[ForeverRoma93]

Big bucks as in 40 plus million? Don't think it will be that much, if he plays well then can see him gone for 20 plus million.

Also it will open up market for the player, if he plays well in Serie A then other Serie A teams or even English teams will try to sign him, which is good for us.

I would be pleasantly surprised if our owners spend even £20m on a centre half but you're right, if he performs well for the season, he can go anywhere for that amount.

 

[A-man]

Smalling was a good defender. I think with Maguire he may have turned out to be better than Lindelof.
As for ball playing, you need one ball playing and one destroyer. Or stopper as they use to call it in the old days. This ball playing CB is not a modern invention.

I don’t agree. It depends on the strategy of the team what kind of players you need. For the football most of the best teams in the world play you need two CB who are good with the ball. And good with the ball nowadays is not being able to hoof good long balls anymore, it is more about being calm under pressure, keep possession instead of clearing or randomly head the ball, and to participate in building up the attack.

Absolutely. Lindelof has already cost us more goals this season than Smalling did in any season. And he's done feck all with the ball also. So fecking pointless.

If you look at the goals United have conceded so far this year, I would say 1-2 would be on Lindelof (with some “help” from other players) and 1 conceded goal plus partly 1 more on Maguire. That’s 3 goals on the central defenders. I don’t know if you watch other matches than United, but I normally watch all top teams matches in PL and also in other leagues, and can say that most goals somehow could have been avoided if the CBs had performed better. That is how the game is. If Smalling was involved in less than 2 goals last season it would be very odd and he must have lost it during the summer, as he already in his first match cost one goal. Which is normal. What sticks out with United imo is that 3 out of 6 goals came from setpieces.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

Centerback and defence in general is the least of the worries right now. The defence is statistically performing as well if not better than most PL sides and doing so without a good defensive midfielder ahead of them.

 

[SteveW]

If you look at the goals United have conceded so far this year, I would say 1-2 would be on Lindelof (with some “help” from other players) and 1 conceded goal plus partly 1 more on Maguire. That’s 3 goals on the central defenders. I don’t know if you watch other matches than United, but I normally watch all top teams matches in PL and also in other leagues, and can say that most goals somehow could have been avoided if the CBs had performed better. That is how the game is. If Smalling was involved in less than 2 goals last season it would be very odd and he must have lost it during the summer, as he already in his first match cost one goal. Which is normal. What sticks out with United imo is that 3 out of 6 goals came from setpieces.

Victor has been fortunate to get away with only the two goals that he's caused us. He's had a number of dodgy moments. Beaten in the air easily, outmuscled, miss-hit clearances and giving the ball away in dangerous areas. He's looked like the same nervous wreck he was in his first season.

I'd be concerned if anything happened to Maguire.

 

[Amir]

Smalling was a good defender. I think with Maguire he may have turned out to be better than Lindelof.
As for ball playing, you need one ball playing and one destroyer. Or stopper as they use to call it in the old days. This ball playing CB is not a modern invention.

I agree. Obviously having two centerhalves who can play the ball well is an advantage, but I don't see why it is so important. Especially when Smalling is a very good defender.

 

[Winmove]

Our problem is pretty simple , we sold the good ones while keeping the shite one in. Because our board doesn't understand football and rate player based on their popularity and ability to make money for them. Same goes Mourinho vs Ole, one knows how a good player look , the other one used to manage dross therefore doesnt' know.

 

[A-man]

Centerback and defence in general is the least of the worries right now. The defence is statistically performing as well if not better than most PL sides and doing so without a good defensive midfielder ahead of them.

Yes, the central defence, or the whole defence, is the only part of the team that is performing well so far of the season.

Victor has been fortunate to get away with only the two goals that he's caused us. He's had a number of dodgy moments. Beaten in the air easily, outmuscled, miss-hit clearances and giving the ball away in dangerous areas. He's looked like the same nervous wreck he was in his first season.


I'd be concerned if anything happened to Maguire.

I think you see things that aren’t there, maybe because you dislike him and would like him to fail. I have not seen him being out-muscled more than others. And being a nervous wreck?. If that was the case, they wouldn’t have one of the best defensive records in the PL so far. Heading the ball is maybe Lindelof’s biggest weakness, but for being his biggest weakness he has done ok so far. He has 3.3 won aerial duels per match and 2 lost (won 62% of his aerial duels). Compared to Smalling’s last season, where heading is his best ability, won 4.3 per match and lost 2.4 per match (won 64% of his aerial duels).

 

[SteveW]

Yes, the central defence, or the whole defence, is the only part of the team that is performing well so far of the season.




