Southgate not rating him is laughable and looks like he is just going by media hype. SAF, Jose, LVG rated this player and he played regularly for all these managers. 3 of the best, a rookie manager Southgate not rating him means nothing.
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 45
- Clean sheets
- 20
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 4
- Status
I remember when Liverpool signed VVD, there were some people saying that meant Smalling was worth somewhere close to that.
I'd take him over VVD any day. I don't get the VVD hype.
I'd take him over VVD any day. I don't get the VVD hype.
Here’s that moment Jones and Smalling morphed into Chiellini and Bonucci.Tweet
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Edit: whoops
If we want to be building championship and champions league winning teams then we absolutely need to be upgrading Chris Smalling.
Definitely has it in his locker to have great spells in the side, but he's equally as likely to look like a fish out of water.
I'm also not excited about him keeping a half fit Harry Kane in his pocket. Kane barely had a kick against City too. He's clearly still struggling with that ankle.
This is maybe harsh, but he also gets done like he did on the first goal too often. The danger was the ball across the face of the goal, but he seemed to lack that awareness of what was going on behind him and instead get attracted to the danger in front of him. If he holds his position he makes both balls really difficult, but as it was he made that ball really easy for whoever it was that played it across.
Definitely has it in his locker to have great spells in the side, but he's equally as likely to look like a fish out of water.
I'm also not excited about him keeping a half fit Harry Kane in his pocket. Kane barely had a kick against City too. He's clearly still struggling with that ankle.
This is maybe harsh, but he also gets done like he did on the first goal too often. The danger was the ball across the face of the goal, but he seemed to lack that awareness of what was going on behind him and instead get attracted to the danger in front of him. If he holds his position he makes both balls really difficult, but as it was he made that ball really easy for whoever it was that played it across.
Loved that. First time I love their pairing even though I was dreading it before the game.
These two are really the chuckle brothers. More heart than brains at times, but you can't help liking them.
Who are the available 'upgrades'? We need to upgrade to a reliable partner for him first if anything.
Rio and Vidic part 2..
Not at that level, but that is what they were supposed to be.
I just hope Jones stays fit.
Not at that level, but that is what they were supposed to be.
I just hope Jones stays fit.
We spend tens of millions every year scouting across the globe. If we can't find someone better than Chris Smalling then we need to be asking questions of what they're spending their time doing exactly.
Our CBs need a massive reshuffle this Summer anyway. I'd personally be happy to see them all go apart from Bailly and maybe Jones. Buy one and promote Fosu-Mensah and Tuanzebe.
Incredible if Smalling doesn't go to the World Cup - It's not the first time a good United player gets overlooked
Tuanzebe & Fosu mensah don’t even play CB at their loan clubs, and barely play at all.
Bailly has a worrying injury record, and obviously so does Jones.
Yet you’re suggesting this is the basis of which we form our defence as part of our quest for league and CL glory
Smalling isn’t going anywhere, so I suggest you get comfortable.
Had a great game yesterday, he’s been playing well since the Newcastle and Spurs games - he’s really shown a lot of heart and desire, so long may it continue.
Other “fans” have seemingly made up their minds regardless of what he does, and will never support him.
It’s sad, but hey, it happens.
Other “fans” have seemingly made up their minds regardless of what he does, and will never support him.
It’s sad, but hey, it happens.
Other clubs scout too. Who have they found better than Smalling? Name me one defender who's can leave his present club and is better than Smalling and isn't being scouted? You will spend a lot of time on google and scoutnation yet you will find no one. Smalling is one of the best 'true' defenders in the league and one of the best in the world. He isn't good on the ball,but as a defender he doesn't have a lot of weaknesses . Yes that's the level to which the defenders have fallen too but that's not Smalling's fault. Is it?
Also don't you think if Fergie, Van gaal and Jose all rate him and start him regularly as their no.1 CB, there might be something in him? Or you claim to know more than those great coaches because if you claim that, I can put you and your dumb posts on ignore.
There was a season under Van Gaal when I thought he was one of the top CB's in the league. Since Christmas I think he is getting back towards that level and when inform is underrated by many. Salah and Kane, not only battling it out for the golden boot, are also in an intense struggle to emerge out of Smallings pocket.
I won't lose any sleep if NikSab off the internet puts me on ignore because i don't think Smalling is very good. So go ahead mate, ignore away. Based on this reply, safe to say I'm not missing any engaging conversation.I'm comfortable all right. Smalling doesn't offend me, nor am I desperate to see him go, I just don't think we'll achieve what we need to achieve with him as our main CB.Tuanzebe & Fosu mensah don’t even play CB at their loan clubs, and barely play at all.
