I can’t believe it, but I’m desperate to get him back. Would’ve given us much needed respite when Spurs were pumping balls into our box.
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I don't think we would have sat back so much if we had Smalling-Lindelof against Spurs. Jones was on the verge of a nervous breakdown and we had to abandon all semblance of attack to avoid conceding.
Smalling could be key to our continued good form and top 4 challenge. Would be immense for the PSG, Arsenal and Liverpool games as well.
Could have used Fellaini for that then. 
The more I've seen of Jones the past few weeks the further I've u-turned on the decision to give Smalling a new contract. By far the superior defender but that's not saying much.
Not sure he’ll make a big difference vs Liverpool or PSG. Yesterday however, I agree completely. Even with Jones being Jones the rest of the team didn’t panick. Pogba did talk about the importance of trusting the defence to be able to attack with numbers, the second half would’ve been the opposite.
If you want to win the league you need players that have a fighting mentality, a winning mentality and have the best circumstances to perform. A player like Kante won the league with an inferior team to Chelsea because his team had the right chemistry and mentality. Smalling has had to deal with new players coming in to the team, switching partners constantly. No consistency there to build on. No evidence of him not being good enough for a title winning side based on his performances against top clubs. I know Aguero was used as an example but Smalling keep scoring against City so really what does it matter if he couldn't boss 1 great player when you score the winner.
If ole thinks hes in with a chance for permanent manager, then he will do whats best for him and the team. Theres no point throwing in Smalling if theres no balance and it affects the team.
At the end of Ole's post match presser he was asked about a player coming back from injury and he said next week, did anyone pick up if it was Sanchez or Smalling he was being asked about?
Never thought I would be saying that but we're missing him, especially, his aerial presence and aggressiveness, would allow us to push up even further up the pitch against minnows.
I take that point but equally the team's interests aren't being served, when we're struggling at the back as it is, if we leave a superior defender on the bench while Jones starts.
It is true
De Gea has faced more shots than any other keeper in the league during that time.
Our defence with or without smalling is complete garbage.
Oh im not doubting that. I think Ole will ease Smalling in (Smalling didnt make bench, so hes not fit so not much can be done, and he wont just be thrown in).
Very fair, I thought you were advocating Smalling not being part of our first XI when he's fully fit but rushing him back and risk him being even less assured on the ball (!) wouldn't be good, I agree.
Me too. I've never been a huge fan of his because he has the tendency to pull the shirts of attackers which end up in silly fouls in dangerous places but I must admit he would have made us more comfortable at the back against Spurs.
The sooner he returns, the better for the team as he is miles better than the ticking bomb Jones, that is waiting to explode.
Not sure how you can possibly say this. At Old Trafford when we lost 3-0 to Spurs Chris performed worse than Phil and that was saying something given that Phil should have been penalised for a penalty. Think most of us in the stadium were embarrassed by the performance of the pair of them. Then again what's objectivity when set against preference.
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I actually think the opinions from both ends of the spectrum are valid in this thread. When he's on top of his game Smalling is as good as pretty much any CB in the league. When he's not on his game he's absolutely hopeless. Unfortunately, we can never be sure which version turns up. Maybe that will change under Ole? We've all accepted that attacking players can massively improve without Jose wrecking everyone's buzz, maybe that can happen to defenders too?
Smalling coming in for Jones would help our backline not being able to deal with crosses.
Not that he is a master in the air. But, surely is a bit of improvement over the current CBs.
Not that he is a master in the air. But, surely is a bit of improvement over the current CBs.
Still our best CB. Goal threat for us too. Not best with his feet though admittedly.
Needed him in the team yesterday. He usually keeps Kane quiet when we play them. Jones was struggling badly.
I think him and Lindelof could compliment each other well. Their weaknesses are the others strengths I feel.
Smalling fast and good in the air. Lindelof good playing out from the back.
Lindelof is all round better at the moment.
Smalling fast and good in the air. Lindelof good playing out from the back.
Lindelof is all round better at the moment.
Then a very key question becomes ‘how frequently he is on his game’. On my observation, he is on his game far more often than not. What happens with Smalling on here is that many have decided he’ rubbish, and then we have a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. He plays well, as is typical, yet I come into his thread and read ‘fair play, he was good today, but I still feel he has a mistake in him’. Every fecking game. No mistake. But again, the declaration that one is indeed coming, at some point. And then, he does make a mistake, which becomes testimony for the error prone defender he apparently is, with no memory of his months of top form prior, it is painted by some as a series of mistakes, because they can’t appreciate him without dwelling on some sort of error, which didn’t even occur!
I reckon if he could pass better, he would get no stick at all. And if our team was actually any good on the whole these last 5 years, he’d be seen as good as any in the league.
It happened with Lindelof already.
I think you’re being a little bit too kind there. It’s not just a single mistake every few games that gets him crucified. I think most reasonable fans would forgive that. It’s a few games each season which are absolutely riddled with mistakes. That’s how I see it anyway.
I think his issue is how he reacts to a bad mistake, which usually involves a few more in the same game. I see him as an extremely talented centre back with an achilles heel, which is the possibility that he will completely fall apart four or five games every season. Plus he’ll often (but not always tbf) look a bit clunky on the ball.
