Smalling signs new contract

[MikeKing]

Yeah for sure

And Jose would start playing offensive football with a new CB.

I actually believe you think that is funny.

 

[Al-T]

Won't be putting bunting up and having a street party.

He's less shit and less injury prone than Rojo or Jones and that's it.

 

[AlwaysRed66]

Funny, he signs a new lucrative contract, & first game afterwards injures himself in the warm-up.

 

[Amar__]

Funny, he signs a new lucrative contract, & first game afterwards injures himself in the warm-up.

It's not funny, he was injured and was ready to play injured(that's how better he is than the others we have), but obviously the level of inury was worse during the warm up so they pulled him out.

 

[ROFLUTION]

Good. He's a decent option to have and the last of the central defenders that should go.

So, Ed's contract-pen is actually working??

 

[Sultan]

Players must love Woodward. He is certainly benevolent when giving out contracts.

 

[arnie_ni]

Funny, he signs a new lucrative contract, & first game afterwards injures himself in the warm-up.

He has a fractured foot and tried to play through it because our other cbs are so shit

 

[Nate Dogg]

Players must love Woodward. He is certainly benevolent when giving out contracts.

I sincerely hope he is not benevolent when it comes to the renewal of Jones, Valencia, Young and co.

 

[Devil may care]

Fine as a squad player IMO, 3 and a half year deal, Tuanzebe coming through, sell Jones instead, I've got no real issues with this.

 

[.Rossi]

What do we think of this decision now?

 

[Cassidy]

What do we think of this decision now?

Best CB at the club, makes sense.

 

[AgentP]

What do we think of this decision now?

Still a good decision. We need to get better players if we want to replace him.

 

[.Rossi]

Best CB at the club, makes sense.

Still a good decision. We need to get better players if we want to replace him.

I was coming at it from the angle that sacking Mourinho was obviously not a heat of the moment thing

Which leads me to believe that Smalling signing a new contract wasn't the manager's idea.

Which then leads me to think, how would a potential new manager look at that decision?

 

[FrantikChicken]

I was coming at it from the angle that sacking Mourinho was obviously not a heat of the moment thing

Which leads me to believe that Smalling signing a new contract wasn't the manager's idea.

Which then leads me to think, how would a potential new manager look at that decision?

Even if we were to bring in 2 top CB's over the next year, having a 3rd/4th choice like Smalling would make most managers happy I'd imagine

 

[MikeKing]

What do we think of this decision now?

He hasn't become a worse player since Mourinho left, has he? So not much is changed. If anything he might improve with the rest of his teammates now.

 

[.Rossi]

He hasn't become a worse player since Mourinho left, has he? So not much is changed. If anything he might improve with the rest of his teammates now.

No, that's not what I meant. Look above

 

[MikeKing]

No, that's not what I meant. Look above

If what I said is true, then a new manager wouldn't have a problem with that. If anything it means the new manager can sell Smalling for some money if he wants, to fund new CB. If he is not here he is less valuable to us than if he is, even if the new manager didn't rate him. More realistically he would be happy to at least have one reliable CB to work with from the start, whilst working on getting other players in his image. However, I don't think my logic here extends to all players in our squad who aren't highly rated by the public. Jones, Young, Valencia etc. is even done as makeshift players and we've prolonged a problem by relying on them, so if we extend their contracts now I would think a manager would be frightened by that decision. It is now time to lack in numbers where real quality doesn't exist so we can clearly see where to strengthen the squad, instead of papering over the cracks as we've been doing.

 

[redpatron]

What do we think of this decision now?

terrible decision without consent from the new director of football and/or manager. Imagine if Poch or Zidane becomes our manager, he's absolutely useless for both managers.

 

[Dazzmondo]

Need to keep up the home grown quota I guess

 

[flappyjay]

I was coming at it from the angle that sacking Mourinho was obviously not a heat of the moment thing

Which leads me to believe that Smalling signing a new contract wasn't the manager's idea.

Which then leads me to think, how would a potential new manager look at that decision?

Gives the new boss a chance to evaluate him.

 

[Bojan11]

Gives the new boss a chance to evaluate him.

