[Isotope]

I have said it over and over we should cash in while he still commands a decent fee.

Out of all other CB Smalling is not only the worst but also the oldest and less versatile. He is a calamity waiting to happen and needs to be culled before it really costs us.

People saying he was good today have different standards of judgement it seems. He did ok first half sure but Boro were hardly attacking. They had couple shots from range and a couple corners but that was it. In the second half he had a trademark brainfart moment trying to pass back to De Gea but luckily it didn't cost us. Then when the manager decided we should hold on to the lead see the game out for the last 10-15 mins we started to invite pressure from Boro. At that point he completely fell apart. In the space of 5-10 minutes he was a complete donkey at the back. It was lucky that there were 5 there to mop up and Boro couldn't take their chances otherwise this would have been a totally different ball game.

He is so prone to making stupid mistakes that he himself had to give an interview couple seasons back saying mistakes were behind him and he was ready to roar.

We are Manchester United for gods sake, a team who had rocks like Bruce, Pallister, Stam, Rio and Vidic in our defence and people are content to settle for Christopher Lloyd Smalling. Have a bloody word with yourselves.

You'll need to say it over and over again in every season Mou's in charge. Then when you look at other centerbacks even in teams above us, you'd find it hard to see much better than Smalling.

If your standard is Stam, Rio and Vidic, we'd need to sell ALL of our CBs, as none in the same level.

 

[POF]

Ive seen Rio lose a header to Messi. Losing headers can happen.
But are you seriously say that is the same as a defender trying to hack at the ball with the wrong foot and setting up their goal?
You said they were equally at fault.

Using Rio's aerial prowess is not a good example.

They were equally at fault. If Bailly won the header or Smalling cleared the knockdown, Middlesbrough wouldn't have scored.

Bailly was basically standing still when he went up for the header compared to the Borough player who came in with speed, which is a huge advantage. You'd need to be Crouch to win a header like that more times than not.

De Roon had slightly more of a run at it but Bailly had a run at it too. In fact, if it was Smalling competing for that header instead of Bailly, there is no way Middlesbrough would have scored.

All of United's centre backs have their pros and cons. Smalling can be a clumsy oaf at times and looks awkward on the ball but with Middlesbrough launching the ball into the box late on, there is no defender at the club I would prefer defending it more than Smalling.

 

[Lentwood]

What I dont understand about Smalling is why he always looks so terrified

He has played some massive games for the club and yet 2-0 up at Boro away and he looks scared shitless everytime the ball goes anywhere near him!

He is all the attributes to be a top defender but is let down by a complete lack of mental strength imo

 

[GDaly95]

Don't know what happened to the guy. I swear there was a time, a decent period of time, where he was bossing it under LvG. Defensively he was always bang on it and he even started making runs into midfield and beyond with the ball. I even had my delusional Liverpool supporting mates reluctantly admitting that he was one of the best CB's in the league.

Now he's regressed dramatically. Has a heart attack when the ball comes near him, clears it when he had so much time to pass it out, dodgy positional awareness.. he's really gone downhill.

Maybe he was just protected under LvG. Either way, I'm not convinced by him at all and he's cost us a few times this season. He's 27 now, not a young player anymore. I wouldn't be disappointed to see him sold.

 

[ti vu]

Don't know what happened to the guy. I swear there was a time, a decent period of time, where he was bossing it under LvG. Defensively he was always bang on it and he even started making runs into midfield and beyond with the ball. I even had my delusional Liverpool supporting mates reluctantly admitting that he was one of the best CB's in the league.

Now he's regressed dramatically. Has a heart attack when the ball comes near him, clears it when he had so much time to pass it out, dodgy positional awareness.. he's really gone downhill.

Maybe he was just protected under LvG. Either way, I'm not convinced by him at all and he's cost us a few times this season. He's 27 now, not a young player anymore. I wouldn't be disappointed to see him sold.

LVG wanted 2 defensive minded midfielder to before the defensive line to help out. We played possession football tried to starve the opponent off the ball to prevent them to attack. Meaning we didn't attack much neither. Still we conceded chances & DDG bailed us out much more.

Now we (need to) release our midfielders more to supply for attackers meaning there are less protection in front of the CB, and we don't play possession so more games the opponent had the upper hand in possession (like this game) even in period when we're comfortable. We relies more on organization & evenly contribution from individuals than under LVG.

Smalling is good man marking, one vs one defensively, stand alone CB. He's never that impressive being a leader & tasked with organizing a defense unit (skewed contribution). LVG let him man hunt while the other CB, midfielders run back & offer the organization defensive shape. We need to use slow build up since the midfielders playing too deep & our midfielders were slow on the legs to push out. Possession football also means we attack (& defend) as a team meaning we're not allowed to play direct leaving too much gap between lines. Last but not least, we're not that good in passing too.

