I know - I just wanted to emphasise my complete lack of any sense of humour. Carry on.
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 36
- Clean sheets
- 18
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 2
- Yellow cards
- 0
- Status
Will probably captain us on Sunday, hopefully first of many finals to come 
People forget how good Smalling was in his first season with us. He got a run of games at centreback and was absolutely brilliant. Looked like he wasn't just ready to cover for Rio and Vidic, but that he was already ready to start pushing them for the starting role (Rio's injuries were starting to drop his performances).Holy feck balls, I searched that ridiculous name and 4 pages came back as matches
Unfortunately he spent the next three or four seasons generally injured, playing at right back, or just on the bench behind the big two, so he never really got a run of games to reach that level again.
It's why I wasn't surprised at all when he was so good last season, when he finally got that run of games as first choice. He's always had that incredible defensive ability. Unfortunately his form did fall away in the second half of the season, but I never had any doubt he would reclaim first choice role again this season.
He's probably been our best central defensive passer the last few games. Partly because he's been better lately than what he had been previously, and partly because Bailly's passing has been a bit off. I was deliberately taking notice of how it was going in our last match, and he was generally being both more 'forward' with his passing than Bailly, and more accurate with those forward passes. Bailly and Rojo on their day are certainly better passers. But Smalling 'looks' worse than what he actually is with the way he moves his entire body around to make a pass.
Was thinking the same. There is a good chance that he will be the man lifting the trophy.Will probably captain us on Sunday, hopefully first of many finals to come
Captain Chris and vice PogcapWill probably captain us on Sunday, hopefully first of many finals to come
Unless Rooney pulls a Terry and goes full kit wanker.
His passings were pretty good in 2014/2015 season. He's definitely not the worst passer for a PL centre back in my opinion.
I love how some posters have basically figured we will win the trophy and are now debating which of our players will be the one to lift it and not if we will be lifting it at all 
Southampton 2:3 Man Utd
A thing about him that really annoys me is that he never passes the ball in front of the player. It's always on the player so he has to stop and wait for it or behind so he have to turn around. It just destroys any small possibility to gather some pace and move up the field
Strange time to criticise given he's the only defender that hasn't played like a halfwit.
He has been so, so so bad today. Every pass is too slow or misplaced, he keeps playing a terrible line and has basically not defended any situation.
It's ridiculous that he's our captain imo.
It's ridiculous that he's our captain imo.
Been better then the rest anyway.
Hilarious isn't it
Literally every other player in the back four is having a worst game thus far.
He's won the majority of balls in the box while Bailly has been running around like a madman. Rojo being an atrocious left back also doesn't help his cause.
I never said he was worthless, but it hit me when we had possession and the ball never seemed to pass the halfway line...
This idiot not only doesn't know how to pass, he doesn't even know where to be to receive a pass.
Jesus.
He has been the best of the backline.
Best post in the thread today.
Could have been more had it not been for Smalling. The rest need to step up.
Best of a rocky backline - he's not playing great to be fair.
He just looks incredibly uncomfortable whenever he receives the ball at his feet. Passing isn't very strong either. Not a captain's performance.
He'd improve a lot in my book immediately if his first thought wasn't to boot the ball asap. Plenty of times when he does so with Pogba as an option close by.
Terrible player
Horrible defence Bailly, Smalling, Rojo
Horrible defence Bailly, Smalling, Rojo
Won some important headers.
On the other hand he's the captain yet far from a leader. His unit of our team is all over the place, it's a mess. It's about time he stepped and start commanding the defence. Yet to see exactly why he is the captain of man united.
It's pretty harsh that I'm blaming him for others being poor but it's how I feel.
On the other hand he's the captain yet far from a leader. His unit of our team is all over the place, it's a mess. It's about time he stepped and start commanding the defence. Yet to see exactly why he is the captain of man united.
It's pretty harsh that I'm blaming him for others being poor but it's how I feel.
Best of a bad bunch today. One of the other two needs to come off for Blind
Natural selection failed far too many in here
What game are you watching...He was pretty bad, although the entire back 4 was as well. Also thing with him is that even when he looks decent/good his passing is so appalling that it's simply not worth it...Today again he had some shocking decisions when any other CB with at least some semblance of passing ability would have been able to start some dangerous attacks...He's literally robbing us from having at least extra 4-5 good attacking setups per game every time.
He's a one man defence out there today.
The others need to get their shit together.
The others need to get their shit together.
He let his man go for the goal that wants given (yes rojo was shocking too) and he let him go again for the goal that was given, resulting in him marking nobody. (again rojo also at fault).
His positioning is his biggest liability and it causes the rest of the defence huge problems. Take him off out rojo at LCB and put blind at left back.
His positioning is his biggest liability and it causes the rest of the defence huge problems. Take him off out rojo at LCB and put blind at left back.
The same one as you. I just get defending that bit more. You're wittering on about his passing ability, which everybody knows is shite, even though he's won numerous headers in the six yard box, made several blocks from crosses and is playing with Bailly and Rojo, who between them look as if they've just sank a bottle of voddy in the dressing room before coming out to play.
I want my defenders to defend, and Smalling is the only defender who has even tried to do this today. Yet the same people bleat on about his passing even though it hasn't cost us a jot.
Just have to disagree. Half the reason we look so ropy is that he's playing attackers on side when he shouldn't, stepping up when he shouldn't and has missed a couple headers entirely. Plus, of course, his distribution makes Fellaini look like Pirlo.
Rojo has been awful too, but he's not a LB. Smalling is supposedly the captain of not just the defence, but the whole team!
Rojo has been awful too, but he's not a LB. Smalling is supposedly the captain of not just the defence, but the whole team!
Its amazing that so many people can watch half a game, where our defending is poor, and moan about a CBs passing be slightly too negative or not having the crispness of Xavi's passing.
Whats next, Ibrahimovic's tackling?
How about you focus on whats actually hurting us in defence, the inability for Rojo to put in a proper tackle one vs one, the poor defensive tracking of Bailly and so on.
Bailly ended up picking up the player because Smalling went marking space.
No, Bailly is the one marking the space Gabbiadini scores from and is the player facing the player, therefore can see it.
Was that Bailly too.
- Status