Can you name one bad game Smalling has had this season? He's bailed out Jones and Bailly several times just in the last few games and he managed clean sheets in all but one of the games he's played this season- the 2-1 loss where Mata and Lindelof were at fault
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 45
- Clean sheets
- 20
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 4
- Status
He’s only started 4 PL games. He has played well against Palace and Spurs. He’s not a terrible player, he’s just very average and makes our defensive unit look nervous when he plays. He’s starting today, if a mistake is made at the back, you know it’s most likely going to come from him.
https://www.whoscored.com/Players/71345/Show/Chris-Smalling
This is simply not true. Jones, Bailly and Lindelof have all had several moments of nervousness/sloppiness. Smalling has looked way more comfortable and assured than all of them. So again, any examples of these Smalling mistakes? I have recorded every United game this season so I can easily verify what you say
Apparently Smalling is to blame whenever our defense makes a mistake, even if hes not playing.
This "makes his partners look nervous" bullshit is still getting peddled I see. I knew there was a reason I stayed away from this thread.
What a joke.
Just admit you don't like the player, so much so you hold him to different standards to the rest of our defenders - at least then you'll be telling the truth.
Lindelof has no defensive qualities and I have no idea why we bought him, we should cut our losses, so let’s leave him out of this debate.
As I have already said he’s only started 4 games this season and in all those he’s done ok but let’s not forget last season, so quickly.
He’s a defender who is strong, tall, average tackle but has poor distribution and questionable positioning. Fine as a backup but shouldn’t be starting for a club with any ambitions of winning the league.
Its crazy we have "fans" who will look for anything they can possibly knock our player about, even if it doesn't actually exist. Or judge him by completely different standards to our other CBs.
Is it possible that Russians set up some Redcafe accounts to try and divide our fanbase?
Is it possible that Russians set up some Redcafe accounts to try and divide our fanbase?
I used to like Smalling and always rated him better that Evans but given the amount of playing time he has now had, my judgement of him is backup at best. Just my opinion and it has nothing to do with disliking the player, seems like a decent chap.
Or is it possible that people have different opinions on the quality of players..... ooooooh..... now there’s a scary thought !!Its crazy we have "fans" who will look for anything they can possibly knock our player about, even if it doesn't actually exist. Or judge him by completely different standards to our other CBs.
Is it possible that Russians set up some Redcafe accounts to try and divide our fanbase?
Why leave Lindelof out of this? How does that make any sense to you? He's a CB in the first team who Mourinho paid over 30M for. Smalling has held his hand everytime they've played together but even he couldn't prevent what happened in that loss to Huddersfield. Jones was ridiculously poor against Spurs in the first half and Bailly was poor. They both almost gifted Spurs goals. Who held the defense together? Bailly was shit in midweek in the CL and both he and Jones cost United goals in the 2-2 draw against Stoke. So all but Smalling have cost us goals with shite defending.
'given the amount of playing time he has now' yet earlier you said;
So which is it?
Like I said - just admit you don't like him. He's done absolutely nothing wrong this season.
And considering both Jones & Bailly have been at fault for at least 1 goal this season so far, even if Smalling is at fault for a goal today, it doesn't make him somehow a worse player.
Which would have nothing to do with what I said.
Lol - The amount of playing time he’s had at the club !!!!
Smalling has played 4 games in the PL and has done ok but that doesn’t mask his career at United, which imo has been one of looking half decent with a quiity player next to him (Rio, vidic) but poor with the likes of Evans etc, to raising his game with LVG and massively regressing last season. He’s just average.
Yes Jones and Bailly have made mistakes as all defenders do from time to time but it’s about how frequently those mistakes are made I.e. mistake per minute. Plus how they can bring the ball out of defence and also intelligence.
Jose obviously agrees with me as Jones and Bailly are clearly his first choice when playing 2 CBs, I would imagine Rojo will also jump ahead of Smalling once he returns.
Don't waste your time trying to convince them. Just wait till Today's game is over. The match will be the proof of Smalling's abilities(or lack of).
We leave Lindelof out because I am assuming we can agree he shouldn’t be at the club.
Look in my opinion Smalling makes more mistakes per minute played than Bailly or Jones, he’s also very poor at distributing the ball. This season yes when he’s played he’s done ok. I’m not disputing this.
But as Jose has done this season, he’s looked at last season and decided that’s jones and Bailly are his first choice in a back 4. Personally I think that’s the right decision.
Okay mate.
Chelsea 1:0 Man Utd
His defensive tactic is just to grab shirts ffs
Sounds like you need to put on a pair of glasses mate.
Struggling with the quick Morata.
And soon Jose will realise he can't depend on a player who's never even managed 25 games in one season (Jones).
Leave his shirt ffs.
Your tactic is to ignore it when our other CBs do it. Carry on with the agenda
Does it work, though?
He grabs people’s shirts way too much for my liking. Sooner or later, it’ll come back to bite him in the ass, especially against little bitch boys like Hazard and Morata.
Who cares as long as he isn’t penalized for it? Every defender does it
The caf complains about it more than any opposition player, manager or fan.
No. Every defender doesn't do it. Have a look at Bailly and Jones and see how many times they've done it. Smalling is so bad at this - it's a question of when he'll give away a penalty, not if.
So you won’t care until it costs us?
Every replay you see of Smalling in the box, he’s got a grab of the opposition players shirt. Yes, every defender does it but this guy takes it to a new level.
If he'd give away one pen in a season, it would be really worth it actually considering the number of times nothing is given against. Bailly could have given a pen away last week by overusing his strength too, so yeah.So you won’t care until it costs us?
Every replay you see of Smalling in the box, he’s got a grab of the opposition players shirt. Yes, every defender does it but this guy takes it to a new level.
He’s been fine, Phil Jones has been shit so far.
We notice it happening every game.
Only because its Smalling
Of course they do. They would be fools not to as every attacker with half a brain does it. The key is letting go, which Smalling should do sooner.
Perhaps.
Of course not. It actually helps us. Everyone uses tricks. The real trick is not getting caught. He’s our player!So you won’t care until it costs us?
Every replay you see of Smalling in the box, he’s got a grab of the opposition players shirt. Yes, every defender does it but this guy takes it to a new level.
He's probably been the most reliable of the 3 centre backs once again today, yet people are complaining about shirt pulling?
That punk Morata went to the ground easily looking for a pen and the caf blames Smalling for shirt pulling. Pathetic
Left morata with a free header. Basic decision making. Probably cost us the game.
- Status