[villain]

I rate our players at what they're. He's very good but not world class. If you're rating him highly and you think he's one of the best in Europe, there's really nothing I can do I believe as it's your assessment. Just wonder which non United supporters will have a similar opinion, I guess not many.

Why would anyone care what non United supporters think about our players?

The same supporters who likely thought Carrick was shite, Fletcher was useless, Scholes was overrated, DDG was weak etc.

Why should we care?
I don't care much for Fernandinho but i'm sure City fans adore him.

 

[el3mel]

Why would anyone care what non United supporters think about our players?

The same supporters who likely thought Carrick was shite, Fletcher was useless, Scholes was overrated, DDG was weak etc.

Why should we care?
I don't care much for Fernandinho but i'm sure City fans adore him.

We can't simply say he's one of the best in Europe depending on our own view when the rest of the world doesn't. He was talking about Europe not even England a lone.

I myself have no problem with him, how is that hard to grasp ? He's a very good defender and definitely the best of our bunch and will play him ahead of everyone we have, but he's simply not world class. Very good is his level.

Some here can't withstand a single negative thing said about him even if it's surrounded by praise it's astonishing tbh.

 

[Mcking]

I rate our players at what they're. He's very good but not world class. If you're rating him highly and you think he's one of the best in Europe, there's really nothing I can do I believe as it's your assessment. Just wonder which non United supporters will have a similar opinion, I guess not many.

Like I said, I don't know how you view or class players. If he's not world class, then there are not many world class centerbacks.
We don't always have to go by what opposition fans think or say. Smalling is handicapped as his unfair reputation is already etched on people's mind. Only people that unbiasly watch him week in week out will know how good he really is - bar fans of two footed "ball playing 'CBs" of course.

 

[El Zoido]

A proper myth if there was ever one.

Not at all. I’m not saying he makes a mistake every game, just that he’s got it about him. You never know when he’s going to dive in rashly and give a penalty away.

 

[el3mel]

Like I said, I don't know how you view or class players. If he's not world class, then there are not many world class centerbacks.
We don't always have to go by what opposition fans think or say. Smalling is handicapped as his unfair reputation is already etched on people's mind. Only people that unbiasly watch him week in week out will know how good he really is - bar fans of two footed "ball playing 'CBs" of course.

I don't how you view or class players either. Does that makes a difference ?

 

[Andersons Dietician]

Not at all. I’m not saying he makes a mistake every game, just that he’s got it about him. You never know when he’s going to dive in rashly and give a penalty away.

So very similar to Sergio Ramos?

 

[villain]

We can't simply say he's one of the best in Europe depending on our own view when the rest of the world doesn't. He was talking about Europe not even England a lone.

I myself have no problem with him, how is that hard to grasp ? He's a very good defender and definitely the best of our bunch and will play him ahead of everyone we have, but he's simply not world class. Very good is his level.

Some here can't withstand a single negative thing said about him even if it's surrounded by praise it's astonishing tbh.

I can agree largely with that, but I also think the reputation of some of the best defenders is largely built on apparent perception.
The reputation of Smalling is in the gutter, therefore any praise for him is few and far to come by.
The phrase ‘he always has a mistake in him’ is testament to this.

I think people defend him fiercely because he gets blamed far too much, and his perception and awkward way of playing passes mean that for some, they’ll never warm to him.

 

[Mcking]

Not at all. I’m not saying he makes a mistake every game, just that he’s got it about him. You never know when he’s going to dive in rashly and give a penalty away.

Probably when he was young. These days, he is quite cool, calm and realistically, almost flawless with his defending.

I don't how you view or class players either. Does that makes a difference ?

It does. You can't slag him off or belittle him when there's not many better than him.

 

[el3mel]

It does. You can't slag him off or belittle him when there's not many better than him.

That's according to your assessment that there's not many better than him. Just because you see that doesn't mean it's a well known fact that we should base the talk on it before going farther.

 

[Mcking]

So very similar to Sergio Ramos?

No way. That's an insult on Smalling.

 

[Andersons Dietician]

No way. That's an insult on Smalling.

You’re probably right, never liked that Ramos, always has a mistake in him, you know.

 

[izec]

If we draw that game, pitchforks would be out. He could have easily gotten a second yellow for that foul, still surprised he stayed on the pitch.

