New Smalling interview

Samid

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Hope he loves the Italian food/culture and settles there permanently.
 

Majima

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Enjoyable interview. He seems like a very nice guy and I wish him all the best. Hope he smashes it over there.
 

roonster09

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Chris Smalling, Mike Smalling, New Smalling. He is progressing well.
 

amolbhatia50k

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Still feel he should be at United. But I suppose if Tuanzebe develops very well then things would work out well.
 

stubie

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Have been critical of him over the years but it's a move he needed and I hope it works out for him

Credit to him for taking the overseas route
 

Bwuk

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Seems to think he'll be able to come back and work his way into the side.

Doubt it. All the best to him. On a personal level he always came across as a decent guy, even if I didn't rate him as a player.
 

red4ever 79

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Seems to think he'll be able to come back and work his way into the side.

Doubt it. All the best to him. On a personal level he always came across as a decent guy, even if I didn't rate him as a player.
There is no way back for him. Maguire, Lindelof and Tuanzebe all on new long term contracts. Would be a good signing for Arsenal
 

Raw

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Fair fecks to him, would have been a great 3rd/4th choice CB option but he wants regular football.
 

red4ever 79

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Indeed you did. Thought you were implying Smalling was as well.
No as a club as a group, whatever you want to call them they are fecking injury prone the lot of them. Season after season pulled muscles, hamstrings/thighs. Sack the sports science dept and the fitness coaches and get the military to train these soft feckers
 

red4ever 79

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His extension was granted in December, cant recall if it was before Ole or after. However Ole has obviously had the time to assess him and deems him not needed. How many cases are there when players are loaned out and then come back and be part of the club again. They must be in the minority
 

Massive Spanner

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Still think he was hard done by here. Lindelof hasn't really shown himself to be much better and he would have benefited from playing alongside Maguire, who is miles ahead of anyone he's had to play with before.
 

Ekeke

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His extension was granted in December, cant recall if it was before Ole or after. However Ole has obviously had the time to assess him and deems him not needed. How many cases are there when players are loaned out and then come back and be part of the club again. They must be in the minority
Well if you read the interview that isnt the case. He was behind Lindelof and Maguire in the pecking order but would have had cup games and played when we had injuries. He said he wouldnt have had the 50 games he was used to but more like 30 (all comps)

So he was needed just not as first choice, but he had the chance to go to Italy and is saying he'll play more there and likes a challenge.
 

Ekeke

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Still think he was hard done by here. Lindelof hasn't really shown himself to be much better and he would have benefited from playing alongside Maguire, who is miles ahead of anyone he's had to play with before.
See this is what my stance has always been with Smalling. I dont think he's a "top class CB" or w/e. I think hes the best we had and while he's been a first choice he's never had a top class CB playing with him. So we dont know how he'd do next to one. Even Evans had a season with Rio.

Now I'm not sure Maguire is a "top class CB" either, but hes clearly the closest we've had while Smalling had become a starter at United. So I would have liked to have seen how they do together. Honestly I think they'd do well together
 

red4ever 79

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Well if you read the interview that isnt the case. He was behind Lindelof and Maguire in the pecking order but would have had cup games and played when we had injuries. He said he wouldnt have had the 50 games he was used to but more like 30 (all comps)

So he was needed just not as first choice, but he had the chance to go to Italy and is saying he'll play more there and likes a challenge.
Kudos to him for moving to play football and not pick up wages here as a squad player. He was the least used player in pre-season after Lukaku. Lindelof Maguire and Tuanzebe are all ahead of him.Ole doesnt rate him and rightly so. Not good enough for us
 
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finneh

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Think Maguire, Lindelof, Smalling & Tuanzebe as our centre backs would be the preferred choice.

I'm guessing injuries to Rojo and Jones meant we struggled to shift them, hence the decision.

I imagine next Summer Jones/Rojo are gone and Smalling comes back into the fold as third choice.
 

Ødegaard

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I'll have my negative hat on for a moment:
Why is it easier to stay at United and not be a part of the first team than to go to Roma (or anywhere else) to be a part of their first team?

It's a good interview, and he comes across as a good guy with focus on improving himself, but the part about it being easy to stay at United irks me. It should be hard, you should be given a lot of competition just to stay around. And I'm talking about CB, a position we have tons of players of similar quality. :houllier:
 

red4ever 79

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Think Maguire, Lindelof, Smalling & Tuanzebe as our centre backs would be the preferred choice.

I'm guessing injuries to Rojo and Jones meant we struggled to shift them, hence the decision.

I imagine next Summer Jones/Rojo are gone and Smalling comes back into the fold as third choice.
I dont think so. Everton wanted Rojo. Jones probably no one wants with his injury record and wages. Smalling was wanted because he is a decent CB who is fairly reliable. He's just not good enough for where we want to go, but that's not a bad thing.
 

finneh

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I dont think so. Everton wanted Rojo. Jones probably no one wants with his injury record and wages. Smalling was wanted because he is a decent CB who is fairly reliable. He's just not good enough for where we want to go, but that's not a bad thing.
I think keeping Rojo was a mistake given it was Everton after him, not Chelsea. I think it's definitely him and Jones on the way out next season though; unless Smalling has a great experience in Rome andpushes us to let him go.
 

red4ever 79

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I think keeping Rojo was a mistake given it was Everton after him, not Chelsea. I think it's definitely him and Jones on the way out next season though; unless Smalling has a great experience in Rome andpushes us to let him go.
Fully agree with you mate. Rojo and Jones are certain to go. Smalling doesnt want to be 4th choice which is fair enough. Think all 3 will be gone by end of next summer
 

AshRK

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Good read. He is a top professional. He is not the most gifted CB but he has worked hard and has done reasonably well. I think his time here was coming to an end. Lindelof may not be the man but I don't see the club going back to Smalling next season. We might actually make good money selling him next season. Best luck to him.
 

El Zoido

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Am I the only one paywalled behind this or does everyone have a subscription to the Telegraph?