Leftback99
Might have a bedwetting fetish.
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2015
- Messages
- 14,553
Anyone still want him sold?
Those who hate him will just bide their time, peck at him for small issues and wait for his first big mistake of the season before unloading the big guns.Anyone still want him sold?
He has a 5 or 6 yard head start on Alli. He just doesn't react very quickly.Eh? Watch it again
What is this based on? Bailly and Jones were erractic with the ball today. They both almost cost us goals with misplaced passes. Smalling was just fine in this respectSeems loads better in a 3 man defense. If you just leave him to defend and ask nothing else, he's pretty good.
Still think his passing is absolutely unacceptable for a professional footballer, but we minimised that today by having Jones and Bailly in charge of getting the ball up the pitch.
Such a myth, incredible that this keeps getting repeated by posters over and over.Still think his passing is absolutely unacceptable for a professional footballer, but we minimised that today by having Jones and Bailly in charge of getting the ball up the pitch.
Clearly that was a peach of a ball by Eriksen and Alli's movement was brilliant. Any top defender would've struggled with that. You're thinking of a perfect center back and there isn't one in the worldDecent performance. Seemed a bit slow for Dele Alli's big chance. Lack of confidence and ability on the ball evident.
It's not really a myth though. I've never been a fan of that slow turn and telegraphed pass he learned to do under LVG. He seems to have cut down on that recently and I've been very happy to see him make some one touch passes which leave the recipient enough time and space to move the ball forward. He's always been solid at the defensive side of the game, like he was against Spurs.Such a myth, incredible that this keeps getting repeated by posters over and over.
This - He's nowhere near as bad on the ball as people make out. I actually think his first touch is very good for a CB. His passing is limited but he rarely gives it away.Never got this notion that he was anything other than a top defender. I blame this obsession with ball-playing defenders, which has probably coincided with a decline in actual defending ability from centre halves in general.
It's a myth that our other defender give much more passing wise, because they don't. There are hardly any examples during the game to show that our defender do much more passing wise than Smalling, and yet he is the only one criticised for his passing. If anything, I bet he gives the ball away less in dangerous situations than any of his partners. Last year stats proved that he passes it back to the keeper less than Jones(and Bailly I think), and yet he is only accused of passing it back to keeper all the time.It's not really a myth though. I've never been a fan of that slow turn and telegraphed pass he learned to do under LVG. He seems to have cut down on that recently and I've been very happy to see him make some one touch passes which leave the recipient enough time and space to move the ball forward. He's always been solid at the defensive side of the game, like he was against Spurs.
I'm not accusing him of giving the ball away dangerously or passing back to the keeper. What he did do last year was every time he received the ball, to trap it, slowly turn towards the player he intends to pass to and then play the obvious pass at a slow tempo. It meant whoever he passed to was already covered when they got the ball and had to pass backwards to him or DDG under pressure. Jones and Bailly receive and release the ball a lot quicker. However, Smalling's improved on this recently and I really hope he can keep it up, because he's excellent off the ball.It's a myth that our other defender give much more passing wise, because they don't. There are hardly any examples during the game to show that our defender do much more passing wise than Smalling, and yet he is the only one criticised for his passing. If anything, I bet he gives the ball away less in dangerous situations than any of his partners. Last year stats proved that he passes it back to the keeper less than Jones(and Bailly I think), and yet he is only accused of passing it back to keeper all the time.
Blind is the only one who is excellent passer from the back but then he doesn't play as a CB under Mourinho.
NahDecent performance. Seemed a bit slow for Dele Alli's big chance. Lack of confidence and ability on the ball evident.
Exactly, it was a De Bruyne-esque ball. Defenders can’t always antipate that trajectory, and even if they can, can’t stop it.Nah
That was just sheer brilliance from Eriksen.
Yeh. Against Spurs, Whoscored rated him the highest in the team, at 7.71; with Lukaku and Bailly on next at 7.34 and 7.27.Quietly has been back to his Mike best, he is a very useful tactical weapon and will play a role even if he isn't a 1st XI player.
He's been excellent for some time, not just two games. Our best defender this year, IMO.Credit where its due hes been pretty good in our last 2 games. Loved that turn at 65 min tonight!
I think Jones takes that honour but Smalling has been good. Hopefully he gets back to his Mike daysHe's been excellent for some time, not just two games. Our best defender this year, IMO.
That is quite a superhuman feat considering they've played a mighty two/three games together this seasonHe's been bailing out Bailly all season imo.
Aye for someone who is supposedly like Bambi on ice with the ball at his feet that was a pretty confident and slick turn.Credit where its due hes been pretty good in our last 2 games. Loved that turn at 65 min tonight!
IMO, hes a penalty area defender. When in there, he seems comfy, especially balls coming into the box.I don't know whether he is a good defender or not ..donot even how to describe Smalling. He seems neither a ball playing nor a tough tackling defender.