But at least he'll see the whole picture
The whole picture, and nothing but the whole picture!
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 36
- Clean sheets
- 18
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 0
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
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The whole picture, and nothing but the whole picture!
He's great in the air - dominates pretty much any forward in the air.
Looks like he is getting back to his form of the last two seasons now! Good timing considering niggles/injuries with our other CBs.
Yeah it's what makes him so important to us
He was on it last night, which was good, as Bailly didn't look with it at all. That nearpost block early in the first half was superb.
That's your opinion.
Of course he's capable of playing well but he's also prone to mistakes, very silly mistakes especially in a high pressure situation where judging by his actions on the pitch his panic levels must be going through the roof. That's why I have no confidence in him being selected for a big tough game where the smallest of margins make all the difference. He shows signs of his shakiness almost every game.
Would any of you be happy if he played well throughout these games vs the minnows but made a mistake to give away the goal that would lose us the cup final? Highly doubt it.
No I don't because I judge people's performances as a whole rather than pick some individual occurrences. My problem with Smalling is that he is prone to mistakes. He has been here 7 years and has been nothing but shaky throughout that whole time. I'm rehashing arguments and I can't be bothered anymore. Look through this thread you'll find what my problems are with him.
And if people really think I have nothing better to do than look through games highlights to find Smalling's mistakes then sarcasm is really lost on the internet.
I've been away on duty for 10 days and haven't watched a single game or highlights so far and that has been translated to me being shut up by Smalling. That's what's pathetic.
So what's your view on his yesterday's performance?
Are you serious?
Embarrassing stuff.
Quite.
Also I'm wondering do by whole you mean his performances since he joined or you make a sum of his good/bad moments during the game and later make your decision based on that?
You need to read more. Then you won't need to ask unnecessary questions.
Best game for us in a while.
Why is it unnecessary? I've asked you a simple question in order to save myself from going through your older posts.
Why are you so defensive?
In the post you quoted I said I hadn't even watched the game or highlights how can you ask me to rate his performance?
Also in the post you quoted I referred to his whole time here at Man Utd where he's been shaky at best.
All you need to do is read what you quoting rather than go back to look at old posts. How lazy can you be not to read all of the post?
There wasn't.
St Etienne were the better side in the first half and Smalling was often cleaning up after Bailly who was having a mare.
There. Was that so hard to do?
Now I'm curious, if you're judging him by his entire time he spend here and since clearly you stated you don't rate him, it's a lose-lose situation for Smalling even tho if he's as good as he was the last season, you will still have bad opinion on him, right?
Because he had more bad years than the good ones in your opinion.
Thought his partnership with Bailly is not very good.
Both qualities are speed and muscles, and they're both brainless. It's not an efficient combinaison when we have to make the play from behind.
His controls were (are) bad usually.
I do like him, maybe more with a playing center back but I wasn't convinced yesterday
Both qualities are speed and muscles, and they're both brainless. It's not an efficient combinaison when we have to make the play from behind.
His controls were (are) bad usually.
I do like him, maybe more with a playing center back but I wasn't convinced yesterday
Very Good last night as Bailey was missing in action,maybe Jones and smelling are the future after all
You prejudged his performance and said "undoubtedly there would have been a moment where he made an error" but later on you said that you want to remain objective.
I just simply asked if that objectively will translate to other players, or if you simply just don't like Smalling particularly.
It's generally as certain as Jones is to get injured. I like to look at everything objectively but over his time here the opinion I have formed is that he always has a mistake in him and it can come at any time.
Despite his better form most of last season (quite qverage the second part of it) in the Cup final he could have cost us the game with his mistakes. That's why I have no confidence in him, he's an accident waiting to happen.
Would be cool if he and Jones could form a good partnership, at least from the perspective of England fans.
I could understand forming an opinion based on past performances, everyone is entitled to an opinion and nobody can say your opinion is wrong.
But even when he has good games you're still purposefully looking for mistakes.
What's the point?
I think Smalling has all the raw attributes to be an absolutely fantastic defender but unfortunately not the footballing brain or composure to be top class. I feel he spreads panic amongst the rest of the back four and really should be phased out as first choice. Not a bad player so would happily keep him as back-up
People say the same things even when he plays very well.
