[Devil may care]

Good in the first half and decent in the second, definite improvement in the last couple of games.

 

[golden_blunder]

Was okay-ish, DDG saved him when he lost the header after a corner, he is supposed to be a force in the air and shouldnt be beaten by Kabak (?)

Even Vidic didn’t win every header ever. Be realistic

 

[Regulus Arcturus Black]

Had a proper big tackle there

 

[bugmat]

Still a conundrum but better. Continues to delay passing out from the back which negates our attacking play allowing us to be more easily pressed, when he has good options if he just passed quickly. Had some good moments (eg a block in the box) and bad ones (eg getting well outjumped for a header DDG had to save).

Also needs to stop channeling the spirit of Rooney with useless crossfield floaters.

 

[Alejandro Angel]

Had a proper big tackle there

I agree was a great tackle, I have not been happy with his performances mostly this season, but that was a great tackle. He just needs to stop the long flighted cross field passes, he has been very poor at them. But wad better in a poor match.

 

[Marwood]

Was okay-ish, DDG saved him when he lost the header after a corner, he is supposed to be a force in the air and shouldnt be beaten by Kabak (?)

Nobody wins every single header

 

[Offsideagain]

He was poor again today. His lack of agility showed him up several times when he was looking at thin air instead of a player. Almost scored off his shoulders though. Not Captain material for me. He hasn’t been the same since his arrest on Holiday.

 

[Abraxas]

He got completely done by one of the Norwich wide players which could have been costly. That usual Maguire trait of being a bit squared on and leaden footed.

Defended corners pretty well though. The only one that seems to so you have to credit that. Occasionally loses someone, I think Norwich had a decent headed chance he could have done better with but generally he is our rock in those situations.

Probably an okay overall performance, a bit mixed. Passing was fine.

 

[Zoo]

Without him, Fred and especially De Gea we drop points today.

 

[MattofManchester]

His performances and captaincy annoy me, and now his interviews annoy me too.

 

[Still ill]

Yeah, good today. I feel the Kabak header colouring people's view of his performance. He just got the run on him. It happens.

 

[Red_toad]

He was poor again today. His lack of agility showed him up several times when he was looking at thin air instead of a player. Almost scored off his shoulders though. Not Captain material for me. He hasn’t been the same since his arrest on Holiday.

Are you on about the arrest in 2020, as you're going on like it's the start of last season and not this one? He was very good after the first few months of the 2020 season and was our best central defender over the course of the season. This season he was rushed back from injury and has been very poor. I take it you just don't like him, so no matter how he plays you won't see anything good. He was fine.

 

[Abraxas]

Yeah, good today. I feel the Kabak header colouring people's view of his performance. He just got the run on him. It happens.

True but I think it was the Polish lad on Norwich's right that pretty much walked past him in our box. That was a very good chance given away.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Thought he was good overall.

 

[Lyng]

Overall improved. Thought he did much better defensively today. But his passing while under pressure needs work. Clear signs of improvement though which is great to see.

 

[Based Adnan]

Improved from his prior performances but that's not exactly difficult. Still thought he was below average. Poor passing, beaten in the air by Kabak and beaten 1v1 by one of Norwich's player who got a shot away in the box.

 

[Red00012]

Tends to get dragged out of the middle at times, in the 1st half he was out on top of Telles twice and when the ball was put in the box he was in no mans land.

 

[Orton]

Got absolutely rinsed by that boy in the second half. Didn’t have a clue how to deal with it. Happens at least once or twice a game. Really need Varane back.

 

[geradix]

Thought he defended generally well yesterday, especially one or one, except when he was caught flat footed in the box, and another occasion where he lost the header.

But the problem for Maguire playing under the RR system is beyond his ponderous movement.

It requires quick thinking, reading and decisions. Instead, we are treated to his usual take the ball, survey the field for 5 seconds before playing a back pass, side pass, or hollywood pass that is intercepted.

He doesn’t just kill our attacking momentum, he exposes our defence by opening himself up to be pressed into mistake in our own third.

I hope our interim boss will have the cajones to drop the big names that cannot adapt to the system, and bring in hungry players that fit it, like he has done in his previous clubs.

Maguire certainly fits the bill to be turfed out, even if he is not as bad a defender as he has shown this season.

 

[A-man]

Thought he was fine overall. Looks like he is getting back more and more to expected level. He got done once in the penalty box, but that’s one of his biggest weaknesses and even top form Harry got done like that. He lost one important header but I feel even Harry must be allowed to lose an occasional header once in a while. Defensively he was good imo.
However he is still far from expected level when it comes to passing and movement without the ball when we are in possession. I still think we have poor movement in the midfield when our back line have the ball, but Harry needs to speed up passes and improve on the ball.

