I used to really rate him but when he hits a bad run of form it's often a long one and he's really, really poor. He's had long enough now. Time to go.
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 45
- Clean sheets
- 20
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 4
- Status
I bet you sound like a proper macho man.
Every window I think to myself “this is it. This is the window we get shot of Smalling, Jones and Young and finally buy some top class defenders!”
... and every window I’m disappointed.
It’s not really a dream. We just need to keep upgrading the squad. He is far more replaceable than Bailly and Jones.
2 reds he should have had last season?
How long in the past you think you should go?
Yes our defense is the reason we haven't won jack shit in recent seasons, not bad manager hires. During this time our defense has consistently been among the top 3 (except for the Moyes season) best defences in the league with the most clean sheets. United and Spurs have conceded the least goals over the last four seasons and Smalling has played more than anyone else in that backline. It must be solely because of De Gea da God amirite?
Well its a part of his game he hasn't stumped out. He did the same thing against Watford just two months ago. Again many thought he should've been given marching orders
Its not hard to replace a player like Jones who's never even made it past 24 league games in a single season because of a poor fitness record. Its harder to replace a player like Smalling who's one of the most dominant CBs in the air in the top European leagues
Rojo was good last season (probably our best central defender if we rate all of their performances over the season), but he's been poor this season since coming back from injury. Whether because he's still working his way back from the injury, or whether last season was somewhat of a freak performance for him, it's hard to tell.
Spurs isolated him as a weak link today, they let him have the ball in defence and closed off his out balls. It was painful to watch at times.
De Gea didn’t win 3 POTY’s in a row for nothing.
The idea is that Jones is the better player, but when he is not playing you have someone better than Smalling.
He didn't win it for nothing indeed, but even so he didn't do it by himself. Smalling was voted player's player of the year in 15/16 and he played a staggering 55 games. Come back when Rojo does that and earns that ultimate respect from his teammates in a single season
Would love to see Tuanzebe start over him next game.
It's actually amazing how bad he is on the ball and is playing for one fo the biggest football clubs in the world.
It's actually amazing how bad he is on the ball and is playing for one fo the biggest football clubs in the world.
A glorified popularity contest. Blind masked Smalling’s weaknesses that season. And on top of all that, we finished 5th. Hardly something to brag about.He didn't win it for nothing indeed, but even so he didn't do it by himself. Smalling was voted player's player of the year in 15/16 and he played a staggering 55 games. Come back when Rojo does that and earns that ultimate respect from his teammates in a single season
How did United go from this CB paring of RIO - Vidic to Smalling - Jones?
btw Smalling on is own is poor player. Recall most wanting him sold over Evans.
btw Smalling on is own is poor player. Recall most wanting him sold over Evans.
What's more telling to me is that he was still the best out of our defenders today 
His ability on the ball is atrocious. Simply atrocious. You can actually see some of the players are fed up with him now. It affects the whole team because all the passing lanes are cut off due to this clown faffing around with the ball. Watching him turn like a tractor to pass the ball is painful.
Shambles of a man. Can’t head, can’t pass in front of a player. Doesn’t want the ball, doesn’t know what to do with it when he has it. Passes players into trouble, puts De Gea under pressure.
Worse than Jones tonight. 0/10
Worse than Jones tonight. 0/10
GTFO winning the praise of your teammates means even more than earning that some praise from fans or journos. Smalling was outstanding that season. We finished 5th but what does that have to do with the price of soap? Our defence was ace, and no it wasn't Blind masking anything, they complemented each other well. Blind had his superior ball playing and Smalling did the physical, actual defending stuff. Rojo won't have a season like that at OT
Saved us from a hammering in the second half.
But the grass is always greener when you lose like that. A Spurs defender makes a run into an empty midfield with no collective press on him and people think thats amazing and something Smalling couldn't do? He does that when afforded space like that, especially in a 3 man defence. I mean, even Pogba (who's amazing on the ball, strong and good passer) didn't have time on the ball to do something useful with it, and people think a defender is the culprit for the whole thang, lazy. The press was collective, and our whole play and tactic was affected by it, on a very good day for Spurs. Smalling did his job.
I always see De Gea gets praised for stopping shots and "saving the day", why in the world isn't Smalling praised for blocking shots and winning headers from dangerous crosses? The way i see it, he does a lot of game-saving things every game but the majority doesn't mention it. Doesn't it matter for a defender to prevent goals?
But the grass is always greener when you lose like that. A Spurs defender makes a run into an empty midfield with no collective press on him and people think thats amazing and something Smalling couldn't do? He does that when afforded space like that, especially in a 3 man defence. I mean, even Pogba (who's amazing on the ball, strong and good passer) didn't have time on the ball to do something useful with it, and people think a defender is the culprit for the whole thang, lazy. The press was collective, and our whole play and tactic was affected by it, on a very good day for Spurs. Smalling did his job.
I always see De Gea gets praised for stopping shots and "saving the day", why in the world isn't Smalling praised for blocking shots and winning headers from dangerous crosses? The way i see it, he does a lot of game-saving things every game but the majority doesn't mention it. Doesn't it matter for a defender to prevent goals?