Great to see Mike is back that Chris guy is not a good stand in for Mike
As does every defender ever.
I was being sarcastic. I don't really spend my time looking for Smalling's mistakes.
When I get to watch a game, and I often can't it should be said, he always has a brainfart moment it seems.
I've been reading that Bailly was all over the place and Smallinng did well to cover him. People have said it was an uncharacteristic performance from Bailly. If it was Smalling who was all over the place people wouldn't be saying the samw thing because it would be expected at least in some sense.
This whole idea of an agenda against Smalling came about when I said we should sell him while we can still get a good price and replace him with someone much more solid and reliable.
He's 27 and should be at his peak and quite likely is. Whatever his form he will always marred by inconsistencies and cannot and never will be considered a world class defender which a club like United should have. He's the defensive version of Barthez.
Just think about our central defenders over the years and compare Smalling to them. It's laughable that this is even up for discussion.
Odd that he's getting criticism, I thought he came out of yesterday looking pretty good. Our defending was all over the place in the first half but that had more to do with how all over the place the positioning was in midfield. The speed St Etienne were able to go from turnover to attacking the back four was ridiculous, and didn't give them time to shape up.
Bailly had a surprisingly dodgy game - his rashness and inexperience outshone his quality, for once - and on plenty of occasions Smalling did a great job covering for him.
This was a bad defensive team performance overall, but I still like them as a pairing. Definitely our first choice duo, for me.
Bailly had a surprisingly dodgy game - his rashness and inexperience outshone his quality, for once - and on plenty of occasions Smalling did a great job covering for him.
This was a bad defensive team performance overall, but I still like them as a pairing. Definitely our first choice duo, for me.
Well, if that's your standard by comparing each player to our best players in the past, we might need to change the whole team then. Other than DDG. "Pogba isn't as good as Scholes. Get rid!!". "Martial isn't as good as Ronaldo. Embarrassing for a club of our stature. Get rid!!!". Etc..
If we can get the next Ferdinand or Vidic, of course you have a point on replacing Smalling. But not even Bayern, Madrid, or Barca have those kind of CB. Even in the league, you'd hard to find a CB that significantly better than Smalling. They're all have their weaknesses.
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On the flipside, think about the current centre backs playing in Europe right now, all the very best ones, and compare them to Rio, Vidic and Stam. Nobody comes close to that quality of the ones playing right now.
It's a bit ridiculous to keep looking back to the players we had, and using that as a stick to beat Smalling with. Same goes for any of our current defenders, all of whom have been a a bit of a scapegoat at some point, apart from Bailly, but his time will certainly come if he plays like he did last night again.
Smalling is an excellent defender but his lack of technical skill could be exposed by top teams I think, once we're back in big CL ties. Seems like the perfect 3rd CB in that respect.
Starters: LCB-Bailly
1st sub for either: Smalling
4th CB: Rojo or Jones (sell one)
5th CB: Blind (also covering LB and DM)
Then hopefully after a loan season or two, Tuanzebe or another of our promising young CBs is ready to be one of our 4 main CBs.
Starters: LCB-Bailly
1st sub for either: Smalling
4th CB: Rojo or Jones (sell one)
5th CB: Blind (also covering LB and DM)
Then hopefully after a loan season or two, Tuanzebe or another of our promising young CBs is ready to be one of our 4 main CBs.
They are not the only one's who have given Smalling undeserved stick on here. As I've mentioned before, Smalling has been a great performer at United for 6+ years and under four managers now. And yes, he's made the odd mistake but far outweighed the errors with reliable service and has the winners medals to prove it!
Credit where credit's due so I'm glad you appreciated his performance but "Amazingly"????? I don't think he did anything stupid? He rarely does ... I'm not saying "never" but it's not nearly as often as some punters on here seem to recall.
Bailly was the only one of the four who I feel was really off his game - imo it was having our midfield trio include Fellaini that caused the disruption. I honestly think it was a bit like playing with ten men until Lingard came on.
As he does almost every game, right!
