12
Yes. Fergie, LVG, Mourinho and Solksjaer have really set united back allowing that Maidestone player to steal a living at United. Dont worry, united are buying a 100M plus world class CB this summer to partner Lindelof (last summer it was to partner Bailly so who knows?) and Smalling will be shipped off to Burnley, that's his level after all innit?
Difference is that Pereira currently isn't our best midfielder while Smalling is and has been our best defender. He can pass the ball too when he has options in front of him. He is not great on the ball though and sometimes a bit nervous about that weakness, and while that fact usually means he doesn't give away the ball dangerously it also means he ignores a few of the passes he probably could have made. The importance of this is not very big and its so overstated it is being being regurgitated way beyond reason on this forum. I could easily pull up clips from games where Smalling has done things on the ball his detractors would feel he has never done.
I never had a problem with where he came from. Just that we can do much better than him and ball playing qualities are very important for a top team today. I'd keep smalling as a backup as he's still a good defender. He cannot be a starter next season for me.
While i agree that Smalling gets basic passing right, we need more than that. You are underestimating the stability a calm and composed defender with good ball playing capabilities brings to a team. When smalling has the ball, he looks like handling a grenade. Teams can easily put pressure on us as his passing range is very minimal. Cover his left and right and he passes it back to the keeper. I don't hate smalling, just that we could do much more than him. I wouldn't go into the next season with him in the starting 11.
You have a pair or a back three in a starting 11 at the back. None of our other CBs dominate their own area like Smalling does. What's wrong with pairing an exceptionally good out and out defender with another who possesses the qualities you brought up? I think Smalling and Lindelof complement each other quite well. Lindelof offers a few things Smalling doesnt and vice versa, but you won't find many CBs in Europe who dominate their opponents like Smalling does and that aspect of his game is criminally underrated.
I've seen Fernandinho play matches where he mostly passes the ball backwards and towards the goalkeeper. Thats his role in the team, to select safer passes and not give the ball away. Occasionally he'll find a good pass forward too. But thats from a midfielder.
The problem is we're wasting time each time he gets the ball. When we're chasing a goal, it gets incredibly frustrating to watch passes between defenders cause they cannot give pass over the head of opposition to someone in the flanks. The opposition knows this exactly and will try to close him out. I have no doubts that Smalling is good defensively and is one of the best headers of the ball, so we look for someone who can do both in our next defender. I would take a small drop in defending quality for a better ball playing quality.
Well it gets monotonous very fast and opposition will use this to their advantage. Press smalling and he'd give the ball back to the keeper , who then hoofs the ball and our procession is gone.
Well, yeah. That wouldn't necessarily even classify as one of the moments I consider him too safe on the ball, that is just common sense. You see all the possession based teams involve their goalkeepers for this reason, not because their CB's cant pass but because the only realistic option is to hoof yourself out of pressure or try a risky pass. More often than not they pass it back to the goalkeeper and try to play out from there. You'll see the best ballplaying CB's pass back to the keeper a lot especially when the opposition is pressing them.
If thats what happens then its De Gea's fault. He can find a pass just like Smalling can
We cannot train if the defender is scared to pass the ball. The trust works only if both defenders and midfielders trust each other ball playing abilities.
That wouldn't be a problem if the goalkeeper does not proceed to hoof the ball.
That didn't sound right, but I understand the sentiment and I get the frustration from seeing Smalling and Lindelof on the ball against Arsenal in a few moments mainly at the end where we wanted to move the ball up field but all our passing options in midfield were being marked out of the game and we knew the hoof would result in loss of possession with the strikers we had up top. Usually, good teams in that situation you can see their defenders being patient on the ball waiting for an opening, but it was frustrating for us because of the two goals behind and really didn't have the time to build up patiently.
As Vegan fella I fully agree with you. When me and my better other gave up meat and other animal products three years ago my family and friends kind of took it very strangely. It kind of got to the point of them being a little bit let down.. What are you going to feed your kids?
Lot of points i agree with. Even i don't think we'd need to play from back all the time, just that i want someone who can do it when needed without breaking a sweat. I'd definitely like to keep Smalling around though. He's one of the fittest defenders out there.
Yh this is the problem, it's not that a CB needs to be Pirlo on the ball but he needs some kind of passing range. For example, VVD isn't actually that amazing on the ball - his greatest assets are defensive & physical in my eyes but he can play off both feet when needed and has a decent long range pass in his locker - but he's good. That makes him all round an absolute specimen of a defender. Lindelof isn't that amazing on the ball but he's good enough and the same goes for most top CBs, if they need to pick a pass they generally can.
There is the difference between everyone would want him, he is a 100m player (which no one, not even Ekeke and Amar who are his mom and dad has claimed) and he is a very good defender, which he undoubtedly is.
He's also one of the fastest players in the PL according to Opta stats in the 17/18 season.
I think we would get a lot of money for him if we sold him.
Pogba is no leader, he shouldnt be mentioned for it imo.
Pogba has been vocal in the dressing room about what the players should do.
We'd likely do the same thing as usual and start with the new guy and Lindelof, and if the two of them actually perform then that is how we'd stay. However, every season they end up failing and Smalling cements himself as first choice again, and I'd say there is at least a 50% chance that the same would happen. Especially if it's Toby who seems the most likely at the moment, as I don't think he and Lindelof would work together.
Had a misplaced long pass and a short pass after making a run out but looked like he was fouled by Troy Deeney as he made the last pass. Didn't do much else on the ball positive or negative. Was exposed all game because of poor defensive organisation in the team and terrible cover from the midfield but he defended very well and kept us in the game really. Young, Matic and Herrera were terrible and so he practically had to play 2-3 positions at the same time defensively.
