Smalling / on loan to Roma 1 year

[RedNed77]

I'm not telling you that, I'm telling you that your comparison of Greenwood to Tuanzebe is idiotic. I'm not sure why in both your replies now you're trying to skirt away from that? Is it because you've been found out?

Your own argument works against you though. What is Tuanzebes experience compared to Smallings? How many times have we seen Tuanzebe play well at CB for us? I hope the kid does well, but we’ve just let big chungus go as we thought it’s ok we have Greenwood. He’s looked lost when he’s been played in anything other than a friendly. We’re now doing the same thing again, albeit admittedly for a player who has a few more first team appearances.

The whole approach is just very fecking risky. Even shite like sanchez know how to slow a game down or have authority when they come on, even if he contributed nothing to the actual play. If things start going bad in games, having a bench stacked with kids is just fecking blindly optimistic

 

[stevoc]

Strange one for me. He's a better defender than any of our other backs ups and the least injury prone.

Would rather we shifted on Jones/Rojo and Bailly when he's back fit.

Same here but it would be an achievement in itself getting any of those 3 fit long enough for another team to be interested.

 

[Fıstıkçı Şahap]

He's probably still our best CB from a purely defensive point of view (and most reliable with the injury record) and people who have their heads in sand think Tuanzebe who showed nothing so far he can be a CB at this club expect him to take his place. Some of the fans and their "United way" dreams will get hit hard by harsh reality this year. Let's see how much better our defending will be without our scapegoats.

 

[FootyGirl88]

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[Green_Red]

Good news. Strange to sign a player up on a 3 or 4 year contract and then send him on loan 8 months later but oh well... maybe we can eventually get rid of the dead wood making those decisions at some point too.

 

[Chabon]

Nah, Europa. They're actually ahead of us in the coefficients

Well, we only really let go of players who draw interest from teams superior to us. Lukaku, Sanchez, Smalling, and Herrera will all play this year for teams better than the one they've left; while Darmian and Rojo will still be on United's books long after the heat death of the universe.

 

[matsdf]

Very happy to see him gone! Though he has been nothing but professional, hopefully he'll crush it in Italy!

 

[Hawks2008]

Sources: Smalling FC posters beside themselves. Driving around Manchester begging (thru texts) Smalling's family for adress to Chris's home.

In all seriousness I would have rather seen Bailly and Jones leave before them but not sad to see him go.

 

[Ballist1x]

Why haven't we been loaning out Darmian the last 2 years for say £2-3m per season to recoup some of the cost ?

 

[NotoriousISSY]

Irrespective of who should've gone first, he was poor last season...especially post PSG.

He's not composed, he lacks confidence and is heavily reliant on his athleticism. Jones, Rojo, Bailly, Young, Mata, Lingard, Fred and Darmian to go!

 

[flappyjay]

Aye he's class we should keep him, maybe he'll get better after his loan If you never noticed Smalling and his grabbing in the box, you must not have seen him play much.

Show me where I said he is class. He is easily our 3rd best defender if not 2nd. You describe him as some one who is only floor after failed tackles that's a description of Jones, Rojo and Bailly. Yes he grabs a lot but referees don't seem to monitor it even on var it's only on rare occasions . Var I there in Italy too where grabbing is part of defending for them.

 

[Dike_Manc]

Just can't believe he goes before Jones, Baily and Rojo. How's Rojo still at this club, just how??

 

[Mystry]

This one is going to bite us in the arse. He's still one of our best centre backs, much better than Bailey, Jones and Rojo who are more injury prone to boot.

 

[Siorac]

Would prefer to keep him over Jones and Rojo but it is what it is.

Yeah same, but probably no one wanted to touch them, understandably.

 

[jderbyshire]

Good news. Strange to sign a player up on a 3 or 4 year contract and then send him on loan 8 months later but oh well... maybe we can eventually get rid of the dead wood making those decisions at some point too.

Yeah it is a bit weird that.

Although if he has a good season for Roma I suppose we can command a decent fee next summer if they (or other clubs) want to make it a permanent deal.

