What? Practically allowed him all the time in the world to come inside. He gave him too much space.
Last edited:
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 45
- Clean sheets
- 20
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 4
- Status
More like no striker is allowed to have a bad game against us. Every week there is an average donkey that is made to look like prime Ibra. Smalling was the better of the two CBs, but still I expect much better for Manchester United.
Its not like Rio or Vidic were never skinned by top strikers or even donkeys before. We still have the best defense in the league and the most clean sheets, relax.
Yeah, giving space is different to showing. He took a neutral position just shutting the path to goal. He didn't show down any side, least of all the inside.
Benteke didn't run inside. He just played a square pass. Think for a second where Smalling would have to be positioned to close down that path option, he'd have to be basically positioned between Benteke and the semi-circle of the box. He'd have to leave a pretty open path for Benteke to run into the box. Which you never really do as a defender.
I mean blame him if you want, can't stop you. But I see no logic in it, sorry.
Get tight and force him down the line. That's what I'd have expected him to do.
Not blaming him totally for the goal. Libndelof was weak. Second goal, he switched off. Him and our captain.
Last edited:
So much big praise I'm surprised.
FWIW I think he turned it on in the second half after a really bad first half showing.
FWIW I think he turned it on in the second half after a really bad first half showing.
I want Bailly to replace him ASAP. Smalling takes away more than he brings and we can't keep letting him off the hook. He does not get a free pass just because he scored a goal today that was only important because of his complete feck up for the second goal.
I think we should try the Lindelof Bailly.
I think we should try the Lindelof Bailly.
Its the hope that kills you. Smalling has that first half with plenty of brainfarts, then puts on a great second half performance. Even then, he lost Benteke in the 2nd half and De Gea had to pull out a world class save.
I don't know whether he is good or not. He's probably in between and just a decent player.
I don't know whether he is good or not. He's probably in between and just a decent player.
That was Lindelof, Smalling panicked and tried to get across when he realized that he had left Lindelof with some actual defending to do. Bad idea Chris.
Thank you sir!
I'm not his biggest fan but the criticism levelled at him at times is way over the top in here.
Benteke was on Lindelof. Even then Smalling managed to get over in time to put pressure on Benteke which may or may not have put him off enough to give De Gea the opportunity to make the save.
I love how Valencia can not only lose the man he is marking but deliberately run away from him and leave him in acres of space, and somehow it's completely on Smalling who had no chance of getting back in time to stop that goal. Don't get me wrong, he should have got back faster in case Van Anholt slowed down or De Gea managed to make a save, but as it was there was nothing Smalling could have done to stop that goal.
Either way, I want to believe that Smalling is a good defender, and he shows it quite often. He even had a very good season under LVG, but then he comes out with brainfarts and his passing is dire.
To be honest, when comparing it with other top defenders Smalling comes out looking ok. He's a very good box defender, he'll dominate your own box and is a proper goal threat on set pieces.
Hes at his best when dealing with crosses into the box
I think we need more than that to push on tbh
I think we need more than that to push on tbh
As several other posters has said, he didn't have any cover and was isolated with Benteke there. We defended narrow, straight defensive-line around the box, he was in the rightback position without any CB behind him. This circumstance means a basic defensive action is no longer the best option. I don't even think its that complex but I belive Smalling reads it right there. If he's more aggressive and get close to him, he will most likely get turned and he will be forced to make a unnecessary tackle.
As someone said, he took up a neutral position, didn't get too close at first and just held him off to give time for other players to get in position while he made sure any attempt to penetrate the box would be blocked. Rio did this sort of thing a lot. It looks like that when you aren't so rash. Normally stuff like this go unnoticed as a good defensive action on here but because of the goal, which came from a deflected shot from an unmarked player not even on his side, he gets stick. Just because he last pressed the guy who gave the assist. Say something good about Smalling my man, i dear you.
He is. We do. What we absolutely need to do if we are to push on? Actually keep dealing with those crosses.
Beast mode. Quite good when dealing with teams like this. Good old school defender.
Worth noting that he had Lindeloff who has no idea to play physical and the FBs who were letting in crosses after crosses.
I really like to see a stat on how many crosses do we concede when compared to other top teams.
Worth noting that he had Lindeloff who has no idea to play physical and the FBs who were letting in crosses after crosses.
