He did more work today than any of our other CBs did individually all season so this comment doesnt make any sense. Leicester gave our CBs plenty to do.
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 36
- Clean sheets
- 18
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 0
- Status
I thought both our CBs had excellent games. Leicester weren't completely garbage.
Leicester were dog shit. Bailly and Smalling played well.
No. Just no.
I've praised Smalling twice now in recent days, but that's absolute bollox.
Excellent today. The Smalling - Bailly partnership should be given a chance.
I've given him a lot of shit about his performances recently, especially his ability on the ball but since the Wigan games he has improved massively on the ball.
He's more confident and even playing passes between the lines. Where has this Smalling been? Very good performance and hopefully he keeps improving.
He's more confident and even playing passes between the lines. Where has this Smalling been? Very good performance and hopefully he keeps improving.
Great game.... Back to what he does best..
Won everything and fought for everything...
My MOTM
Won everything and fought for everything...
My MOTM
6,5 average rating. People don't like him much. Didn't put a foot wrong all match and was probably our third best player tonight.
The best thing was that forward pass to Rashford in the first half. That was a thing of beauty.
I suspect he surprised himself with that pass.
Back to being dominant Mike.
Think I gave him a 6, but don't think he really did anything wrong. Just that I didn't think Leicester put him under any pressure, or asked anything difficult of him, to justify a higher rating.
It's odd. Bailly has a higher rating, but Smalling was comfortably better and had the greater impact today.
I think once he settles down a bit after a few more starts and if he can get a regular partnership going with Bailly, he'll hopefully head back towards the kind of form he was in last season when many people here were praising him as the best defender in the country.
19 clearances today, but apparently didn't have much to do so wasn't impressive 
.
When Smalling single handedly dominates opposition and does lot of defensive work higher up the pitch it's because they allowed him that and because they weren't good enough.
Anyway, Mourinho obviously rates him very highly which is good to see.
.When Smalling single handedly dominates opposition and does lot of defensive work higher up the pitch it's because they allowed him that and because they weren't good enough.
Anyway, Mourinho obviously rates him very highly which is good to see.
You can't tell me over the past few years you haven't seen that kind of steady performance from Mr Smalling? He had a long layoff this season and I'm glad to say he's come back as strong as ever. I also think that our four CB's are all improving and seem to really enjoy playing together regardless of who get's the nod.
Bodes well for our long-term success as clean sheets are vital to winning trophy's and winning championships.
Surely that must easily be his best game this season. Shocked to see him produce a few good passes.
Defensively solid. Won more or less everything, and was good on the ball too. Also made a very good assist. 
It was baffling how people thought he was instantly going to fall out of favour with Mourinho and be sold because he was injured for a bit and Jones and Rojo had put some decent form together. He's definitely staying for the foreseeable future. Most of that is clearly down to ability, but also should Rooney [and] Carrick end up leaving, he's the only real senior English player left.
He had a very good game, best performance I've seen from him for a while.
Can anyone post a GIF,where he runs forward with a ball gets to half line and then pass it on the right like 40 yards behind,i swear when i see him doing that for some weird reason it enrages me so much.
Very good this game. Leicester is one trick pony with playing direct toward their forward which our defenders picked them apart (all 4 of them is capable in 1 vs 1).
This takes expense in our play though. Quite a scrappy game until we score 2 quick goals.
This takes expense in our play though. Quite a scrappy game until we score 2 quick goals.
Looked quite assertive from the start and had a rock solid game. More of the same please.
But it goes both ways. He can have an average game and be slated for it for weeks. Both Bailly and Smalling were good today I thought. Certainly better than OK.
He pretty much dominated the air. Very good performance.
Weeks? People are still bringing up the Chelsea game, where he was using pain injections to try to play through a broken toe (kind of important for a sport based on kicking a ball and running).
it's absolutely normal, few named him also MOTM, which only sums up how much are ppl biased towards new flavours as new additions to the squad. Mhkitaryan is now world class after few games and so is Pogba after that run of great games. Players from the past from the bad spells under LVG or Moyes are given so much stick it's incredible sometimes, very hard to convince some ppl to change their minds...
tbh it took me quite long to change mind on Blind the other way around too, he's now for me pretty decent back up option for several positions. I rate Micky and Martial very high too but they need to maintain their bottom high enough to get my praise otherwise I'll be littel disappointed because of the extreme hype about them at the beginning and just before their Manchester career. The same goes for Pogba who is no doubt a world class talent but it is clear that English league is compelteley different level than palying for the by far the best team in the country... etc.
back to Mike, hope he stays fit and confident and gets to his best than, he's undroppable, Bailly has a lot to learn next to him, shame on Rojo but he will be only a back up after Smalling and Bailly hit the form and make a good pairing, Jones will always be injured and when he comes back he will be a good back up option with Marcos as a CB...
So rojones vs smailly. Good year for CBs this.
Rojones vs Balling
Me too, he gets on my nerves every time he does this. TBF though, great game from him including his passing which pleased me a lot. It's a weak opponent but still, progress.
Smalling's a brilliant defender, as evidenced during the last time we had a manager who knew how to set up a back four.
For all of his faults, there are few on his level in Europe when it comes to shutting down attackers. The fact we're debating about whether he should be a guaranteed started or a sub is a hugely encouraging sign.
For all of his faults, there are few on his level in Europe when it comes to shutting down attackers. The fact we're debating about whether he should be a guaranteed started or a sub is a hugely encouraging sign.
Love it
Would be surprised if Mourinho does not see Smalling Bailly as the best pairing. Aerial prowess is essential in the prem and Smalling is streets ahead of the others in that department.
That's his absolute key quality for me. He has all the physical attributes, just seems to be a bit slow of mind, and clumsy on the ball to hit top class stature.
It felt way more secure trying to deal with Leicester's strong in the air players with him and Bailly than Rojo and Jones.
Fellaini surely only stays for his brute force too.
Smailly (french pronunciation) and Jonjo (shelvish pronunciation) Balling is too good thoughRojones vs Balling
The thing is even as vital as aerial prowess, nowadays when other teams play deep, Bailly erratic on ball and Smalling inability on ball would hinder to our play. Leicester play right into our hand. Not every team play the same. Let not forget Smalling is not always being that good on the left side of the CB pair. Mourinho seems to have fixed view that Bailly is primely RCB
I'm hoping for Bones.Rojones vs Balling
Balljones would fecking smash everything into bits.
Oh, Caf.
Man Utd 2:0 Watford
Solid again today.
- Status