[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Only watched highlights but seems like he had a good game apart from the Phil Jones impression?

 

[Mark Pawelek]

Can't sell him. With Jones and Rojo injury records, and Rojo out till 2018, United need 5 CBs.

 

[Robbie Boy]

http://www.football365.com/news/why-would-man-united-sell-smalling-for-a-song

 

[Nighteyes]

http://www.football365.com/news/why-would-man-united-sell-smalling-for-a-song

Good article and good words from Vidic. 10m must be a joke someone pulled out of their arse. If VVD is going for 65m then fecks knows what Smalling is worth. 50m minimum I should think and he's better defender.

Also interesting that even though Smalling has had a better injury record and overall played better than Rojo has since both have been at the club, it's Smalling people want out of the club.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Good article and good words from Vidic. 10m must be a joke someone pulled out of their arse. If VVD is going for 65m then fecks knows what Smalling is worth. 50m minimum I should think and he's better defender.

Also interesting that even though Smalling has had a better injury record and overall played better than Rojo has since both have been at the club, it's Smalling people want out of the club.

I'm not his biggest fan and to be honest, I wouldn't have given a feck had he left earlier in the summer. But as pre-season has gone on, it's clear that Lindelof will take time to settle in and also Rojo is out for another while. So all-in-all, we really have to keep him around. I haven't caught any pre-season games so far but by all accounts, I've read that Jones has been good; unfortunately, his fitness is the issue.

I suppose I can often be harsh on him as he looks so fecking unnatural at defending sometimes and he's poor in possession. But he is also capable of having some good games and his experience is valuable to have around. The £10m been quoted is an absolute joke considering the money the likes of Pickford and Keane have moved for this summer.

 

[Havak]

That was a very good article and I agree with pretty much everything barring perhaps the price. While £10m is undoubtedly a steal, I think £30m would be too much (and I'm one of Smalling's biggest fans, I still think he and Bailly is probably our strongest partnership). However, the transfer market is ridiculous when a lot of defenders seem to be worth £50m~ these days, so charging £25m+ for Smalling if we were to sell probably isn't that mad. Selling for £10m obviously makes little sense given that:

- Rojo is going to be out for ages and has only really put in a stint of about 15~ games where he was good (and probably should've been red carded twice during them, which would have halted his run of form as well). Even without this injury, he was quite an injury prone player already.
- Jones is too injury prone, I don't think this will ever change unfortunately.
- Blind is definitely not a long-term solution at CB.
- Lindelof needs to settle into the club and Premier League.
- We don't need to balance the books at all having a net spend of under £100m this Summer.

 

[Adam-Utd]

On his day he's our best defender. It's just a shame he's so bad on the ball it really downplays what he does.

I will be amazed if we sell him for little money though, surely the club can't be that dumb.

 

[K2K]

He is prone to more than the occasional blunder and he had failed to progress as expected, but I would keep him still.

Next Summer is when I would get rid of some of our defenders. It would also allow our younger defenders to acclimatise to the league without too much pressure.

 

[villain]

I will be amazed if we sell him at all.

Lindelof needs time to bed in, Jones is likely to get injured at some point, Rojo is out until 2018 and there's no guarantee he will be able to replicate his Nov-March performances.

 

[Home&Away]

I like smalling but I absolutely hate him as the middle CB. He is surely only used there for his height - provides us no stability on the ball whatsoever. He should be at at RCB.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

He is going to give away a penalty at a really bad moment one of these days.

 

[redpatron]

i wish feck off phil was back there. smalling always is shaky in big games

 

[VP89]

He's been a beast this game. Really not understanding the criticism. Stopped 2 great chances in the second half alone.

 

[acnumber9]

He's been excellent. I don't get the notion that we should sell him because we signed Lindelof. He's clearly better.

 

[VP89]

He's been excellent. I don't get the notion that we should sell him because we signed Lindelof. He's clearly better.

Agreed, hasn't put a foot wrong today and I've seen him clean up his peers messes too.

 

[Nighteyes]

He's our best defender. Not great on the ball granted but the guy can defend.

 

[ha_rooney]

Impressive so far. Having to cover for Lindelof quite a bit.

 

[Rado_N]

He's been brilliant, should be half of our starting pairing along with Bailly.

 

[Amar__]

He's been brilliant, should be half of our starting pairing along with Bailly.

