[el3mel]

Wolves best attacker today. I bet their fans will be voting for him to get MOTM.

 

[Based Adnan]

He did his part and even played in a CL semifinal. Who cares that he played at RB? Can you take away what Jones did as an auxiliary DM against Ronaldo and against Arsenal for instance? Smalling was still young and developing and earned his medals, you can't take the fact he was deemed good enough to play a part even if it wasn't an instrumental one.



Look at my post above. Nobody but you and Smalling detractors gives a shit he played as a RB. Which youth or young players haven't been played out of position ever? What a joke of a post.

You said he's good enough to challenge for the title right now because he was a squad player in title winning campaigns 8 and 6 years ago. The only joke here is you.

Actually you can add Smalling onto that joke as well. Absolute mess tonight. You can forgive his league one ability on the ball if he can do the basics defending but he was an absolute mess for the 2nd goal. That's supposed to be his bread and butter.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Awful, awful performance.

Huge part in their 2nd goal but his worst moment was when he totally bottled a challenge late on.

 

[GifLord]

I've already said it but i'll say it again if Fergie was still the manager this guy would have been long gone.

 

[FootyGirl88]

He's not good but he's not the only

 

[Cabin Clown]

Wolves best attacker today. I bet their fans will be voting for him to get MOTM.

*facepalm*

If anyone blames Smalling for the loss then you've no idea what went on.

 

[Patrick08]

Keep rewarding mediocrity keep getting mediocrity.

 

[Ekeke]

He was okay, with no protection both he and Lindelof lost some duels and nobody was there to help them

 

[BlahRules]

We need a really good deep-lying playmaker if we are to play him in the team.

 

[roonster09]

Very poor today, own goal was just a bonus.

 

[Member 93275]

Wolves best attacker today. I bet their fans will be voting for him to get MOTM.

Nonsense, great defender. The own goal in a scrimmage was just unlucky and it's just football that it happens to defenders sometimes, because of the position they play in. The error wasn't there but getting in that situation in the first place. It was the midfield that made those situations happen, they got overrun.

 

[groovyalbert]

Fair play - keeping his plans for Messi well and truly hidden

 

[el3mel]

Oh look, his die hard fans will be in force to defend him as usual.

Credit for Southgate for not taking him for the international team while section of our fans are deluding themselves about how great he's.

 

[NotoriousISSY]

He's just not very good. Has his moments but he is never standing up to the likes of Van Dijk or even John Stones.

He's neither decisive nor clever. Would be happy to see his days over.

 

[Amar__]

He was unlucky for the own goal, and he was poor for that chance towards the end, but in general he hardly did much wring today, probably our best player in the first half. We had far bigger problems today than him.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Made more error than usual today. Although the last goal is all on De Gea in my view. Didn't help to calm things down though when needed.

 

[Bwuk]

He’s a total donkey.

 

[Ekeke]

Oh look, his die hard fans will be in force to defend him as usual.

Credit for Southgate for not taking him for the international team while section of our fans are deluding themselves about how great he's.

Yeah England didnt conceed any goals since he was out of the team and win all their matches with 10 men

 

[Ekeke]

Made more error than usual today. Although the last goal is all on De Gea in my view. Didn't help to calm things down though when needed.

Far from that, he was essentially the invisible man in there. He tried to make himself as small as possible instead of take charge and get the ball out

 

[Rossa]

He was unlucky for the own goal, and he was poor for that chance towards the end, but in general he hardly did much wring today, probably our best player in the first half. We had far bigger problems today than him.

Lindelof was our best defender, although he was outpaced and outsmarted in the second which almost led to a goal. Smalling is responsible for the goal, but Ddg tackling him probably didn't help.

 

[Ekeke]

Lindelof was our best defender, although he was outpaced and outsmarted in the second which almost led to a goal. Smalling is responsible for the goal, but Ddg tackling him probably didn't help.

Would never go in if De Gea had even the slightest amount of control of his 6 yard box. He comes out and then makes himself as small as possible and goes past it.

If he doesnt come out he can stop the ball going in, if he comes out he has to go and win the ball

 

[Morpheus 7]

He nearly scored two own goals, this is what one half of the chuckle brothers give you. Can't be trusted, few good performances and back to the same old clangers. The mindset needs to change with fans towards these limited players. Too many banter players in this squad.

 

[Devil may care]

He was in Bambi on ice mode tonight.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Poor tonight, though I don't think the own goal was all on him. He should have done better but I have no idea what De Gea was doing. There was another that De Gea had to palm away but I thought that was a good block, as it was a certain tap in at the far post if he didn't stop it.

He kept ducking out of challenges he would normally make, and players just galloped past him with ease, which was unlike him.

 

[Rossa]

Would never go in if De Gea had even the slightest amount of control of his 6 yard box. He comes out and then makes himself as small as possible and goes past it.

If he doesnt come out he can stop the ball going in, if he comes out he has to go and win the ball

Ddg was terrible for that, I agree, but Smalling was a little clumsy as well. Ddg had a terrible game in fairness.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

One season away from a testimonial. Let that sink in.

