You have a lot more time to react to a ball on the deck, probably also out wide, than to a ball onto a head 6 yards out unmarked.
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Not a fan of Smalling at all but you’re making stuff up now. Positionally he’s excellent
Listen who ever it was that taught you you stick to your man no matter what did you a disservice. It’s clear to everyone except you that Smalling had to go to Baka as no one else was. Bailly should move across and Valencia should have moved also.
You have to go to the danger, if Smalling stays and Morata wins a header against him and heads it Baka that would have been an even bigger mistake.
This... Smalling is the least of our problems. We got 99 problems and Mike aint one..
So by leaving his man and avoiding the inevitability that he looses the header to morata he did the right thing. Ok. By the way Bailly does try to get across but obviously doesn’t have the time to react. Smalling makes the whole defensive unit poor by his lack of intelligence as a defender.
He was poor today so many times he looked like he was favourite for a ball but the Chelsea player ended up with it. He’s a an average defender that shouldn’t be starting for United. He’ll be gone in the summer.
The key in this systematic failure case began with Mkhi position. He's at first nowhere close to press. When he started pressing, it's either too late or his intensity was not good enough. The ball just came across to the pitch toward Azpilicueta as easy as in training. It still needs quality of cross from Azpilicueta to make it happen, but the damage was already done to our system with Jones being drawn out of position trying to snare Azpilicueta in case he decided to ventured further up the pitch.
Also Rashford's attempt to cut the pass to Azpilicueta is also a minor problem. Should have stayed on his feet and track back instead. However, that's still not guarantee Rashford could have forced and error from Azpilicueta.
All in all, Mkhi's role in this situation was absolute vital and he failed miserably. Mkhi had same problem more times in the game letting Chelsea players/ play bypassed him with ease. Those stemmed toward different kind of build up, but the point of about his failure in his role stands.
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Arguably Smalling is our best defender at reading situations so no idea why you think he is the weak link with people like Bailly,Jones and Rojo in the mix.
Also you mentioned something earlier about how Aspalacuetta could only play an outside of the boot pass which isn’t true as there is an easy slip in to the run pass on his right foot.
2nd Smalling manages to cover the width of the 6yarder to get across to Baka and you’re claiming Bailly doesn’t have time to react. He is watching the entire thing and bar Valencia has the best view of the whole piece of play and to make it worse Morata is right in front of him, he can see Smalling making the run for Baka and he doesn’t move.
Now people on here have told you, pundits have broken it down and everyone goes against what you’ve said yet you’re still claiming we are all wrong.
Anyone who has ever played knows you have to go to the danger, the immediate danger was Baka it’s fricken obvious.
If the ball was slipped to Baka, would you be blaming Smallingnfor not closing him down since he was the nearest player to him?
How morata was given free space in the middle of the goal is totally beyond my understanding.
It was smallings area , the lad is always clueless at the Stamford bridge.
It was smallings area , the lad is always clueless at the Stamford bridge.
All our defensive organization should take the blame for such a goal, the 3 defenders and the 2 DMFs. Absolute garbage to let an opposition attacker known for his good headers 100% free in the box with no one with him like this. Very frustrating goal to watch.
Twisted my words and you know you have
Football has moved on from defenders who can defend? I guess you're Lindelof's biggest fan
Had Smalling stayed with his man, we wouldn’t be debating this as they wouldn’t have scored. I don’t give one who’s supposedly said he had to go to bakayoko’s run, it was the wrong decision, yes every bone in your body would be willing you to do so but it’s the disciplined defenders that make the best ones.
As for Smalling being our best reader of the game. Seriously!? Whenever he plays we always end up in this type of situation because he makes undisciplined decisions.
If he doesn’t leave Morata, Aspalucetta has an easy pass in to Baka. No one is near Baka. Bailly and Valencia can see everything and should read what is happening and move across. Smalling has to go to Baka, it shouldn’t even be in question. There are a lot of faults in that whole passage of play and Smalling is one of the only ones who made the correct decision.
I mean Smalling is the only one who to me has shown any intelligence other than Blind. He drops off to cover guys like Bailly and Jones who often get themselves out of position. I’m by no means claiming he is Rio but compared to the rest he is the only one that has any smarts.
Of course he would. He's Jones fan, and didn't blame him at all for his feck up.
Whats bizarre is how Jones is deemed as a great defender on this forum. Had someone last season saying he was better than Vertonghen.
I’m not a Jones fan, I’m a fan of the best player for that postion.
Jones for me is too injury prone but at least when fit he is a decent defender.
Jones is a good footballer but not a great defender. I'd say he's on par with Rojo, of which shouldn't the future of United CBs if we want to win the league back.
When Smalling moved away from his spot to cover Jones spot, there were plenty of times for both Valencia and Bailly to read the situation and quickly man mark their players before the pass/cross were made by Azpi.
In pic 1 shows that Valencia was watching Alonso, Bailly marked no one and Smalling was watching Morata and at the same time he saw that Jones left his spot and read the situation that Bakayoko was about to make a run.