Mourinho obviously rates him very highly, but for some reason people tend to believe that he doesn't oike him at all.

 

[kiristao]

He's our best defender. Not great on the ball granted but the guy can defend.

He looks scared when the ball is with him and extremely awkward when he passes it.

 

[Dir Wangem]

He looks scared when the ball is with him and extremely awkward when he passes it.

Still our best CB, though.

 

[arthurka]

He has been our best player this game..

 

[villain]

He looks scared when the ball is with him and extremely awkward when he passes it.

How he looks is irrelevant, he's got a goofy looking face, I actually don't think he can help it.
Can he defend well? yes.

That's all that matters

 

[kiristao]

Still our best CB, though.

I rate Bailly and Rojo higher but tonite he has played really well

 

[Leftback99]

Excellent again so far. The obsession on here with being a 'ball player' over actually being able to defend is bizarre.

 

[lem8sh]

How he looks is irrelevant, he's got a goofy looking face, I actually don't think he can help it.
Can he defend well? yes.

That's all that matters

Incorrect, ball distribution and retention is a big factor in separating the top centre halves from the rest.

 

[kiristao]

How he looks is irrelevant, he's got a goofy looking face, I actually don't think he can help it.
Can he defend well? yes.

That's all that matters

I am not denying he defends well nor was I referring to his actual face when I said he looks awkward. I was talking about his body movement from when he gets the ball till he passes it.. if he could add a bit of composure to his game, he would be perfect!

 

[charlenefan]

MOTM for us so far

 

[villain]

Incorrect, ball distribution and retention is a big factor in separating the top centre halves from the rest.

These qualities will never trump being a good defender first.

And also his passing accuracy is very high, Jones passes the ball sideways & backwards more than he does, but he makes the odd maurauding run.
Rojo lumps it forward the most out of our CB's, and Bailly is most comfortable with the ball.
However, Smalling had 2 assists last year, more than any of our CB's, one of which was a sublime through ball to Mhiki I think it was.

I am not denying he defends well nor was I referring to his actual face when I said he looks awkward. I was talking about his body movement from when he gets the ball till he passes it.. if he could add a bit of composure to his game, he would be perfect!

I would agree if he was more composed he would be ideal, but I think this is made more out of because he looks like a goof, and is lanky & awkward.

 

[Home&Away]

These qualities will never trump being a good defender first.

And also his passing accuracy is very high, Jones passes the ball sideways & backwards more than he does, but he makes the odd maurauding run.
Rojo lumps it forward the most out of our CB's, and Bailly is most comfortable with the ball.
However, Smalling had 2 assists last year, more than any of our CB's, one of which was a sublime through ball to Mhiki I think it was.



I would agree if he was more composed he would be ideal, but I think this is made more out of because he looks like a goof, and is lanky & awkward.

Whilst what you say is true - playing a ball playing defender instead of a defender who can defend well is shooting yourself in the foot - but playing 3 of these defensive defenders in a 352 formation is foolish in my opinion.

 

[villain]

Whilst what you say is true - playing a ball playing defender instead of a defender who can defend well is shooting yourself in the foot - but playing 3 of these defensive defenders in a 352 formation is foolish in my opinion.

I don't agree with this 352 rubbish.
I'm hoping it's because we don't have Shaw or a recognised LB currently.

 

[Sammyjunn]

Some prefer Lindelof because he can pass.

 

[Skills]

I rate Bailly and Rojo higher but tonite he has played really well

Neither of them can head a ball - Bailly especially doesn't have a clue when the ball is above his head. You'd think thats more fundamental to a CBs game.

 

[VP89]

Incorrect, ball distribution and retention is a big factor in separating the top centre halves from the rest.

You say it like he chronically gives the ball away, which he doesn't.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Solid tonight. Much better than Lindelof, but the latter gets the benefit of the doubt as he needs time to bed in. Smalling barely put a foot wrong. Lots of good blocks and challenges.

 

[lem8sh]

You say it like he chronically gives the ball away, which he doesn't.

Did I?

 

[DeOddi]

Really good game from him and easily our best player today.

 

[andersj]

Out of focus on the first goal. Darmian, who sets the line in that situation, pushed higher. Smalling should have stayed on his line.

 

[VP89]

Did I?

Yes

 

[Rozay]

I think the more people have been saying it on here, I think people are starting to believe he is rubbish or whatever. Always been a top defender, just doesn't quite have the touch of Zidane.