It will be "Smalling and" for most if not all games from here on in. Jose trusts Rojo and Bailly to play LB or RB if needed. Chris (or Mike :-) look to have got the mad shirt holding out of his/their game this season.
Looked a little uncertain for him at one stage, but feel very comfy with him and Bailly as the combo at the back.
How many strikers are going to get the better of that pair in the air or for pace?
It can't help that we can never field the same 4 at the back though. Hope Shaw can yet come back strong this season
How many strikers are going to get the better of that pair in the air or for pace?
It can't help that we can never field the same 4 at the back though. Hope Shaw can yet come back strong this season
One more thing. A few here have made disparaging remarks about Smalling's ball skills and I beg to differ. If you want to see uncertainty on the ball from a CB, just go back and watch replays of Jonny Evans mucking about with the pill! Now HE scared me to fecking death every time the ball was passed to him!
I agree Smalling's gangly physique makes him look a little ungainly with the ball but for big man he rarely miscontrols it and usually distributes a decent, easy to control pass ... just what you'd want form a CB.
Under previous management he was even given license to roam forward and did so with good effect, albeit often leaving us weak at the back when the ball was eventually lost. That means to me, some managers saw & appreciated his ball skills and thought it was a good idea for him to skip the midfielders. (Not saying they were right to encourage that)
Jose on the other hand recognizes Smalling is no Beckenbauer (and that we don't need him to be) and rightly seems to have asked him to pretty much cut that out of his game and yes, we're a better team for it.
I agree Smalling's gangly physique makes him look a little ungainly with the ball but for big man he rarely miscontrols it and usually distributes a decent, easy to control pass ... just what you'd want form a CB.
Under previous management he was even given license to roam forward and did so with good effect, albeit often leaving us weak at the back when the ball was eventually lost. That means to me, some managers saw & appreciated his ball skills and thought it was a good idea for him to skip the midfielders. (Not saying they were right to encourage that)
Jose on the other hand recognizes Smalling is no Beckenbauer (and that we don't need him to be) and rightly seems to have asked him to pretty much cut that out of his game and yes, we're a better team for it.
Outstanding performance. Best player on the pitch. Bailly had a poor game and Smalling covered him expertly.
5 clean sheets in a row now. He is comfortably the best defender at the club when his confidence is high.
5 clean sheets in a row now. He is comfortably the best defender at the club when his confidence is high.
I remember Rio and Evans being injured for a period in Smalling first season here during the knockout stages and don't remember him being exposed as you say
He has this annoying habit of passing the ball just slightly BEHIND Blind instead of in front of him. Must drive Blind crazy.
Mike's been in fine form lately though.
Mike's been in fine form lately though.
That was a very good performance. He mostly did everything right. He positioned himself properly and covered for others.
There was this small minor phase in the game where he had to block the winger as well as the overlapping fullback because Valencia was a little out of position. In short, he had to defend against two players doubling up on him without anyone else to help him out and he did very well. Showed great pace.
Hope he continues the good form.
There was this small minor phase in the game where he had to block the winger as well as the overlapping fullback because Valencia was a little out of position. In short, he had to defend against two players doubling up on him without anyone else to help him out and he did very well. Showed great pace.
Hope he continues the good form.
I think he'd be fine when we sat deep, but teams would force him to be our main deep playmaker like PSG did to Umtiti by marking Pique and Busquets tight, and Umtiti is far better on the ball. Or just a high press like Liverpool play. Smalling might struggle to go long effectively against that, never mind play out of it neatly with short passing.
For the CL, unless you just do a Chelsea 2012, its about being good at everything and so as a result, adaptable. Like when Saha was a better fit than RVN not by being better but having more to his game. Bailly, Pogba, Herrera, De Gea, Valencia and Mkhitaryan are physically and technically up for anything. Might be a bit concerned about Pogba and Valencia with awareness at their new positions. Ibra and Mata have the technique and awareness but maybe not the legs. Wouldnt be shocked if we suffer going from Ibra to Rashford in the league but it's not a problem in Europe. Martial is brilliant at running with the ball but raw at all other LW things. Blind lacks pace, but Shaw, who I think could quickly join that first list if healthy, will hopefully return.
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