Bailly has a worrying injury record, and obviously so does Jones.
Yet you’re suggesting this is the basis of which we form our defence as part of our quest for league and CL glory
Smalling isn’t going anywhere, so I suggest you get comfortable.
As for Tuanzebe and TFM, granted they aren't at CB week in and week out, but both have still spent a decent amount of games there this season. TFM put in a MOTM display there against City or Liverpool was it? It's not exactly unusual to see young players played slightly out of position whilst they're learning their trade. Take the subject of this thread as an example of that.
So yeh, I'm suggesting we go out and buy 1 CB. Have him partnered by Bailly with Jones as 3rd choice. If either or both are injured then one of the young lads gets a shot.
At one point in the game yesterday vs spuds he looked like a WC RWB
This says more about AV and my desperation for even a bog standard one than anything.
This says more about AV and my desperation for even a bog standard one than anything.
Why even suggest this? If you buy 1 cb he will be partnering smalling. Jose has made it clear. Smalling is his no.1 cb.
If you want smalling sold you'll need to bring in about 4 cbs and sell smalling Jones bailly and rojo.
TFM and Tuanzebe have not played CB often this season at all. TFM was doing well at RB, but since he was ineligible to play against us, has lost his place to a CP academy player. Tuanzebe, isn’t getting games over Terry right now.
Jones hasn’t played in the CL this season, and Bailly is perennially injured also - I don’t think both of them combined have played 60 games in all competitions this season.
But yet you’re suggesting that these options would be better than Smalling in order for us to achieve CL? Madness.
Anyway, I think Jose will prioritise FB’s this summer, (unless someone like Umtiti is available) and Smalling will continue to be a first choice CB even if we do get someone new, because he is experienced and not injury-prone.
No need to be excited because it's hardly an exception. Kane (fully fit) very rarely plays well against United and Smalling in particular. I believe he has only ever scored one goal against United, which was at the end of last season when United had given up on the league and were concentrating on the Europa.
Re fullbacks, I expect you're absolutely right.
Buying a centre back and pairing him with Bailly is something that's said so often on this forum.
Bailly hasn't shown he can play a near full premier league season and be healthy throughout, Smalling has, ergo if we buy a centre back Smalling is likely to be his partner.
Bailly hasn't really shown he's better than Smalling anyway I don't think, he's just new so he gets a lot more slack.
Bailly hasn't shown he can play a near full premier league season and be healthy throughout, Smalling has, ergo if we buy a centre back Smalling is likely to be his partner.
Bailly hasn't really shown he's better than Smalling anyway I don't think, he's just new so he gets a lot more slack.
It's very harsh, Valencia has to cover Alli. Smalling was right to close down Kane seeing as Jones was going out to try to block the cross. If Smalling covers Alli, and the cross arrives at an unmarked Kane to score, no doubt people would have still blamed Smalling for not marking his man.
Credit where credit is due.
Smalling & Jones absolutely bossed Kane.
Smalling & Jones absolutely bossed Kane.
The extent people will go to to demonise Smalling is weird isn’t it
Bailly has made more errors in far fewer games this season yet is deemed United’s best defender?
If Smalling was an Argie or Italian, he’d be deemed a no-nonsense defensive colossus, but because he’s British he’s constantly called out on his few weaknesses than his many strengths.
These Smalling bashers are so clueless it's not even funny.
The first goal is 90% on Valencia for me. Neither Smalling nor Young deserve lots of blame for I.
I would say it's 90% on Pogba, 10% on Valencia.
I will reverse it but it's opinion. Valencia let Alli run in the box without any problem or pressure so any cross would be 99% goal. I think even if Pogba had put more pressure on Eriksen, any cross would have still been enough for the completely free Alli to score. Valencia lost his man, plain and simple.
This is why thankfully we have Managers who make decisions and not fans though Carl. You'd be happy selling our only realible defender and instead keep Bailly and Jones who both have poor injury records at the club (being a little harsh on Bailly) and promote two rookies (Fosu-Mensah hasn't even played CB for a while now). The first players out of the door should be those that cannot keep themselves fit.
There's a reason why Sir Alex, Moyes, LvG and Jose haven't binned off Smalling.
10% on Young for not keeping his position. 10% on Pogba for letting him run with no pressure. 10% on Jones for not getting close enough to potentially block the cross, or get Eriksen turned on his weak foot. The remaining 70% is on Valencia for not tracking his man.
Smalling had nothing to do with that goal. He did his task and if everybody else did theirs and Eriksen found Kane instead, Smalling would have been there to stop a goal.