None of our CBs are better though, Jones, Bailly and Rojo do the same dumb things. Our CBs have probably the lowest IQ in the squad.

 

[Leftback99]

It's like people have been desperate for this penalty to prove this "always got a mistake in him" nonsense that applies to every single centre back in the world.

As someone else said Van Dijk did pretty much the same a few weeks ago. Our own Vidic did similar many times.

 

[Mcking]

That's according to your assessment that there's not many better than him. Just because you see that doesn't mean it's a well known fact that we should base the talk on it before going farther.

It's no fact, but him not being world class is no fact either. It's much easier to be objective when making comparisons rather than when making concepts. He is not world class depends on how one views world class, but the opinion that he's one of the best is far more concrete and can be argued. So, he can't be slagged off for not being world class by your book when there is not many outright better than him.

 

[Mcking]

You’re probably right, never liked that Ramos, always has a mistake in him, you know.

A factual statement tbh.

 

[el3mel]

It's no fact, but him not being world class is no fact either. It's much easier to be objective when making comparisons rather than when making concepts. He is not world class depends on how one views world class, but the opinion that he's one of the best is far more concrete and can be argued. So, he can't be slagged off for not being world class by your book when there is not many outright better than him.

I didn't say my opinion is a fact. Yours isn't either.

 

[SteveW]

Thought the penalty was out of character but it happens to everyone every now and again. Van Dijk had one of them a few weeks ago against City and nobody mentions it. It's not something I'd generally associate with Chris. He's a steady defender

 

[limerickcitykid]

No way. That's an insult on Smalling.

So world class and better than Ramos?

 

[Mcking]

So world class and better than Ramos?

Ramos is more than twice more rash than Smalling.

 

[limerickcitykid]

Ramos is more than twice more rash than Smalling.

Is he better than Ramos?

 

[Mcking]

Is he better than Ramos?

Ramos is class.

 

[limerickcitykid]

Ramos is class.

You also said Smalling is class. So who is better?

 

[Andersons Dietician]

So world class and better than Ramos?

To be fair Ramos is one of the most overrated defenders there has ever been. He isn’t great defensively, he’s like the Spanish version of Phil Jones but instead of being made out of glass he is more steal like. He’s just good at recovery tackles and correcting his already made mistake.
What he gives in other areas is far more valuable like leadership ability on the ball and his threat from set pieces. I would say at purely defending Smalling is really good but in football now that isn’t all that is required for a top CB and you can become a top CB without even being that good at defending. Fact is Smalling is really good at defending but he certainly has limitations and he I’m sure is aware of them and tries to play to his strengths. Much like a guy like Marcelo does as he isn’t great defensively either.

 

[Bobski]

He usually looks to avoid committing himself on the ground. If you look back over his career the times when he has got himself into trouble, made memorable mistakes, have been when he has forgotten that discipline. Tough for guys the size of Smalling to time sliding tackles, long way down for his body to go.

Generally good advice for any defender, or player even, to stay on your feet unless it is the only possible option.

 

[Isotope]

Is he better than Ramos?

Do you think if we had Ramos instead of Smalling, our defence would be better?

 

[Mcking]

You also said Smalling is class. So who is better?

Ramos has his strengths, Smalling too. And yes, Smalling is class.

 

[MikeKing]

Do you think if we had Ramos instead of Smalling, our defence would be better?

I love both players and I think if Ramos wasn't a nutter and loved his defensive tasks as much as Smalling does, he would be the best centre back in history. Sadly he isn't that despite his talent, he can defend like the best when he is on form but he is just isn't as dedicated to that part of his game so he just sort of forget to do the right things sometimes, and it is shown throughout his game. Especially through bad runs of form. Smalling on the other hand is really good at the basics of defending so he'll be consistent in his performances under many different circumstances, and I think he has proved that even in questionable form he is our best CB.

As for if our defence would be better off with a defender like Ramos, instead of Smalling I'm not sure. On one hand, to have a leader who is really good on the ball and has been holding his own on the highest level for really long is hard to turn down. Having him around might have had a positive effect on other defenders and other players as well, as he possess a degree of leadership that no current player in our squad can compare with, I think.