 

[Stretford_End_17]

norwich was very aggresive and he looked very solid overall. our captain keeps improving and probably will come back to his best form

 

[United in sin]

Maguire is twice the player of Smalling. Not his fault smalling played under Fergie. As if that’s an argument.

Smalling won silverware for united after Fergie under a controversial and unwanted manager in Mourinho. Maguire has played in a better squad under better conditions for morale and has failed to help us win anything of note.

We've conceded more goals with each season Maguire has been here, and Smallings last three seasons at United compared were much better in that regard.

 

[A-man]

Smalling won silverware for united after Fergie under a controversial and unwanted manager in Mourinho. Maguire has played in a better squad under better conditions for morale and has failed to help us win anything of note.

We've conceded more goals with each season Maguire has been here, and Smallings last three seasons at United compared were much better in that regard.

Smallings best seasons were defensively better than what we’ve seem from Maguire imo. However his type of football did not really fit the ambitions of the coaches. They needed someone who could contribute when we are in possession.
It was perfecting timing when he left as age kicked in hard. He’s been basically injured since he left with new injuries all the time, and when he’s played he’s been making a lot of mistakes.

 

[United in sin]

Smallings best seasons were defensively better than what we’ve seem from Maguire imo. However his type of football did not really fit the ambitions of the coaches. They needed someone who could contribute when we are in possession.
It was perfecting timing when he left as age kicked in hard. He’s been basically injured since he left with new injuries all the time, and when he’s played he’s been making a lot of mistakes.

He's been arguably Roma's best centerback since he joined. The Roma fans love him too. The injuries got worse for him last season, but he's back doing well and has even continued contributing in attack scoring a few times this season

 

[A-man]

He's been arguably Roma's best centerback since he joined. The Roma fans love him too. The injuries got worse for him last season, but he's back doing well and has even continued contributing in attack scoring a few times this season

I don’t agree. He was pretty good his first months but then he started to make more and more mistakes and was involved in many conceded goals. Similar to Harry’s season so far. Also injuries started to kick in and he’s been on and off new injuries all the time last two years. Wouldn’t say he’s made a very big impact at Roma tbh.

 

[Satsuma United]

Smalling is no doubt a better athlete and looks like a decent CB but i think Maguire brought leadership we didnt have for years along with Bruno and now Ronaldo we have 3 captains wich is really good for a club that lacked leadership.

 

[United in sin]

I don’t agree. He was pretty good his first months but then he started to make more and more mistakes and was involved in many conceded goals. Similar to Harry’s season so far. Also injuries started to kick in and he’s been on and off new injuries all the time last two years. Wouldn’t say he’s made a very big impact at Roma tbh.

We'll just agree to disagree. Smalling quickly established himself as a trusted leader at Roma and fan favorite. I'm not sure if you actually follow Roma

He missed the first four games through injury but in his first full game back in October (in the Europa conference league) against Zorya Luhansk he had an outstanding game and scored. He's already Mourinho over since

 

[VanDeBank]

Smalling is no doubt a better athlete and looks like a decent CB but i think Maguire brought leadership we didnt have for years along with Bruno and now Ronaldo we have 3 captains wich is really good for a club that lacked leadership.

C'mon man. Did you happen to catch the only 5 minutes in which Smalling played well during the last Roma game?

Maguire is one of the least skilled players on the pitch. Nobody is looking towards Maguire for leadership.

 

[Chief123]

Interesting how some feel like Smalling is some kind of Maldini now. There’s a reason we got rid of him. He had more than enough years and opportunities here. Someone who is inconsistent and varies from v good to very poor often can look amazing in Serie A. Totally different leagues.

 

[A-man]

We'll just agree to disagree. Smalling quickly established himself as a trusted leader at Roma and fan favorite. I'm not sure if you actually follow Roma

He missed the first four games through injury but in his first full game back in October (in the Europa conference league) against Zorya Luhansk he had an outstanding game and scored. He's already Mourinho over since

I watched most games his first season at Roma. Second he didn’t play much but I watched a few, and this season I haven’t watched them at all. He got a lot of credit first season but imo it was exaggerated by people who never saw the games. Again, he was quite good first months but after that he made plenty of simple mistakes, often because of poor timing or poor decisions. He also gave away some penalties. After that it has been downhill with injury after injury. It’s good he had a great game in October, shows he still has it in him. However the reason he left was never because of his defensive capabilities, but because they wanted CBs who could contribute when we are in possession.

edit: this is an example of poor timing mistakes from first season . 15 sec in.