In pic 2 shows that Valencia was still watching alonso, Bailly marked no one and Smalling turned his head to checked that there were enough players to cover his spot.
In pic 3 shows that Valencia decided to stop dropping back or stop following his man when Smalling left his spot to cover Jones and stop Bakayoko.
Smalling did the right thing, he did check that there were enough players to cover two of Chelsea players. Jones was the main culprit. Valencia should have followed his man and after all he's a right wingback and Alonso is a left wingback. Bailly should have take Smalling's spot and may be Valencia would have dropped back if he saw Bailly takes Smalling's spot. Matic did nothing at all, and obviously Jones should have known that there is no way he had time to close down Azpi there but he left his spot and the moment he left his spot he realised it and he end up in an awkward position.
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I agree in the sense that Mourinho should be a tad more positive in his tactics but I still think Smalling isn't good enough. Our back 4 or 3 flatter to decieve imo. They're hugely helped by the negative, safety first tactics.
Smalling is horrendous on the ball and more often that not brings chaos to our defense because of his clumsiness. His positioning is poor as well.
Cahill did it maybe once, Smalling was constantly pulling Morata's shirt. It is fine when you do it once or twice, but doing it constantly is dangerous. Needs to cut it out.
The whole defense was a clustermug for the goal. You have to at least defend thinking that Bailly and Valencia are going to slide over and mark up. I thought apart from that he was absolutely solid, probably the best we've got. A shame that all three of our best should probably play in a back four and none of them combine well at all. A back three just ruins all of their abilities.
How could you let morata free header ?
Conceeding a goal from a practised and known Chelsea routine is absolutely a catastrophic mistake.
Conceeding a goal from a practised and known Chelsea routine is absolutely a catastrophic mistake.
No it was smallings fault who vacated his position, to follow bakayoko's run when jones had already blocked the passing line to bakayoko, smalling was playing central of the goal and it was his spot to defend morata , Bailly was behind morata as he was rcb. Smalling had to be in front of him. Jones did his job by cutting the passing lane to bakayoko.
Smallings naiveity as always led to the goal. Matic stopped following bakayoko because of kante's and fabregas threat from outside the box as we were 3v2 in the middle.
It was definitely not Valencia or Bailly's fault. What should have happened was Smalling read the play and moved over in advance, giving Bailly and Valencia time to readjust. Before that Jones should not have had to push up to block the pass as Matic should have been there.
None of that happened and Smalling just completely read it wrong as he often does and didn't move over until it was too late, leaving Bailly completely screwed with two men and a load of space. Valencia also let his runner go which he is prone to do.
Smallings intelligence levels are not very high.
What makes you think it's not possible for Azpilicueta to make a pass of the ball over Jones's head? If Azpi does it Bakayoko would have been free one on one against keeper and Jones obviously has no chance to block the pass unless if he can jump like the incredible HULK to block it. We played 3 centre backs so each of them can cover the others when they are being out of position or need to cover other player's spot. Jones was clearly in an awkward position, he didn't meant to be there to stop the pass from Azpi to Bakayoko because before Bakayoko made a run, Jones was already out of position.
Is this the same Mike people were complaining this week that Southgate had dropped him from the England squad? Average player
Even if he did it , he was going wide and not towards the goal, he would never had the angle to shoot it in without taking time on the ball to get into a good shooting position and we had de gea to block the shot from the angle, smalling just got dragged outside and vacated his position for morata to slip in free who has linked with azpi for many goals this year if you have studied chelsea.
Smalling had to defend his space not the player dragging him out of his position.
Jones was out of position yes, but it common sense that you dont leave your space free if another player is rushing your space. You have to fasten your seatbelts before you save others.
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Nope. He wasn't going wide, Bakayoko made a run towards the goal.
https://imgtc.com/w/XGnO97p
The angle was as good as Morata's one as well especially for a right footer to shoot it. So if you think he would never had the angle to shoot then you should have said the same thing to the ball to Morata's then but he scored even with header & accuracy so it's possible.
I think you are making too much excuse that you thought it's not possible to chip the ball over Jones head and you think Bakayoko didn't make a run towards the goal or the angle wasn't good enough. The clip shows the opposite what you just said.
What's the point having 3 centre backs if one of them (Bailly) must not allowed to cover his teammate while Smalling did cover Jones/Matic? Alonso is a left wingback, Valencia had eye on him the whole time before Smalling left his spot. And Smalling did check Valencia still had an eye on Alonso before Smalling himself left his spot to keep an eye on Bakayoko.
There is a saying that you fasten your seat belt first than help out others. A chip over jones head was a difficult pass to execute than a direct better pass to morata which smalling let free, He was really not expecting bailly to get round morata in split seconds was he? Bakayoko was going wide and morata was going towards the goal , smalling made the wrong choice as simple as that. You never leave a striker free and vacate your space.
Even if the pass came to bakayoko smalling would still have time to cover the angle of the shot along with de gea on the other side, and delayed the shot what he did was gave morata and azpi an even more direct and better route to goal by getting dragged outside.