Smalling had nothing to do with that goal. He did his task and if everybody else did theirs and Eriksen found Kane instead, Smalling would have been there to stop a goal.
City have endless resources and the best CB's they can find are Laporte, Otamendi and Stones. People have to reassess what type of quality they think is out there.
I think Soutgate will go with a Stones, Jones and Maguire back 3, with Walker pushed back out to RWB. Trippier has just been keeping that place warm until the 3rd CB returned.
I think Soutgate will go with a Stones, Jones and Maguire back 3, with Walker pushed back out to RWB. Trippier has just been keeping that place warm until the 3rd CB returned.
Was great yesterday but his problem has always been consistency, the very best defenders do it game after game, season after season.
I like Bailly but if im honest he still doesnt convince me. Great potential but he can be reckless and have brainfarts just as much if not more than any of the other defenders at the club.
Smalling isnt in the Vidic, Stam or Ferdinand class but who is these days. What he is though is a bloody good defender and fairly reliable injury wise. We would do well to buy anyone better and could easily buy many defenders who are much worse.
Or perhaps the experts in scouting know more about football than you do? Maybe you arent the ultra super mega englightened football fan you think you are who has a superior opinion of Chris Smalling's abilities than the likes of Sir Alex and Jose Mourinho?
You will be hard pressed to find 3 names of players not already at a top club who are better defenders than Chris Smalling. You're welcome to try and prove how much of a savant you are. Although you pretty much already showed yourself up by suggesting Fosu Mensah and Tuanazebe.
I wish the ref didn’t blow up for that light smashing of Harry when Smalling had taken the ball off him and broken the backline and was opening up the legs in to some empty grass. Would have been epic if he somehow got 1 on 1 with the keeper and dinks a ball over him. Smallidinho adding yet another goal to the collection.
Actually did anyone else notice the bit where he was surrounded by 3 spurs players showed composure created the space and picked out a lovely pass to Lingard I think it was.
Just I was thinking a lot of people act like he is like a donkey on the ball who can’t pass to save his life. I feel now that this is something that has just been said so often by some that the hive mind now repeats it and it’s now excepted as fact.
However I can’t recall many or any incidents when this supposed fumbeling has cost us. I’m sure there are some somewhere but from the way people go on about it you’d think it’s a weekly occurrence.
He seems to have a decent enough first touch, when he passes the ball it’s normally crisp and flat to someone or in an area for them to run on to. So where has this donkey thing come from?
Fair enough maybe under severe pressure he won’t hold someone off and keep looking for a pin point pass but for me if you’re a defender and you’re needing to hold a forward off whilst you look for a pass with no cover behind you then you’ve already F’d up.
He often takes the safest option instead of trying to be David Luiz, and i’d Rather if he can’t get a pass off to anyone safely then he does punt it away. I’d hope any defender would do that.
Actually did anyone else notice the bit where he was surrounded by 3 spurs players showed composure created the space and picked out a lovely pass to Lingard I think it was.
Just I was thinking a lot of people act like he is like a donkey on the ball who can’t pass to save his life. I feel now that this is something that has just been said so often by some that the hive mind now repeats it and it’s now excepted as fact.
However I can’t recall many or any incidents when this supposed fumbeling has cost us. I’m sure there are some somewhere but from the way people go on about it you’d think it’s a weekly occurrence.
He seems to have a decent enough first touch, when he passes the ball it’s normally crisp and flat to someone or in an area for them to run on to. So where has this donkey thing come from?
Fair enough maybe under severe pressure he won’t hold someone off and keep looking for a pin point pass but for me if you’re a defender and you’re needing to hold a forward off whilst you look for a pass with no cover behind you then you’ve already F’d up.
He often takes the safest option instead of trying to be David Luiz, and i’d Rather if he can’t get a pass off to anyone safely then he does punt it away. I’d hope any defender would do that.
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Yeah, would be incredibly harsh on him. He’s in great form at the moment, even scoring goals! I’ve criticised his passing in the past, but it’s been better recent.
Solid performance from Smalling. Did think he could have done better with Alli's goal, though.
As Eriksen put the ball in, Smalling anticipated him pulling it back to Kane, which left space in the middle for Alli, who had a tap in.
Valencia should have stayed with Alli, but had Smalling been there, I can imagine he would have been in a position to intercept it.
Other than that, I thought he and Jones were superb.
As Eriksen put the ball in, Smalling anticipated him pulling it back to Kane, which left space in the middle for Alli, who had a tap in.
Valencia should have stayed with Alli, but had Smalling been there, I can imagine he would have been in a position to intercept it.
Other than that, I thought he and Jones were superb.
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