football today last season. I don't remember who the host was, may be John Dykes, who even corrected him, saying, "You mean a left sided CB", and he replied, "No, United will look for a right sided center back".
I dismissed it at the time as Mikey had been playing well and was recently appointed the "3rd" captain. Not sure now.
I hope it's not true as Smalling has been excellent in the position and needs regular game time.
i just live in hope more than expectation now to be honest.
Read the post from @K2K. Van Gaal clearly states that the upgrade is tough to get as the incoming player needs to better than Smalling, his current RCB.
FWIW, I am sure blind will lose his place eventually. Just that it will take time and the window will be closed by the time van Gaal relearns the lesson he learnt last season.
LVG says a lot of things and its better not to hold to everything he says. I expect to see Smalling + new CB if we get him as soon as we get him.
There aren't any top left footed CBs that we could get. Unfortunately, van Gaal 's solution to that isn't playing 2 top CBs but playing blind + 1 as if now.
It was obvious from the interview LVG gave that if we are buying a CB, it will be for the right side of the central defence, and Smalling will be the one who'll be sacrificed. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever but it was clearly what he said.
The only decent one I can think of is Chiellini..but we arent getting him
The way it seems to me is that he says he's not looking to upgrade on them, but if someone much better than them becomes available then it is possible we'll buy them. It's always possible to interpret what LVG says 50 different ways though due to his English.
Laporte would be an interesting one.
That ship sailed when he extended his contract few months back.
Yes, that's what he meant. The critical aspect in the comment is that the upgrade is being sought for the right side, not the left which is where blind/Rojo play.
Not a huge release clause either for someone of his talent.
35 million pounds and knowing Bilbao they won't sell him for a penny less. It's overpriced but he's the obvious left-footed candidate. He's not the experienced leader we've been looking for but I feel like Smalling is growing into that role.
Ofcourse they won't. It isn't an extreme amount for someone his age and quality. High ofcourse but that's how the market is.
I'd seriously hate it if we spent big on Ramos or Otemendi and dropped Mike. He is the future of the club and LvG needs to get this left footed CB idea out of his head. It's ridiculous.
The strangest thing is he eventually dropped it last season and played Jones and Smalling, which was followed by the most solid defensive performances all season. LVG's decisions simply defy logic.
Please expand....
Well he struggled when playing right fullback and opposition players kept forcing him on to his left foot. He was very poor on his left, completely lacked confidence in using his left and often made mistakes when he tried to get the ball on to his right foot.
He seems more composed and assured now in that respect which to me looks like improvement.
He's always been excellent at centre-half though I think. In fact, he has also had some very good games at right-back in his second season in my opinion, but I agree, that isn't his role.
The bit I really like is that he seems to me to be stepping up and I am hoping he keeps it up and ends up becoming one of our key players long term.
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