 

[United in sin]

I watched most games his first season at Roma. Second he didn’t play much but I watched a few, and this season I haven’t watched them at all. He got a lot of credit first season but imo it was exaggerated by people who never saw the games. Again, he was quite good first months but after that he made plenty of simple mistakes, often because of poor timing or poor decisions. He also gave away some penalties. After that it has been downhill with injury after injury. It’s good he had a great game in October, shows he still has it in him. However the reason he left was never because of his defensive capabilities, but because they wanted CBs who could contribute when we are in possession.

edit: this is an example of poor timing mistakes from first season . 15 sec in.

If Roma wanted only CBs who contribute in possession they'd have never signed Smalling after scouting him as an option, IMO. Smalling is not the best on the ball but he's not terrible either, he's been more than good enough for Roma in the back three under Fonseca or flat four under Mourinho. While he lacks in ball playing out the back, he seldom loses possession and his pass completion % is in the early 90s. He rotates the ball well

Interesting how some feel like Smalling is some kind of Maldini now. There’s a reason we got rid of him. He had more than enough years and opportunities here. Someone who is inconsistent and varies from v good to very poor often can look amazing in Serie A. Totally different leagues.

Maguire is yet to even reach the heights Smalling ascended to for United at his best. He was unplayable under LVG in 2015/16 and won player's player of the year that season.

When Mourinho came in he had a preference for Jones and Rojo but when they inevitably broke down/lost form it was Smalling who stepped up and became Mourinho's general at the back, helping us win the EL.

 

[MattofManchester]

Interesting how some feel like Smalling is some kind of Maldini now. There’s a reason we got rid of him. He had more than enough years and opportunities here. Someone who is inconsistent and varies from v good to very poor often can look amazing in Serie A. Totally different leagues.

While you purposefully forget Smalling was our best defender under Van Gaal. Maguire has not even been good enough to that level nor the level that Lindelof showed around the time Mourinho left the club.

Lindelof gets so much shit, which is comical given the sheer amount of feck ups his 80m partner makes in a game, yet he's constantly lauded with bringing "stability and leadership" to the backline.

I understand this fanbase's desire to have a good CB for once but Harry Maguire ain't it.

 

[AFC NimbleThumb]

I understand this fanbase's desire to have a good CB for once but Harry Maguire ain't it.

This sums it up perfectly. If Arsenal had bought him he’d be laughed at on here.

 

[Chief123]

While you purposefully forget Smalling was our best defender under Van Gaal. Maguire has not even been good enough to that level nor the level that Lindelof showed around the time Mourinho left the club.

Lindelof gets so much shit, which is comical given the sheer amount of feck ups his 80m partner makes in a game, yet he's constantly lauded with bringing "stability and leadership" to the backline.

I understand this fanbase's desire to have a good CB for once but Harry Maguire ain't it.

Oh by all means im not Maguire’s biggest fan and certainly thing he would be easily upgradeable.

But my point is it doesn’t make it a reason to regret selling Smalling. To say I “purposefully forgot Smalling was our best defender” under Van Gaal, I mean who are you kidding mate. It wasn’t exactly hard to be the best then was it. Look what other options we had for CB. Blind, Jones, Rojo, McNair……even our backup defenders in Bailly and Lindelof are better than all of them. So it’s a pretty pointless argument.

 

[PoTMS]

Signing Maguire for £80m is a sackable offence in its own right. Making him captain is just pure lunacy.

 

[MattofManchester]

But my point is it doesn’t make it a reason to regret selling Smalling.

The problem with this idea for me is that we sold Smalling to sign an 80m defender who offers less defensively than Smalling did initially.
Why did we sign Harry then?
Ball playing skills?
Lindelof outshines him in every aspect regarding that.

That is the frustrating thing. Smalling got vilified for being distinctly average, yet Maguire gets praised for it.

 

[Red Royal]

If Harry could chip in with a few set piece goals (he has tons of chances) he would win over so many fans.

 

[Bebestation]

Good defender that has helped us improve.

Could be a bit more of a perfectionist - but I will not complain about him until the rest of our gaps are covered.

All these complaints but you hardly see Bailly - Varane in the first 11's people write out which is a bit weird considering how much of a pointing finger people do at Maguire.

Either way, an 80+ mil signing has hardly proved successful anywhere in the world with many failures aswell, so if money is the issue - its not like it only happens to us as seen with the so so so many failures of 100 mil transfers.

Good player that I value at this club whilst he is here.

 

[Based Adnan]

Disgrace of a captain, costs us every week

 

[TSE123]

Unbelievable that Maguire is undroppable. But tonight maybe there was no alternative?

Disgrace of a captain, costs us every week

Agree. They can now close this thread. All that needs to be said about Maguire has been said.