 

[Ekeke]

Ddg was terrible for that, I agree, but Smalling was a little clumsy as well. Ddg had a terrible game in fairness.

Yes I agree Smalling was a bit clumsy. I feel like if it didnt go in, it might have been a penalty anyway since it came off his arm. Totally didnt mean it though so maybe not

 

[Legendary]

Smallings short comings are well documented here, so I won't dwell on them, but what I don't understand is this reputation he has that he's good in the air.
OK he might consistently win the header, but 95% of the time he just heads a lofted ball back to the opposition. Great defenders do not do this.

Watch the greats, they win the header and still manage to find a teammate, and this creates counter attacking opportunities, Smalling rarely does this, and it's so frustrating to see him win headers and give the ball back to the opponent, it's like he jumps and closes his eyes just as he wins the header.

Winning a header is not good enough for a top team, you need to be able to find a teammate consistently with your clearances, otherwise what's the bloody point. We are Man Utd, not fecking Everton, just clearing a ball is not good enough.

Lastly notice how Smallings headers are mostly lofted clearances, he rarely heads it to a teammates feet, or into their paths.

Anyway just thought I'd give my 2 cents on what I believe to be a myth that Smalling is great in the air.

 

[Ace of Spades]

Poor game, though these things can happen. With ten men and us looking for the equalizer, the defense was exposed at times with no help.

 

[Loublaze]

You said he's good enough to challenge for the title right now because he was a squad player in title winning campaigns 8 and 6 years ago. The only joke here is you.

Actually you can add Smalling onto that joke as well. Absolute mess tonight. You can forgive his league one ability on the ball if he can do the basics defending but he was an absolute mess for the 2nd goal. That's supposed to be his bread and butter.

Smalling wasn't great tonight but you have to blame De Gea for being weak as fvck again coming off his line.

 

[Loublaze]

Smallings short comings are well documented here, so I won't dwell on them, but what I don't understand is this reputation he has that he's good in the air.
OK he might consistently win the header, but 95% of the time he just heads a lofted ball back to the opposition. Great defenders do not do this.

Watch the greats, they win the header and still manage to find a teammate, and this creates counter attacking opportunities, Smalling rarely does this, and it's so frustrating to see him win headers and give the ball back to the opponent, it's like he jumps and closes his eyes just as he wins the header.

Winning a header is not good enough for a top team, you need to be able to find a teammate consistently with your clearances, otherwise what's the bloody point. We are Man Utd, not fecking Everton, just clearing a ball is not good enough.

Lastly notice how Smallings headers are mostly lofted clearances, he rarely heads it to a teammates feet, or into their paths.

Anyway just thought I'd give my 2 cents on what I believe to be a myth that Smalling is great in the air.

This is such a desperate and useless forensic look at this aspect of Smalling's game. Most of Smalling's headed clearances are as solid as you'd expect from any prem CB worth their salt

 

[-Supreme-]

He's dodged a lot of 50/50 challenges today, what's up with him??

 

[Sandikan]

The winning goal had to have a touch of slapstick didn't it.

Between him and Jones we have two really solid defenders at times, but they both have the potential for an almost farcical moment in them.

 

[11101]

If anyone doesn't understand what's meant when they say he lacks awareness, tonight is your lesson. He can't handle runners coming across behind him.

I'll chalk it up to a bad day as he's been generally alright this season, but we have got to upgrade. We lose 30 yards every time he gets on the ball.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

He's just way too poor on the ball.

It's just not good enough.

 

[KennyBurner]

When Ole first arrived and we fielded both lindelof and Jones we moved the ball much confidently and better across the defense. Now that smaling has arrived we are no longer moving the ball quick enough, Not blaming him entirely, just pointing out the change in how we play.

Also just going to casually throw out there that no matter how solid smalling is as a defender in tackling, recovering, heading and so on......the simple fact that he is sunday league in basic passing and playing football will always be a hindrance to our game. if he is pressed his first instinct is to panic and clear the ball. If he doesn't panic and manages to try and play he looks awkward and is prone to making a mistake. That is a quality him and young share together. they just aren't capable of playing football the right way due to their technical deficiencies.

 

[PTSTSL]

The worst thing is is that he causes panic in others. Decent backup, not to be relied on.

 

[RedPed]

Smalling and players of his ilk are just a stark reminder of why we have struggled for the last 4 or 5 years. Awarding average/shit players like this long contracts is just baffling. OGS really has his work cut out for next season.

 

[#07]

Smalling is what he is. If United was still a serious club at most he'd be getting rotated in for 20-30 appearances a season. I can't be angry with him because I've seen him more than enough to know what his ceiling is. He isn't Alessandro Nesta and he never will be.

 

[Traub]

He’s just so far off what we need as our first choice captain at the back. There’s been enough time to see that he will never be good enough as a key centre back if we want to challenge for the league.

 

[iluvoursolskjær]

I remember people readying to attack me when I suggested that he's due one of these performances eventually.

 

[Ekeke]

I remember people readying to attack me when I suggested that he's due one of these performances eventually.

A decent one?