Why does he need evaluating? You can see from the past 5 years how he plays. This isn’t some youth prospect who hasn’t fulfilled his potential anymore. Same goes with Jones, Young and Valencia. They don’t need evaluating.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I was coming at it from the angle that sacking Mourinho was obviously not a heat of the moment thing

Which leads me to believe that Smalling signing a new contract wasn't the manager's idea.

Which then leads me to think, how would a potential new manager look at that decision?

A decision to try and retain the best central defender at the club? I’d say he’d be fine with that. Why wouldn’t he?

 

[Ekeke]

What do we think of this decision now?

Even better.

 

[.Rossi]

A decision to try and retain the best central defender at the club? I’d say he’d be fine with that. Why wouldn’t he?

It's obviously a decision the board took, not the manager.

How would a new manager look upon that, if you get me?
Power, control etc

 

[Pogue Mahone]

It's obviously a decision the board took, not the manager.

How would a new manager look upon that, if you get me?
Power, control etc

All he will care about is how similar decisions get made when he’s in charge. Which they can discuss at the interview. Hopefully we’ll have a DoF signed up by then anyway.

 

[Oldyella]

It's obviously a decision the board took, not the manager.

How would a new manager look upon that, if you get me?
Power, control etc

Why would it? This was renewed in advance of the capitulation at Liverpool. Perhaps that really was the final straw for our board?

That aside, most managers are now used to working with what they are given, Jose was a bit of an outlier in that he wanted full control.

If rumours are correct we want a full restructure with dof etc, any coach will know what they are getting. (Massive wage, good youth prospects coming through, potential for heavy team investment)

 

[roseguy64]

He cannot defend a corner without grappling an oppo player! It's madness!

And he rarely if ever gets called on it. Same like with Terry. If he's getting away with it then what's the problem?

 

[Ish]

And he rarely if ever gets called on it. Same like with Terry. If he's getting away with it then what's the problem?

Aye. Seems like it happens in every single game as well. Madness when it’s called by referees because if there was consistency we’ll end up getting 3-4 pens given every game.

 

[izec]

And he rarely if ever gets called on it. Same like with Terry. If he's getting away with it then what's the problem?

Still to be seen how VAR will be implemented, but there is a good chance he wont get away with it as often from next season onwards.

 

[limerickcitykid]

Still to be seen how VAR will be implemented, but there is a good chance he wont get away with it as often from next season onwards.

What's that good chance based on? Every defender out there grabs the feck out of players on corners and there is little evidence of VAR stopping it or consistently punishing it.

 

[izec]

What's that good chance based on? Every defender out there grabs the feck out of players on corners and there is little evidence of VAR stopping it or consistently punishing it.

I thought referees got told to look closer at grabbing and pushing on corners. VAR would only help in that, as seen in the WC. Of course it happens quite often, but Smalling is known for it in our team and that could backfire. If he gives 2-3 pens away with that sort of thing that wont go down quite well for us.

 

[11101]

Still to be seen how VAR will be implemented, but there is a good chance he wont get away with it as often from next season onwards.

Then he won't do it. He's not an idiot, if VAR means players cant get away with it then they will stop.

 

[haram]

Is he fit now?

 

[NinjaZombie]

And he rarely if ever gets called on it. Same like with Terry. If he's getting away with it then what's the problem?

In the words of Ned Stark, "VAR is coming."

 

[711]

And he rarely if ever gets called on it. Same like with Terry. If he's getting away with it then what's the problem?

Yeah, Italians make it an art form and it's immensely clever, Smalling does it and it's stupid.

VAR may change things or it may not, but if it does it won't be just Smalling that's affected, it will be the best defences in football.

 

[Rozay]

Yeah, Italians make it an art form and it's immensely clever, Smalling does it and it's stupid.

VAR may change things or it may not, but if it does it won't be just Smalling that's affected, it will be the best defences in football.

Because he’s constantly giving away pens for it, or because it gets on your nerves?

 

[711]

Because he’s constantly giving away pens for it, or because it gets on your nerves?

Apologies if I wasn't clear, I don't actually mean he's stupid, I mean he fouls like the Italians to get the job done. Not as clever as their best ones of course. On penalties, it's an occupational hazard for centre backs, I'd worry more about Bailly and possibly Jones than Smalling.

 

[Bestietom]

Players must love Woodward. He is certainly benevolent when giving out contracts.

He should practice signing some players this window and give Ole a level playing pitch to get into top 4.