 

[kafta]

I really like Smalling, when he's good he's a beast. Problem is, he seems to have a mistake in him when we are put under any pressure. And once that happens, all his composure goes.

I think we need to buy one starting CB for next year. Smalling might command a higher fee than Jones, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him go.

 

[m1y2]

I really like Smalling, when he's good he's a beast. Problem is, he seems to have a mistake in him when we are put under any pressure. And once that happens, all his composure goes.

I think we need to buy one starting CB for next year. Smalling might command a higher fee than Jones, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him go.

I actually agree, as a big fan of Smalling I'd keeep him as his highest level can be really high but these mistakes he makes from time to time makes me a bit sad because if he hasn't done them, there owuld be no question about him starting, needs to cut that out, have to concentrate more...

One senior world class CB and sell Jones seems to be a good decision now, we will see how we finish the season

 

[Adam-Utd]

Seems to struggle with coordination. Anything that requires quick reflexes or changing what leg your going to kick the ball with and that's it he's in trouble.

Remember he scored an own goal in a similar way by trying to clear with the wrong foot at a cross.

That said though he's still our best penalty box defender. I personally think having Jones around him gives off a negative impact. He spreads nervousness around.

 

[FOR5]

Said this all season that since the back end of last season he's been woeful - remember the Newcastle game away where we dropped two points, well he was shocking that game and never got back to the form he was in during the earlier part of the season. For me that good form was a one off because he's never been that great to be honest.

Look at this season, he's clearly been given time out to get himself sorted cos Jose either didn't rate him or thought he was unfit. We actually looked a more stable unit with Jones and Rojo in the back. Soon as Smalling get's back in the defence we always seem to look unsure, it's HIM that causes untold confusion in the back four not Jones - you're all forgetting Jones has had an injury and only has only just come back to playing again.

Take Smalling out of that back four and you'll see a better defence I'm sure of it.
I've just had some idiot from another group telling me he would get into any of the Top 4 team's defence's, I just laughed and left the conversation there!

 

[Fracture90]

All his aerial prowess doesn't compensate for the liability he is when his ground game is called for.

Think Mourinho will look for an upgrade on both him and Jones.

 

[Pogbahimovich]

I cannot believe all these people saying "I think he was good, apart from.." What does it mean? He is a centre half ffs how can there be apart in the line? He is either good or he isn't good. Clearly he made mistakes and it was not as if we played Barca to have an excuse of top quality players destroying him. Not good enough. Being English is the only reason he is rated so highly by our fans. Next game he will have a good game and it will be back to "he is our best defender by miles" garbage.

 

[Dobbs]

What I dont understand about Smalling is why he always looks so terrified

He has played some massive games for the club and yet 2-0 up at Boro away and he looks scared shitless everytime the ball goes anywhere near him!

He is all the attributes to be a top defender but is let down by a complete lack of mental strength imo

Agree. That side of his game just hasn't kicked on. A bit like Wes Brown I think.

 

[Robertd0803]

Don't know what happened to the guy. I swear there was a time, a decent period of time, where he was bossing it under LvG. Defensively he was always bang on it and he even started making runs into midfield and beyond with the ball.

Now he's regressed dramatically. Has a heart attack when the ball comes near him, clears it when he had so much time to pass it out, dodgy positional awareness.. he's really gone downhill.

Maybe he was just protected under LvG.

I put it down to him playing with Blind as his partner. With Blind around to actually think like a footballer Smalling was free to actually defend and could rely on Blind to pass the ball out from defence and cover positions etc. Without Blind to do the thinking for the central defence Smalling has gone to pieces.

 

[RedChip]

What I dont understand about Smalling is why he always looks so terrified

He has played some massive games for the club and yet 2-0 up at Boro away and he looks scared shitless everytime the ball goes anywhere near him!

He is all the attributes to be a top defender but is let down by a complete lack of mental strength imo

Yesterday, the commentator mentioned how he had been at Middlesbrough briefly as a youngster before going back home to play non-league 'for personal reasons'. I thought, 'sounds like Smalling.' Unfortunately, I think he is very fragile mentally.

 

[Grunge]

Jones made far more mistakes this game but Smalling will get all the stick.