Smalling has his faults which sometimes are greatly overstated on here, probably because his qualities doesn't align with popular opinions on the art of defending. However despite him being another player in our squad who's aura doesn't resemble any of our former legends, or even current legends at other clubs, I'm one of those who think he is class at the art of defending. This world class term is determined by popular opinion, so it often comes easy for players who's team is successful. We're not. So its very very easy to say he isn't and never will be, because there is so many things that doesn't directly have anything to do with Smalling that have to come true before his performances is even considered for being world class. It is highly unlike that will be the consensus. I have no problem with that, but it shouldn't be used to discredit his importance for us.

To summarise, I would of course loved to have two great defenders in their own right here, but if I had to choose one then I think Ramos would be my choice. It is easy to say because we have seen what Smalling has done, and not what Ramos could do, but based more on the quality of the rest of our squad and Ramos leadership qualities, I think he would be more important for us than Smalling currently is. Maybe our defence wouldn't magically become a lot better immediately, maybe even worse at first as he would still have to play with Lindelof, Valencia etc.. but our team would benefit more from all of his qualities, than just the defensive stability of Smalling.

Realised this became unnecessary long for what was the question, sorry.

 

[Ekeke]

How has he been reliable?

I see people say this quite a lot. “He’s consistent”, “He’s reliable.”

How is he either of those things? We’ve been shite this season! We’ve been dropping points to shit team after shit team and this fool is always at the center piece of it along with his buddies Jones and Young.

Unless you mean “consistently shit”, then Smalling hasn’t been consistent at all. He’s a weakness in the squad. I fancy any striker in the league to score against a defence that has Smalling, Jones or Young in it.

He's consistent because he makes the least mistakes and covers for his teammates in defense the most. He's not perfect, he has made mistakes himself, just not as many as Bailly, Lindelof, and Young

 

[Ekeke]

That's probably one of the most overrating I have ever seen for one of our players here but ok, if you believe so.

He's right. Smalling isnt "world class" but there arent many CBs who would deserve that tag. Pretty much all the CBs we're being linked with are making more defensive mistakes than he is.

 

[roonster09]

How has he been reliable?

I see people say this quite a lot. “He’s consistent”, “He’s reliable.”

How is he either of those things? We’ve been shite this season! We’ve been dropping points to shit team after shit team and this fool is always at the center piece of it along with his buddies Jones and Young.

Unless you mean “consistently shit”, then Smalling hasn’t been consistent at all. He’s a weakness in the squad. I fancy any striker in the league to score against a defence that has Smalling, Jones or Young in it.

What a poor post. Funny how the defense that had Smalling and Young had second best defensive record last season and the defense that had Smalling was always in top 2 in defensive record since Van Gaal days.

 

[Ashley R1+O]

"Always has a mistake in him" despite this being his first real mistake for nearly two years. "HA! THERE IT IS. ALWAYS HAS IT IN HIM EVERY GAME" must have been pretty spectacular blueballs to want to post that.

Although a silly mistake, at the time thought he was going to teach him a lesson and that the ball was right there to take ball and all. Went form "GET-IT SMALLING" to "ooooh thats poor" in an instant. One of those ones.

 

[Isotope]

A big fan of him, but he's been a bit crap in the last 2 games. Although have to admit that Boursmth attack was coached really well.

 

[The White Pele]

Ropey form at the moment, just as Lindelof is getting his act together. Hopefully sorts himself out fast.

 

[Raw]

The bad side of Smalling showed today.

 

[Ekeke]

Yup, last couple of matches his level has dropped. I dont think either of our CBs, or Young, were good defensively today although Young did make some decent runs forward. Overall our defense was extremely nervous

Bournemouth's CB pairing looked better than ours

 

[el3mel]

Hopefully people start rating him as what he's, a good defender and that's it. Some were trying to convince us he's world class few days ago and that there's not many defenders in Europe better than him!

Good defender, best of our bunch but that's it. Massively overrating some of our players beyond their abilities lead to disappointment later on.

 

[MikeKing]

Terrible first half by his standards. Played himself back into the game and did good second half.

 

[Rossa]

Needs to pick up his form again. He's better than this

 

[Zoo]

Brooks and Wilson had him rattled with their movement.

 

[Bobski]

Dreadful today. Hoped to see a reaction to his silly mistake giving away the pen in his last game, and I did, just not the reaction needed. Looked nervous and jittery. No-one in the defensive unit was helped by the midfield starting at walking pace though.