I think you see things that aren’t there, maybe because you dislike him and would like him to fail. I have not seen him being out-muscled more than others. And being a nervous wreck?. If that was the case, they wouldn’t have one of the best defensive records in the PL so far. Heading the ball is maybe Lindelof’s biggest weakness, but for being his biggest weakness he has done ok so far. He has 3.3 won aerial duels per match and 2 lost (won 62% of his aerial duels). Compared to Smalling’s last season, where heading is his best ability, won 4.3 per match and lost 2.4 per match (won 64% of his aerial duels).

Stopped reading after the bold part. Feck off.

 

[A-man]

Stopped reading after the bold part. Feck off.

The defence is the only part of United that has functioned so far, yet you manage to write all this about Lindelof in two posts:


1. already cost us more goals this season than Smalling did in any season.

2. he's done feck all with the ball

3. fecking pointless.

4. fortunate to get away with only the two goals.

5. had a number of dodgy moments.

6. Beaten in the air easily,

7. outmuscled,

8. miss-hit clearances

9. giving the ball away in dangerous areas.

10. Nervous wreck


You write this about a Manchester United player in a United fan forum and get offended because I suggested you might dislike him. This even looks like purposely discrediting a player.

 

[SteveW]

The defence is the only part of United that has functioned so far, yet you manage to write all this about Lindelof in two posts:


1. already cost us more goals this season than Smalling did in any season.

2. he's done feck all with the ball

3. fecking pointless.

4. fortunate to get away with only the two goals.

5. had a number of dodgy moments.

6. Beaten in the air easily,

7. outmuscled,

8. miss-hit clearances

9. giving the ball away in dangerous areas.

10. Nervous wreck


You write this about a Manchester United player in a United fan forum and get offended because I suggested you might dislike him. This even looks like purposely discrediting a player.

What a load of crap. It's nothing to do with liking or disliking players. Why does every second idiot on this forum think this way? When did it become a thing to have feelings towards certain players??

Why the hell would I randomly dislike a United player? Victor hasn't played well this season. He's done everything I mentioned. But somehow pointing that out is some sort of personal attack on him because I dislike him. What a load of nonsense

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Haven't watched him since he left but I don't need to, hes been our best CB for 4 years and it was a ridiculous decision to let him go.

Hes good for about 4/5 goals a season too.

 

[Member 102134]

Once again the best player on the pitch

 

[tompo18]

I believe Smalling is a good player, him and Maguire would have been a decent partnership.

 

[Hammondo]

Once again the best player on the pitch

The haters wont like it if you say this.

 

[Brophs]

So people think we shouldn't have dropped the Mike?

 

[BringNaniBack]

Once again the best player on the pitch

Smalling was our best CB for 4 years and still never got the recognition he deserved. He's not great with the ball at his feet but other than that, overall he is our best CB by a mile.

 

[Member 102134]

Roma fans are thrilled with him

 

[Raees]

Roma’s best defender but that isn’t saying much - his colleagues are shocking.

Having said that still don’t know why he was on the top of our list of CBs to go.

 

[Ekeke]

Roma have conceded 3 goals in 4 matches including Smalling's debut where Roma let in 2.

The next 3 games they've had 2 clean sheets and conceded 1 goal.

Roma are 6th.

We're 14th (with a game to play, but a tough one)

Great signing for them and if United could get clean sheets we would be closer to the top of the league

 

[Fosu-Mens]

Given that both Maguire and Lindelof are slow as f, Jones and Bailly more injured than not, deciding that Smalling was the one that must leave was a strange decision. While not being the best on the ball, he offered something our two main defenders did not and he would suit a high pressing line a lot better than Maguire and Lindelof.
Suited to the low pressing Italian league.

 

[MadDogg]

Having said that still don’t know why he was on the top of our list of CBs to go.

I'm sure he wasn't, but he was the only one that both wanted to go and had a team who wanted to take him. Of course, the reason he wanted to go was that he was obviously quite a bit down the pecking order in Ole's eyes.

Still a very risky thing to let him go, and it's too early to say for sure whether it'll work out for us or not.

 

[Bebestation]

If a new manager comes back - then we will get him back I am sure. A bad decision.

I can see someone like wenger getting Maguire & Smalling to work well together.

 

[Dan_F]

He clearly went because we had no other offers for players like Jones and Rojo.

 

[SteveW]

It's no surprise that that he's doing well. More likely he's playing the same and just getting judged more fairly.

 

[golden_blunder]

So people think we shouldn't have dropped the Mike?

Boom

 

[golden_blunder]

Still miles better than lindelof defensively

 

[Stadjer]

He played very well as a lcb with three in back for Roma... would have prefered him over Rojo today.