Rojo & Bailly too ... but it's always Smalling first for criticism on here.
Forwards failing to finish, have cost us far more points than our defensive shortcomings

 

[Rossa]

Why do we sit so deep though? Smalling was clumsy for their goal, but the ball falls at his feet, and if, as I argued above, Ibra had missed a goal chance like that people would be making excuses for him saying the ball bounced badly for him. However, we drop too deep trying to defend a lead with only one aerially dominant centre back. Jones is wayward in his positioning and doesn't get first to the ball several times. Bailly jumps as if trying to impersonate the Hunchback of Notre Dame; Smalling is the only won getting onto those headers. It was a silly goal, but I think people are putting far too much into it. As someone else said, defenders people drool over make the same mistakes.

 

[Rossa]

Rojo & Bailly too ... but it's always Smalling first for criticism on here.
Forwards failing to finish, have cost us far more points than our defensive shortcomings

This! And Jones' attempt of a clearance was pathetic.

 

[Striker10]

Smalling has so much to his game BUT his body shape is awful. He contorts and doesn't seem to 'flow' and I think he should have took up ballet like Rio did. For me that's his big weakness and it should have been addressed a long time ago. Maybe he does it and just isn't good - he just looks awkward on the pitch.

 

[George Beast]

We need a gif of his absurd attempt at heading the ball back to De Gea with zero pressure yet only managed to make himself look absolutely clueless. @GifLord maybe you can help here.

 

[Seanus]

Daily Mirror today says he broke Phil Jones' toe in training and Jones could miss all 9 games in April-1 way to loweer your chances of being dropped

 

[GifLord]

We need a gif of his absurd attempt at heading the ball back to De Gea with zero pressure yet only managed to make himself look absolutely clueless. @GifLord maybe you can help here.

 

[Rossa]

We need a gif of his absurd attempt at heading the ball back to De Gea with zero pressure yet only managed to make himself look absolutely clueless. @GifLord maybe you can help here.

That being said, his heading back to the goalie, even under hard pressure is normally brilliant - almost the best part of his, at least technical, play. That was some funny sh*it though

 

[Rossa]

Smalling has so much to his game BUT his body shape is awful. He contorts and doesn't seem to 'flow' and I think he should have took up ballet like Rio did. For me that's his big weakness and it should have been addressed a long time ago. Maybe he does it and just isn't good - he just looks awkward on the pitch.

What looks really weirds is how many small steps he has to execute a simple pass. It looks so weird, and it also takes much longer time than necessary. I have noticed that a few centre backs does it, but few as extreme as Smalling. A midfielder would never take so long - it's like his body is wrongly positioned to make a pass - looking a little like me bowling.

 

[top1whoisman]

Returned to Manchester with an injury.

 

[Zoo]

 

[Carlsen19]

Returned to Manchester with an injury.

ffs

 

[DWelbz19]

feck sake

Does that leave only Rojo and Bailly? Blind too I guess, but Mourinho really doesn't seem to trust him

 

[top1whoisman]

International football.

 

[top1whoisman]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[Summit]

feck sake

Does that leave only Rojo and Bailly? Blind too I guess, but Mourinho really doesn't seem to trust him

That is my preferred pair up when everyone is fit at this moment, hope they don't get injured.

 

[top1whoisman]

feck sake

Does that leave only Rojo and Bailly? Blind too I guess, but Mourinho really doesn't seem to trust him

Tuanzebe! But yeah, Bailly and Rojo will probably both get injured, it’s only 2 match days done, 5 days to go…

 

[podurban2]

International football.

Gotta love it.

 

[stevoc]

feck sake

Does that leave only Rojo and Bailly? Blind too I guess, but Mourinho really doesn't seem to trust him

Yeah Jose doesn't seem to trust Blind at CB, might be due to the fact Blind isn't a centre back though to be fair.

 

[Z_Wolf]

Good. now we can go back to playing proper football. Can't afford to accommodate 2 (him and Fellaini) brainless players in the same line up.

 

[CM]

Good. now we can go back to playing proper football. Can't afford to accommodate 2 (him and Fellaini) brainless players in the same line up.

What kind of nonsense is this? He's Mourinho's most trusted defender and it leaves us dangerously thin on options at the back.

 

[Giggsy92]

Hopefully nothing serious. At least we won't be playing three at the back if we only have two fit centre-backs.

 

[SirAF]

feck international football in the ass.. I hate it.

Jose seriously got to bring in, at least, one quality CB in the summer. Jones and Smalling can't be trusted - both fitness and ability wise.

 

[roonster09]

Hopefully nothing serious. At least we won't be playing three at the back if we only have two fit centre-backs.

Still there is a possibility. Rojo, Bailly, Blind as CBs with Valencia and Darmian/Shaw as wingbacks.

 

[Fracture90]

International football was supposed to give us some relief this time ffs, instead we only got some more headache.

 

[Rajma]

Good. Now pack 'Em both up and ship in the summer. Long overdue.