Like some others have said, I'd sooner see Rojo, Bailly or Jones out the door first, but it's precisely the fact that he is a better player that those three which is the reason he's not happy to sit on the bench for most of the season.

 

[Massive Spanner]

This is fecking bizarre.

The only explanation I can think of is that nobody wants Jones or Rojo, even on loan.

 

[Real Madras]

Definately going to bite us in the bum. Horrible decision to let him leave above Jones and Rojo. He is the 3rd best CB in my eyes that we have at the club. Awful decision. Just because he can't play out from the back doesn't mean he should be sold. He's solid defensively, nearly always fit.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

He's probably still our best CB from a purely defensive point of view (and most reliable with the injury record) and people who have their heads in sand think Tuanzebe who showed nothing so far he can be a CB at this club expect him to take his place. Some of the fans and their "United way" dreams will get hit hard by harsh reality this year. Let's see how much better our defending will be without our scapegoats.

He's our best CB? Really? Even when you bear in mind his 180 degree turn to pass a ball with his "good" foot?

I watched a decent amount of Tuanzebe last year (3 games live... wife and in-laws Villa fans). Looked 'ok'.

Out of all our spare CHs, I'd have kept Smalling over some others but if Ole says he doesn't want him, let him go, take the loan fee and crack on with it.

 

[LS17]

Good news. Strange to sign a player up on a 3 or 4 year contract and then send him on loan 8 months later but oh well... maybe we can eventually get rid of the dead wood making those decisions at some point too.

Seemingly proof that it wasn't Ole dishing out these new contracts despite people seeming to think it was.

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

While I am glad we're not looking to players like him in our vision of the future, he was still our third best defender. I hope we have some plan of recruitment for all the players we're letting go that's not 'we'll promote from the youth academy because that's the United way'.

Well, at least we're letting the deadwood leave. Now to Darmian and Rojo.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

This is fecking bizarre.

The only explanation I can think of is that nobody wants Jones or Rojo, even on loan.

Probably. People assume Ole doesn't want him over all others in the same way they assume Ole has some say in Sanchez's loan terms.

He'll just tell Woodward who he wants, who he would allow to leave and then it's out of his hands.

 

[ArjenIsM3]

This is fecking bizarre.

The only explanation I can think of is that nobody wants Jones or Rojo, even on loan.

Not so fecking bizarre though is it if even you can think of a perfectly reasonable explanation ye massive spanner

love ya

 

[ash_86]

Why are people unhappy with this? If Rojo and Jones still at the club then they have had no takers as simple as that. That doesn't mean we shouldn't be interested in selling smalling.

 

[Massive Spanner]

Probably. People assume Ole doesn't want him over all others in the same way they assume Ole has some say in Sanchez's loan terms.

He'll just tell Woodward who he wants, who he would allow to leave and then it's out of his hands.

I'd love to never see Rojo, Jones, Bailly or Smalling play for us again but if someone got injured and we had no choice, it's Smalling I'd pick all day long. It's a really odd decision to get rid of him while those other three stink up the place.

 

[Canagel]

Why do people care who is going first between Smalling, Jones and Rojo? The order is not important. The only important thing is the process of clearing deadwood has begun, they are not in the managers plans and that's it. Smalling has a taker so hes leaving now. The others will follow him out when there's clubs that want them.

 

[Steve 007]

Just a reminder that we conceded 54 league goals last season. Smalling made 24 league appearances, there’s no doubt he’s had some brilliant league games in the past but in Ole’s mind he’s not a reliable 1st team player anymore so at 29 you are better moving him on in the hope that when the first two starters need a break or get injured you can get some valuable experience into Tuanzebe.

I think we all know it hasn’t worked the last 6 years and some players have survived all 6 of them.

Players have a complacent attitude, I’m thrilled Fellaini, Sanchez, Smalling are gone. It sends a message out that if you don’t perform you’ll follow and it creates space and wages for others.

 

[SilverPaper on the Breeze]

Jones, Rojo and Smalling are all much of a muchness in terms of ability; they're 6-7/10 players. Good enough to be backup options for but hardly Vidic and Ferdinand. The problem is, Smalling is the only one that can stay fit, so he's easily the most saleable. From his point of view as well, do you want to be sat on the bench/in the stands watching on when you could be playing? Rojo and Jones will doing that whether they're at United or not, because they're liable to be injured anyway.