From the highlights - he seemed to be at least somewhat competent while Jones was shocking.
Has a very good record against Kane. Seems a lot of defenders struggle with stopping him scoring. But yeah let's all focus on his negatives, as obviously it was all his fault. Lad cannot win with some fans on here, they're just on his case no matter the result.
Would keep him as a squad player, he is good enough against teams not pressing us or when we need a body in there to hold on a win. But we definitely need to look at our CB situation in the summer and improve. I dont think i can survive another season with these set of CBs we have currently. All good in their own way but all have some clear weaknesses, except maybe Bailly
He is a good defender just a terrible footballer.
Worse than Jones imo. His mistake for the first goal was an obvious thing to prevent. Can't wait until I see the back of him, pure shite.
Yeah the seasons under van gaal dont count for much either. The system made the defenders look better than what they actually were.
This is like Liverpool and Arsenal fans saying their defenders are great but their systems let them down. Pure horseshit
It’s not horseshit. Blind isn’t good enough at CB and he was first choice under Van Gaal. Under Mourinho Smaling is getting exposed and Jose is supposed to be a defensive manager as well.
Getting exposed under Mourinho? You do realize that United have the joint best defensive record in the league this season right? Smalling has played the most minutes at the back. Last season we had the second best defense but most clean sheets, and the season before that we had the joint best defense and the most clean sheets again. Smalling has featured in more clean sheets than any of our CBs in the last three seasons. Blind did well in that position but he's clearly not a Mourinho CB as he prefers tall defenders, not because he's not good enough. So how is Smalling being exposed under Mourinho?
Finally folks coming around I see....
He is exposing himself as not being good enough to be a first choice starter at a club like ours. Mourinho plays Bailly & Jones when fit. Blind isn’t good enough at CB. You’re only saying that to protect what Smalling did under Van Gaal. Like I said, as the squad is being built Smalling will be gone within 2 years.
Not all though. He's still got a bunch of fanatic followers.
First off, Blind is not primarily a CB so it comes as no surprise that Mourinho doesn't see him as one. Secondly, Mourinho played Jones and Bailly when both fit but if both can't stay fit long enough to play who cares? Smalling has played the most minutes out of our CBs and thats the only thing that matters. Rojo and Lindelof are below the perking order. Why aren't they getting more gametime? Mourinho clearly trusts Smalling.
It doesn’t matter if Jones and Bailly are injured or not. That’s not my point. They are first choice. My point is when they are out Smalling is someone we need to upgrade on. Mourinho didn't sign Rojo either. Lindelof was bought in for specific qualities (ability to step into midfield against ultra defensive teams) and to play in a 3 at the back formation.
I didn’t say to get rid of him this summer. But the summer after we need to look to improve. This is how squad building goes.
Im sorry but if Mourinho didn't state this as his reason for signing him then its based on nothing but your opinion after looking at how he's fared and what type of games he's looked comfortable in. When Lindelof was signed many here were convinced it was the end of Jones and Smalling. Blind can easily fill a role like that and would probably be better at it. The fact is Lindelof has been an underwhelming signing so far. I doubt Mourinho spent 35M on him for the role you suggest. Jones and Bailly are first choice indeed, but Smalling is the one getting all the playtime so it doesn't matter. Smalling won the Europa league with United, playing the entire game partnering with Blind. Will history say well those two weren't first choice defenders? Will Bailly tell his grandkids he was first choice but missed the final through injury? The only thing that matters is who is there, and Smalling has been 'there' the most since Fergie's departure from the game
Yes Mourinho did say that was why Lindelof was purchased, you can google it.
It does matter Smalling is getting the play time because he is showing us that is where we can upgrade on in the future. Bailly and Jones are first choice. Smalling will eventually need to be upgraded as we need better back up. That’s how squad building goes.
Mourinho only said this after United beat Basel in the CL and it hasn't come to fruition. Lindelof hasn't played a single game in midfield. If anything it was a reevaluation after Lindelof's poor start to the season. I don't think Mourinho expected that. So no, it wasn't specifically given as a reason why he was purchased unless there's another interview I missed shortly after he signed or before the Basel post match interview. Jones has never managed more than 24 league games in a single season, if anyone has to be upgraded as a starter its him. Smalling's consistency is keeping him in the starting 11 much to the chagrin of his detractors.
You ask for proof about Mourinho’s comments on Lindelof and then come up with garbage to dismiss it when it’s true. No one said he was going to play in midfield. Stepping into midfield is different. Here’s another article talking about Lindelof having a ‘specific position’.
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.sk...ive-victor-lindelof-time-at-manchester-united
Smalling is in the team because Bailly is injured. When everyone is fit Jones and Bailly are first choice and are our best CB’s. As time goes on we need to upgrade on Smalling.
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.sk...ive-victor-lindelof-time-at-manchester-united
Smalling is in the team because Bailly is injured. When everyone is fit Jones and Bailly are first choice and are our best CB’s. As time goes on we need to upgrade on Smalling.
Shocking. Same as Jones. They're just not good enough for us. I can see Smalling and/or Jones ending up at Everton in a few years, which is probably their level.
- Status