If one is caught out of position he has very liitle time to scamper back, but leaving your position free and letting the player even more direct route to goal is utter naive piece of defending.
I'll give you the whole video rather than just pictures
By the time azpi makes the pass , if you freeze it at 2.43 smalling is having his back to morata who's completely free. You cant blame bailly and jones for smallings mistake.
He had too. The immediate threat was the through ball to bakayoko. You always slide across. Bailly didn't slide across with him.
Well Who proved to be immidiate threat? Morata and not bakayoko, bakayoko was a deciving player who dragged smalling out of his position it was always going to be morata who'd recive the cross because of his superior goal scoring ability. Bakayoko woulf have to shoot at an angle which also could be blocked , rather than delaying the shot smalling gave him even more direct route.
Baka would have had a 1v1 if he didnt slide across
With a awkward angle and de gea saving one angle and smalling could have saved the other angle. It would have delayed them which is the first rule of defense which is to delay, he gave them a direct route to goal.
if bailly slides across the only ball is a big switch to hazard with Valencia coming back. Bailly then pulls out to him and smalling slides across to morata.
Your meant to slide side to side as a defense. Leave the last man pull across near post to back post. Smalling did that
Jones, Bailly and Matic were all clueless which ultimately left Smalling with two choice either mark Morata or Bakayoko. One can argue he should have stayed with Morata in which case Bakayoko would have had a very good chance to score, and Smalling would have still be blamed because he is least liked of the bunch at here.
Yeah he has somehow attained the honour of being a Caf whipping boy, when Jones is just as bad and probably makes more individual errors. At the end of the day neither are probably good enough, but only Smalling gets called out on it.
The difference is that your own seat belt is for your own safety. But this is football, football is a teamwork sport. Players need to know how to read the situation well.
It's difficult for you to do it. It's not difficult for me to do it and if I can do it it's not difficult for a top full back who can play as a wing back to do it as well especially when he was given so much space and time before he executed the ball. There was so much time for both Bailly and Valencia to react when Smalling left his spot
I have said this 3x, What's the point having 3 centre backs if one of them (Bailly) must not allowed to cover his teammate while Smalling did cover Jones/Matic? There are 3 dangerous players who were threat to the goals in that moment, Bakayoko, Morata & Alonso. Are you telling me it's okay to leave an unmarked player to make a run and have potential to score for free like Bakayoko?
Bakayoko was clearly went towards the goal, he was nowhere near Young. He would have been almost on the same line as Young if he went wide. Both Morata and Bakayoko was almost on the similar position like a mirror if you take the centre of the half circle of that penalty line.
Who said you can leave your striker free?? Of course you can't!!
This is why I said these professional footballer need to learn how to read the situation well. Use brain because they have it. You can't be like a robot who is functioned for one thing!! When there are players who can cover it for you which was supposed to be Bailly then he and before Smalling left his spot he did turn his head to check that Valencia was on Alonso, so it's Bailly job to realise that he has to take the action to mark Morata. Smalling left his spot to stop another threat which is Bakayoko.
Just pictures? You are clearly didn't click the link or didn't read my post mate. https://imgtc.com/w/XGnO97p I said it's a clip mate, a clip means a video! And it's so much better quality than the one you posted.
And if you freeze at 2:41, Smalling did turn his head to check if there were enough cover (Which I have provided on my previous picture's post in 2nd picture). At that time before Smalling left his spot, Valencia was still following Alonso & Bailly marked no one. And you are telling me they were Smalling mistake that Jones was being out of position, Valencia stopped following Alonso and Bailly couldn't read the situation well?
It's easy to say in hindsight to stay with Morata, but I think everyone's forgetting that Morata scored with a ridiculous header. It wasn't an easy chance despite having all that space.
It's all ifs and buts, Smalling stays with Morata, Bakayoko goes through and scores? Maybe he misses? Maybe Smalling stays with Morata but the ball has enough elevation to go over him and Morata still nods it in? Easy to argue one of the other options is the right choice when the goal has been scored.
If Bakayoko went through, would you all blame Jones or Smalling? If one person shifts you all shift, that's basic defending. We just got overloaded time and time again.
It's all ifs and buts, Smalling stays with Morata, Bakayoko goes through and scores? Maybe he misses? Maybe Smalling stays with Morata but the ball has enough elevation to go over him and Morata still nods it in? Easy to argue one of the other options is the right choice when the goal has been scored.
If Bakayoko went through, would you all blame Jones or Smalling? If one person shifts you all shift, that's basic defending. We just got overloaded time and time again.
You slide across but you do it in anticipation when you see there's a huge gap as Jones has pushed up, and the others then have time to move across. You don't wait wait wait and then run across and leave your man just as the ball is played in. Bailly had no time to react at all.
As for shirt pulling, did you guys see Azpilicueta and Cahill the way they pulled on Lukaku all night and never even got a free kick against them - much worse than Smalling ever did. Yet, here we have a United supporter forum, and people go nuts over our own player pulling shirts that isn't even punished.
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