 

[RedSky]

He clearly went because we had no other offers for players like Jones and Rojo.

That's what I think too. Seems pretty obvious to me.

 

[RussellWilson]

No doubt we'd have more points now with a Smalling and Maguire partnership.

 

[A-man]

No doubt we'd have more points now with a Smalling and Maguire partnership.

The lack of points come from lack of scored goals. The defence has been one of the best in the PL so far.

 

[Bebestation]

The lack of points come from lack of scored goals. The defence has been one of the best in the PL so far.

Doesn't matter - it would be better. Draws could be wins by a single goal, midfielders could have a 5% more freedom & improve attacking input.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

The lack of points come from lack of scored goals. The defence has been one of the best in the PL so far.

True, but a lot of that as been despite Lindelof, who has been ropey. He has good moments, and a lot of bad. Generally he's very weak and slow, and doesn't particularly make up for it by being good on the ball. He reads the game well, and is a good defender when the ball is on the ground, most of the time.

Smalling isn't the answer long term, but I'd have been keen to see a Maguire Smalling partnership for this season at least.

 

[A-man]

Doesn't matter - it would be better. Draws could be wins by a single goal, midfielders could have a 5% more freedom & improve attacking input.

His impact would had been very small as he would’t have played until maybe today because I believe Tuanzebe would have been higher up in order than him, plus Smalling was injured during several games.
United have been really bad this season except for the defence. It could also be that the defence have sorted out many situations that Smalling would have done worse, we will never know. But it is a bit odd to wish for the return of a defender when only Liverpool have conceded less goals of all the top 6 teams from last season.

True, but a lot of that as been despite Lindelof, who has been ropey. He has good moments, and a lot of bad. Generally he's very weak and slow, and doesn't particularly make up for it by being good on the ball. He reads the game well, and is a good defender when the ball is on the ground, most of the time.

Smalling isn't the answer long term, but I'd have been keen to see a Maguire Smalling
partnership for this season at least.

Smalling have many qualities but I highly doubt United would have done it better with him.

One thing that has dramatically improved is the calmness with the ball, keeping possession and show the opponent there is nothing to win with putting pressure on them.

 

[Ace of Spades]

I am happy that he was not sold, always like him as a defender even with his limits on the ball.

Hopefully, we offload one or two of Baily, Jones and Rojo soon.

 

[mu4c_20le]

His impact would had been very small as he would’t have played until maybe today because I believe Tuanzebe would have been higher up in order than him, plus Smalling was injured during several games.
United have been really bad this season except for the defence. It could also be that the defence have sorted out many situations that Smalling would have done worse, we will never know. But it is a bit odd to wish for the return of a defender when only Liverpool have conceded less gos of all the top 6 teams from last season.

And Tuanzebe was the reason we dropped points against Arsenal, another match that we should have won. Even the best teams like Liverpool and Man City have to grind out 1-0's, we failed to do that, otherwise the table would be looking much better. Our poor form has been caused by our lack of goals but our leaky defense makes things much worse.

 

[A-man]

And Tuanzebe was the reason we dropped points against Arsenal, another match that we should have won. Even the best teams like Liverpool and Man City have to grind out 1-0's, we failed to do that, otherwise the table would be looking much better. Our poor form has been caused by our lack of goals but our leaky defense makes things much worse.

It is not a leaky defence! Yes Liverpool and City have to grind out 1-0but their defence leak equally much.
Look at the conceded goals
Liverpool 7
United 9
City 9
Arsenal 11
Spurs 13
Chelsea 14

 

[Ekeke]

The lack of points come from lack of scored goals. The defence has been one of the best in the PL so far.

Yet we have less clean sheets in the league than Roma have had in the 4 matches Smalling has played for them

Our record isnt bad, but its not as good as theirs and clean sheets would have seen us get more points with our low scoring

 

[Ekeke]

It is not a leaky defence! Yes Liverpool and City have to grind out 1-0but their defence leak equally much.
Look at the conceded goals
Liverpool 7
United 9
City 9
Arsenal 11
Spurs 13
Chelsea 14

Yes City's defense hasnt been impressive either

 

[Sterling Archer]

Roma’s best defender but that isn’t saying much - his colleagues are shocking.

Having said that still don’t know why he was on the top of our list of CBs to go.

I'm on the edge of conspiracy theory here, but I think it's because Ole pays way too much attention to the drivel on the internet and is swayed by online opinion. I say that because he sold Fellaini right off the bat and has made some weird comments denigrating 'internet fans.

 

[UncleBob]

He clearly went because we had no other offers for players like Jones and Rojo.

Probably.

Surprised me to see he was the first one out