17
Amen to that. DB17
Still think Smalling will push Blind to the bench. His height and speed will help us play a more attacking setup since we won't have to worry about being hit on the counter. Jose has been known to prefer players with good physical attributes especially in defense.
You have one tall, fast and strong cb already with Blind. How on earth smalling who seems super awkward with any kind of passing will help us play a more attacking set up? If you open up a lot more and have no plan to stop the other team's counter, no amount of speedy CB will help. Preventing from counter attack should never relied solely on CBs.
Yeah very true. It's an occasion when myself and others have to admit to getting it wrong. He's done very well there.
Good point. Him being a DMF has almost been forgotten and seeing we're short in that department it makes sense.
Our team is not going to depend on our defenders to launch our attacks. If this was a Guardiola team, then a player like Blind will be more valued than Smalling. Having two strong and fast CBs at the back will help in defending against crosses and set pieces where we are the weakest. Our midfielders will have more freedom to drive forward when we have two very quick CBs as they can quickly cover from behind. Smalling might not be the greatest passer but his positional sense is in no way inferior to Blind. And I'm not saying we should rely on our CBs alone to prevent counters but I know which CB I would want to have on the pitch when we are being counter attacked. Blind has been a great CB for us but Smalling is definitely better in my opinion.
Missed that. What did he say?
I disagree. I remember him playing in midfield 2 seasons ago. He had the same problem Carrick does defensively. That is he can't stop a player running at him. He's too slow to follow the runner, so his only option is to go up to press. But he often commits way too early and players were just waltzing past him. It leaves us vulnerable during a counter when the DM is taken out of the game so early and the attacker gets to run straight at the defence.
This problem you describe has plagued him all his life. He's been solving it with his mind ever since, since his body can't do it. When he was left-back at Ajax, right wingers surged past him, leaving us exposed. He was loaned out, and when he came back, it didn't happen anymore. He wasn't any faster, but he seemed to focus on detecting where they were going really early.
When Evans was cover for Rio and Vidic, he played loads of games as both had plenty of niggling injuries and rest periods.
I'm sure he would offer more as Carrick should be nowhere near the team atm. Doesn't mean he should be best deployed there.
Yes obviously he won't be able to run any faster. But he should choose when to commit more wisely. And make sure if he does commit that he gets the ball.
We haven't even see the latter two play. He was good yesterday but again we were absolutely overloaded with set-pieces and throw-ins that we couldn't handle well at all. Smalling alongside Bailly will help with that a lot more.
Sounds like Smalling will be the first choice partner (as expected) but Blind is doing a very good job in keeping in Mourinho's good books.Mourinho said:
I agree - I definitely think Blind deserves a spot in the starting XI.
Both Smalling and Bailly seem very similar type of players. They might work out but I still think they are both going to do better with a ball playing CB.
He said something like Blind did an excellent job to complement Bailly
Well if you are a top team, you would want to have your players in all positions to be able to pass/cross ball pretty good. Because that's how you outplay the other teams and increase the chance of winning you know?
I was actually agreeing with you. Your observations sync up with mine, and I've followed him at Ajax since his debut.
He does show that a lot for us as well, even from CB. He's the only one besides Carrick that can pick these passes on a regular basis.
I think he'd sell him, he doesn't really fit the Jose mould as defender or midfielder, and he is player we could sell for a decent fee, which if Jose wants a commanding CB then he's going to have to do.
He started 8 games in a row between September and November, and it was only in his final appearance in that run that he played centre back. In the second half of the season he was moved around a bit more primarily because Carrick established himself as the clearly superior midfielder in November and December, when we went on an an 11-game unbeaten run. Carrick has undoubtedly regressed in that time and Blind really flourished last season, but I'm not convinced the results would be all that different this time around. He looked far better at both left back and centre back than he did in midfield.
No worries I was agreeing with you too