I really like to see a stat on how many crosses do we concede when compared to other top teams.
Its funny how good Smalling can play when hes fired up
We need a balance
Defender who can defend but isn't afraid of the ball at his feet with pressure on him
Basically prime Rio lol
How you can even think to name him is silly. Not all his fault? You mean, not his fault. He defended his man if the rest of the team followed suit someone wouldnt be getting a free shot and Lindelof didn't do the best defending turning like that. At the same time all defenders get a deflected goal against them like that now and again so I'm not going to berate Lindelof for it, but yeah he could have done better and I hope he doesnt continue doing that.
Yes we do, luckily Smalling is 1 of 10 outfield players. Smalling has the crosses and majority of the defending covered, thats 9 other players to do more than that and push on.
Actually Smalling is the only one who starts defending. He calls for offside but unfortunately Lindelof has dropped off and played the attacker onside. Matic is the one facing away from the ball complaining and Valencia is slower to react. Smalling is the closest to doing a good job there.
For me this is pretty clear: See picture below. When the ball is played out towards Benteke it's rolling towards the corner flag, Smalling needs to move in closer and cut off the option for Benteke to bring it over to his right and into the danger area.
As several other posters has said, he didn't have any cover and was isolated with Benteke there. We defended narrow, straight defensive-line around the box, he was in the rightback position without any CB behind him. This circumstance means a basic defensive action is no longer the best option. I don't even think its that complex but I belive Smalling reads it right there. If he's more aggressive and get close to him, he will most likely get turned and he will be forced to make a unnecessary tackle.
As someone said, he took up a neutral position, didn't get too close at first and just held him off to give time for other players to get in position while he made sure any attempt to penetrate the box would be blocked. Rio did this sort of thing a lot. It looks like that when you aren't so rash. Normally stuff like this go unnoticed as a good defensive action on here but because of the goal, which came from a deflected shot from an unmarked player not even on his side, he gets stick. Just because he last pressed the guy who gave the assist. Say something good about Smalling my man, i dear you.
Instead of going in closer, smalling positions himself so that Benteke can either go down towards the line for a cross, or shift it over on his right and go inwards towards goal:
The latter is problematic because:
- It opens up space out wide for someone overlapping
- Benteke will move closer to goal, opening for a pass or an attempted shot from just outside the box.
In the end he opts for the easy pass to Townsend and yes it goes via Lindy, but it's difficult to say if De Gea had saved it anyway.
I'm not sure why anyone would describe this as fine defending.
Amusingly enough, Valencia is hardly doing a fine job defending here either. He runs in far past Smalling and just keeps his distance
It was amazing to see him score a header. He's usually very, very good at getting his head to connect to the ball but he's very bad at steering the ball in the direction he wants (unless he just doesn't think about the direction).
Played a big part in getting the team back on track but he also struggled to begin with like the rest of the team, albeit less so than others. At least he "made up for" his critical mistake with a goal of his own.
Played a big part in getting the team back on track but he also struggled to begin with like the rest of the team, albeit less so than others. At least he "made up for" his critical mistake with a goal of his own.
Imo we need actual full backs to cut out the source
As I said smalling is great at what his strengths are
It's a shame he hasn't pushed on imo
Remember this post?
Bit hypocritical no? Or do you only want an 'intellectual debate' when it suits you?
Anyway, moving away from your posts...
edit: just saw your above post. I retract earlier post.
He did well on the whole, thought he was at fault for the 2nd goal but defended the 1st well enough. Beast mode in the second half, brilliantly taken goal to get us back in the game. Our best defender on the day, "Smalling clears" was something that the commentators kept saying over and over.
Because thats where a defender should want the ball to be played.For me this is pretty clear: See picture below. When the ball is played out towards Benteke it's rolling towards the corner flag, Smalling needs to move in closer and cut off the option for Benteke to bring it over to his right and into the danger area.
Instead of going in closer, smalling positions himself so that Benteke can either go down towards the line for a cross, or shift it over on his right and go inwards towards goal:
The latter is problematic because:
- It opens up space out wide for someone overlapping
- Benteke will move closer to goal, opening for a pass or an attempted shot from just outside the box.