Symbolically though, this is a good move. Jones and Smalling had become a succession memes for christ's sake; moving one of them on is something of a statement.

 

[Suedesi]

Smalling guides Roma to the Scudetto!

 

[MadDogg]

Why do people care who is going first between Smalling, Jones and Rojo? The order is not important. The only important thing is the process of clearing deadwood has begun, they are not in the managers plans and that's it. Smalling has a taker so hes leaving now. The others will follow him out when there's clubs that want them.

Because one of them is far better, less injury-prone and less mistake-prone than the other two. And it's that one that seems to be leaving.

Most likely it's Smalling's decision as he wants games, so good luck to him. More importantly, good luck to ourselves as if we do get injuries to the starting defenders we're going to be asking for trouble.

Hopefully he does well. Either we don't miss him and we'll then be in a good position to sell him for a decent price (obviously that's what we're all hoping for), or we see that we do need him after all and some of the over-the-top critics might quieten down a bit.

 

[Eric's Seagull]

Your own argument works against you though. What is Tuanzebes experience compared to Smallings? How many times have we seen Tuanzebe play well at CB for us? I hope the kid does well, but we’ve just let big chungus go as we thought it’s ok we have Greenwood. He’s looked lost when he’s been played in anything other than a friendly. We’re now doing the same thing again, albeit admittedly for a player who has a few more first team appearances.

The whole approach is just very fecking risky. Even shite like sanchez know how to slow a game down or have authority when they come on, even if he contributed nothing to the actual play. If things start going bad in games, having a bench stacked with kids is just fecking blindly optimistic

I will be happy for the youngsters to get minutes but it's not fair having the youngsters to have to some into this sh!teshow and be expected to perform well consistently. They are going to be under a lot of pressure to perform and be scrutinised for every mistake and probably having a few people unjustly criticizing them, which could ruin their confidence. Where as if if we had a strong first 11 full of strong characters it wouldn't be so much expectation on them to perform and strong characters would be able to absorb the pressure. The youngster's should be able to have the time to come into the team, make these mistakes as part of the learning the curve and hopefully fulfill their potential.

 

[jackal&hyde]

Ole would make a good DOF, I like his strategy so far.

I agree. His decisions on the ins and outs seems to be perfect thus far.

Although i've written some about him being a limited footballer that can not function in the way United wants to play, i do like his character and he does his best whenever being called upon. I wish him luck but we need to move one from this one dimensional type of defender.

 

[jackal&hyde]

How have Jones and Rojo survived this ahead of Mike?

For Rojo and Darmian we probably couldn't find takers.

 

[Yorkeontop]

Chris will do well there if he stays fit.

 

[Infra-red]

Might have been a decent partner for Maguire...

Anyway, Jones and Rojo next, then get in a CB with pace AND ability on the ball (Tah/Konate) to play alongside Maguire as first choice. Lindelof & Tuanzebe as backups, CB overhaul complete.

 

[fergies coat]

He’s a decent defender I’m surprised we couldn’t get a fee for him. He’d be great for a PL midtable side. It’s baffling nobody else wanted him.

 

[dove]

Quite clear we came into terms that we are not going to be in CL for a while so decided to clear the wage bill.

 

[Ace of Spades]

Neither Maguire, nor Lindelof are injury prone, and on top we have too many defenders. We were always going to have to get a few defenders out, even if on loan.

 

[Chaky_Best]

I would have keep him rather than Jones.

I understand that he wants to play, but to build a team with differents qualities I would have keep him as our 3rd or 4th choice.

Jones is always injured and it will prove us costly.

If we keep Rojo it will be also a bit difficult to understand

 

[Class of 63]

Great move for the lad, chuffed for him.

 

[BlackBen]

Thank God he's going, been a long time coming. Don't care which of the clowns we have in defence leave first as long as they leave I'm pleased.

I'm now starting to believe Ole can be ruthless. Joy really comes in the morning