And - all in all - that’s a risky player to build your defence around.
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Kind of. I think he was was starting to look the part before Ole took over. Still, no reason Smalling can’t improve. He seems to be a very much a confidence player when he’s on the ball. So some Ole love might do him a lot of favours, when he’s used to the manager repeatedly telling everyone he can’t pass water.
Maybe. Could just be my way of seeing it, as I rate him very highly. I don’t see him make as many mistakes as that personally, would have put him more at 2-3 noticeable ones per season. And then I think perspective plays a part. Some posters exacerbate his mistakes, be it 2-3 or 4-5, and seem to overlook the massive amount of defensive work he gets through. Often on behalf of whoever is partnering him at the time too. He’s just summarised as ‘error prone’. Which is a huge injustice I feel, on the balance of things.
I think his passing ability, or lack thereof, can be a teeny bit overstated too. I’ve seen him do many good things on the ball, and rarely costs us in that department. It’s far from pretty though I’ll say that much!
On the whole, he’s the only one I trust when it comes to facing a top individual forward. No matter how many goals a striker is scoring, I’m always confident in controlling them so long as we can get Chris Smalling against them. He’s an incredibly difficult defender to play against, and for this forums love of trotting out quotes from fellow pros who once said Paul Scholes was a bit good at football, some could do well to do the same regarding how hard Smalling is to beat. It will be a terrible shame, and massive disservice, I think, if when he finally does leave, there’s a caf consensus of ‘thank feck, should have happened years ago’, which is the impression I get when reading about him on here.
Can't believe I'm going to have to defend Smalling here.Thing is you're basing that on one poor game which every player is entitled to have once in awhile.
Smalling as much as I hate to admit it is our best defender although current form Lindelof edges it. I'll have Smalling over Jones any day of the week but that's not saying much though. We need to improve on both and get in quality center backs
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He wasn't even poor against Spurs in the home game. Played in a sabotage selection and was holding it together by himself for long stretches, then is isolated against Moura, gets a little unlucky with the bounce, 3-0, must have had a shit game.
How did Vertonghen do when left in the same situation against Rashford? How would he have been judged if a Utd CB and not as one of the, supposed, vastly superior options our rivals have.
How did Vertonghen do when left in the same situation against Rashford? How would he have been judged if a Utd CB and not as one of the, supposed, vastly superior options our rivals have.
Im not a fan of changing a winning team unless its for like carabao cup games or we have injuries so he can keep his ass on the bench.
I'm thinking (hoping) he can play the Arsenal game in the FA Cup. He hasn't played under Ole yet and I think a cup game, even against tough opposition, will be a good chance to make a couple of changes. Ideally, Ole will get to look at him at least twice before we play PSG and Liverpool and decide if he fits the playstyle / is fit enough to play the big matches so soon.
As long as Ole rates him like our last three managers did, I'm sure he will eventually be the first choice CB with Lindelof for the rest of the season (by the end of February).
As long as Ole rates him like our last three managers did, I'm sure he will eventually be the first choice CB with Lindelof for the rest of the season (by the end of February).
Smalling not in first team training today. Training pics on Getty Images and report in Manchester Evening News.
So highly unlikely to feature at the weekend.
Been out for just over one month and one week.
So highly unlikely to feature at the weekend.
Been out for just over one month and one week.
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Due to his lengthy absence from the team has Chris Smalling’s decision to become a vegan adversely effected his injury recovery time? I mean it was believed that Nemanja Vidić ate raw red meat (for legal purposes please read Steak tartare here!) and he was one hard bast**d. Any thoughts from those ITK?
Clutching at straws there. Smalling's diet will be monitored and signed off by the medical staff in exactly the same way everyone else:s will be. In fact, in interviews he has credited it with the lack of injuries he had last season.
I suspect the truth is that it's made no significant difference whatsoever either way, except potentially as a placebo when he thought it was giving him positive results.
Not an ITK but Smalling has praised his diet in why he has been so fit over the last few years. I know some Vegans (for health reasons) who say the exact same thing.
Really odd that he’s been out for six weeks (and counting) from an injury sustained in a warm-up. Makes you wonder whether he was already injured prior to the Liverpool game and was being pressed into service by Mourinho?
Username checks out.
Yeah looks like he was definitely playing through injury before and now he's been given a chance to fully recover which can only be a good thing.
Nemanja Vidic also had his fair share of niggly injuries, so it's not a good comparison. I wasn't aware of him eating raw meat however, nor was I aware such a thing promoted recovery and healing.
Smalling said that veganism has coincided with his tendinitis no longer flaring up. A lot of NFL players have also praised veganism for rapidly improving and reversing the effects of tendinitis as well as muscle fatigue.
I don't think Chris Smalling's fractured foot has much to do with him not eating bangers and mash anymore.
I do agree with you but remember this is the same medical team that signs Lukaku's diet off.
He had definitely been playing injured for a few matches before that. I could kind of understand it in the first one as it was a big match against Arsenal, but Mourinho kept playing him after that.
Is Smalling available for Burnley game? Couldn't find any info on him but I may have searched in the wrong places.
Solskjaer said at the press conference today that he's been training for a week and could feature against Burnley.
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