In the end he opts for the easy pass to Townsend and yes it goes via Lindy, but it's difficult to say if De Gea had saved it anyway.
I'm not sure why anyone would describe this as fine defending.
Amusingly enough, Valencia is hardly doing a fine job defending here either. He runs in far past Smalling and just keeps his distance
In towards the centre where any organized team will be defending the space and where Nemanja Matic, if hes a top Defensive midfielder should be covering and helping the forward facing defenders. Whats he doing exactly? Smalling is making sure he cant go past him or get in a shot, Matic is what? Making sure Benteke doesnt dribble towards his own goal? Makes sure he doesnt pass the ball back into midfield? Of course Pogba is closer, but hes far less likely to track his man and this is space you expect your great defensive midfielder to be taking charge of.
You're getting it wrong. The two culprits are Valencia and Smalling. They have to drop off because the space between them and De Gea is too big and easy to exploit. Valencia isn't paying attention at all, and in pure desperation he tries to block the pass, while Smalling isn't expecting play to start so soon.
You say that but he's by far our best goal threat from CB. He's been getting on the scoresheet for years.
In fact Smalling has scored more than Lindelof, Bailly and Jones have combined in first team football (11 to 7 from their whoscored history)
If you think a defender wants the ball to be played across the 16 yard line, with two players rushing towards the ball and 3 opponents inside the box, you've completely lost the plot. Always force the player wide, always, never let him turn inside and open up for either a shot on goal or a pass.
No, I'm not. Matic is the one talking to the referee, Smalling is holding his hand up for offside and when he doesnt get it starts defending and tracking the runner. Valencia starts afterwards. And Lindelof has played him onside, if he was up with the rest of the defensive line the play would have been stopped.
So I'm not saying it was great defending from Smalling. Ideally he'd have skipped the offside appeal and just played to the whistle and let the referee and assistants call it back for offside if it was. But he's closer to doing everything right than the other 3 on this occasion.
He's a goal threat because he connects but he's not a good header. He fluffs many chances. In his 8 seasons with United he's scored more than 1 league goal once. He scores on average between 1 and 2 goals per season.
Don't know why you bring in the other defenders. Never made any claims about them.
He wants the ball played into the crowded middle where the team is set up to defend it.
Only we werent set up to defend it because our DM is out of position and not achieving anything. And Lindelof hasnt pressed properly to block the shot. But accidents happen
What the real danger is, is an overlap going outside him and getting to the byline to pull the ball back. Because if they go 2 vs 1 against Smalling he's got little chance to deal with it. Thats not what happens, the player passes the ball inside which is completely telegraphed but we're not organized enough defensively to deal with the most obvious and basic setup play.
Well, he stops Benteke running towards goal which he was doing, slowed up play and allowed our other defenders back in whilst stopping him from being able to take a shot on goal. Not sure who was tracking Townsend, but he's in acres of space on the edge of our box. Whoever should have been tracking Townsend is at fault imo. In your second photo you can see Pogba looking at Townsend who's in space and yet he allows him to 'attack the space' with little effort in getting back.
That's what I've always heard.
I've never heard of a CB wanting the ball played across the line just in front of the 18 yard box.
Get him wide, defend the cross. But what do I know.
You're pretty much making up random stuff to suit your view, rather than looking at the actual replay.
Smalling has just got his hand down from complaining about the decision when Crystal Palace take the freekick.
Again, it's pretty simple, they have to fall off to close the gap between defence and De Gea because there's no way any of them are playing anyone offside. It's all on Valencia and Smalling
When the ball is played, he's on the right side of Smalling and played onside by Smalling as well.
Last edited:
Because Smalling is our only goalthreat from CB.
For some reason I forgot about Rojo. He has 3. So thats 10 goals between Rojo, Bailly, Lindelof and Jones and 11 from Smalling.
So both offensively and defensively Smalling contributes more and yet is usually the one singled out as not being enough. Funny
The ball was running towards the corner flag when Benteke picked it up...Smalling has one job to do, he needs to close down space between him and Benteke and force him out wide to isolate him. It's a half arsed attempt where he leaves enough space for Benteke to shift right and move inwards. It's poor defending.
And as i've already said, it doesn't excuse what our midfielders or Valencia is doing.
But claiming that Smalling is doing a fine job there. Lord have mercy...
- Status