Yeah, all the shit he gets, VAR, passing, ugly game, all the long held dislike for him. Put it to the side and recognize and respect that he is an outstanding defender who always shows up and competes in big games, battles, plays with pride for the shirt.
12
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 34
- Clean sheets
- 8
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 2
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
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Just as well PSG missed all those penalties that he gave away with all the shirt tugging eh?
Lindelof, Smalling and Shaw are proving to be a very good combination. Just need to sort the RB position.
My vote for whats written on his tombstone one day.
Great game! Very solid together , Smalling and Lindelof. Seem to always know where the other one is and cover for each other.
‘I’m not Smalling’s biggest fan, but I admit he played well tonight. Can’t help feel he has a mistake in him though’.
Absolute mountain.
Absolute mountain.
But, but he's going to give a penalty away in every match with VAR! But he can't handle tricky nimble attackers!
Best player on the pitch. Bossed Mbappe pretty much all match.
Best player on the pitch. Bossed Mbappe pretty much all match.
He's a beast. Let nothing past all game. He's one of the best defensive players in the world imo, rarely ever mistimes a tackle or loses a header.
When we have him in there I'm just a lot more confident. Obviously the ball playing slows us down but I'll take that.
When we have him in there I'm just a lot more confident. Obviously the ball playing slows us down but I'll take that.
I missed the first 20 minutes, but from what I saw he was almost perfect defensively, safe in possession, and had 1-2 good forward passes too. 9/10
I trust Dalot. Give him the rest of the season there and banish Young to wherever Valencia resides, and it won't even be a question anymore.Just as well PSG missed all those penalties that he gave away with all the shirt tugging eh?
Lindelof, Smalling and Shaw are proving to be a very good combination. Just need to sort the RB position.
Problem is Dalot has looked good upfield, in defence he looked positionally suspect in the games he's played there.
Immense. My man of the match
Smalling being Smalling. Outstanding.
Not quite getting the hate for Young in here. He's been playing well.
Not quite getting the hate for Young in here. He's been playing well.
Colossus
I was one of the ones that said when Ole took over, Smalling wouldn’t play again (or at least in big games). But by God I’m pleased I was wrong, since coming back into the team he has been absolutely immense. Every credit.
Managed to get past two games against one of the best attacking sides in the world with VAR watching... Weird, I'm sure I've read dozens of comments saying his career was over next season.. We've some useless fans.
Monstrous performance!
Went in to god mode, even when PSG scores, he’s seen it and stepped up to play Mbappe offside and if not for Bailly it’s perfect. Even when Mbappe got through he got round and got the tackle in, countless blocks and clearances he was just simply immense and limited Mbappe to very little.
Southgate what were you thinking, still the best English defender in the country.
Southgate what were you thinking, still the best English defender in the country.
Beast.
Will still be forever scapegoated by our fans when there are AT LEAST 3 worst CB’s at the club than him.
Will still be forever scapegoated by our fans when there are AT LEAST 3 worst CB’s at the club than him.
Awesome with Lindelof, our best partnership since 2013. No one can stop Mbappe entirely, but him and Victor minimized Mbappe's chances at affecting the game. Great performance from Mike.
@Ekeke and co who were claiming that even with VAR, just pulling the shirt of the opponent won't be given as pen, I would suggest to watch Porto-Roma match. I believe that Smalling and Ole are aware of this, and he will adapt his game, but there is no doubt that he would have caused many pens if VAR was in EPL.
@Ekeke and co who were claiming that even with VAR, just pulling the shirt of the opponent won't be given as pen, I would suggest to watch Porto-Roma match. I believe that Smalling and Ole are aware of this, and he will adapt his game, but there is no doubt that he would have caused many pens if VAR was in EPL.
Conceded another fecking pen today, the 20156th of his career. Glad it didn't cost us.
That tackle on Mbappe chance vs De Gea was absolutely immense! Saved our night !
Hey VAR and still no penalties against Smalling? What has the world come to?
Southgate was there tonight. I wonder if he’s willing to swallow his pride.
He was a monster
Kind of immense tonight.
What a game, few times he was one on one with Mbappe, he dealt with him easily.
Also one more VAR game where Smalling didn't concede penalty. Hopefully that myth dies now.
Also one more VAR game where Smalling didn't concede penalty. Hopefully that myth dies now.
Nah, Harry Maguire dribbling up the wing and being a bang average defender is his bag.
Fair play dude, you've been a big critic of his in the past.
I think you're all just waiting for that perfect player that will never exist. Shaw's not good enough in attack, Smalling isn't good enough at passing, Dalot isn't good enough in defence.
It's not how it works, you give and take players with their strengths and weaknesses. Dalot if given the game time will iron out some of his issues on the defensive side, but he might never be perfect. That's fine though, because he doesn't need to be. TAA would never have seen as much game time if the same thinking was used for him. They stuck with him because he what he offered in attack was better than the likes of Milner, and this season he's developed well on the defensive end too.
Some big moments tonight. Really impressive stuff.
Absolutely outstanding tonight. Saved us in a fair few occasions.
Dealt with Mbappe easily on his side.
I'm out of words for Smalling tonight. Made Mbappe look anonymous at home. He was world class.
Utterly immense. He and Lindelof can be a very good partnership, I don't think we have to spunk 100m on a CB.
He only played in the second leg, was still sidelined at Old Trafford. Maybe with him on the team they don’t score 2 at OT.
My favourite part was when Mbappe decided he should roam to his left and test Smalling's side, and he literally got nothing out of him in two or three one on one situations. You can't have better player defemding in those situations against quick players.
I actually gave him a 10 as that was by far and away his best performance in a United shirt. A gigantic display.
He was absolutely brilliant tonight and was our best defender comfortably. Brilliant display from Smalldini..
I can't remember that he has made one single misstake this evening.
Impeccable performance
Impeccable performance
Big Mike hade a great game. One of the heroes today
fecking awesome performance - if he could pass the ball he would be exceptional
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