Smalling Watch

[DevilRed]

Definately at fault for the first one. Didn't need to try and win the ball of benteke when he was all the way out on the wing with his back to goal. Having said that, Smalling made some brilliant headers at the end and denied a barry bannan throughball in the second half. Slowly coming back into form and in my opinion he will by far be the better defender than Jonny Evans.

 

[Galactic]

He just need to workout more in the gym.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Was very good.

 

[Longlivekeano]

I thought both goals were his fault. His one was brushed off too easily by Bendekte. 2 one, tried to play an offside trap but failed. Other than that he looked sound. Not his best performance, but that is to be expected with such a long term injury. He needs more games like yesterday to push towards his best form.

 

[Slevs]

He was okay, Benteke was a bit too much for him when it came to a physical contest. I actually thought he broke his shoulder or something for their first goal.

 

[Neutral]

Not sure why he didn't simply kick that into touch - he had the upper hand in that exchange early on...whatever, he made a mistake, we got away with it, and most importantly, he got another 90 minutes of match practice.

 

[Jimy_Hills_Chin]

Having someone as good as him in the air is what we need whilst De Gea assimilates to the demands of the Premier League 6 yard box. Is Evans any good in the air? I have to admit that I have never noticed either way. I ask because since having Smalling in the team we seem to be much better defending against crossed balls.

 

[ricky-romeo]

did okay throughout the game considering that was his second match after out for half a year.

however, he should not get out-muscled by benteke for the first goal. no matter how strong this benteke guy is, smalling is a 6"4', 90 kilos defender. surely he should not had let this happen.

 

[Kevin]

It looked very embarrassing, the weakness he showed when they scored the first goal. He even acted all injured/hurt (covered his face more out of shame and embarrassment than out of pain probably) and it was awkward seeing him sneakily look up and hesitate between continuing the Al Pacino performance whilst the opposition players were celebrating 3 yards away from him or actually just get up and get the hell out of there.

The word Owned has never been more apt.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

It looked very embarrassing, the weakness he showed when they scored the first goal. He even acted all injured/hurt (covered his face more out of shame and embarrassment than out of pain probably) and it was awkward seeing him sneakily look up and hesitate between continuing the Al Pacino performance whilst the opposition players were celebrating 3 yards away from him or actually just get up and get the hell out of there.

The word Owned has never been more apt.

I'm pretty sure he held his shoulder? I'd have to see it again to confirm though...

Anyway, he looked like a defender who has been injured for for a long while... rusty at times, and decent at others. Nothing to be overly concerned about and he'll only get better from here.

Also, it's worth saying he was excellent in the last period of the game defending our box. Was winning headers and balls left right and centre.

 

[ArmchairCritic]

It looked very embarrassing, the weakness he showed when they scored the first goal. He even acted all injured/hurt (covered his face more out of shame and embarrassment than out of pain probably) and it was awkward seeing him sneakily look up and hesitate between continuing the Al Pacino performance whilst the opposition players were celebrating 3 yards away from him or actually just get up and get the hell out of there.

The word Owned has never been more apt.

Pfffft, he just got caught out. Benteke's body positioning helped him more there than just pure strength, he was shielding the ball as Smalling tried to come across and Smalling got caught out, he'll learn. He admitted it was his fault anyway after the game.

 

[ArmchairCritic]

Also for that 2nd goal it's a peculiar place to play offside (which he wasn't), he was only putting his hand up along with Rio because he was covering the space quite well and couldn't believe Wiemann nipped in. Rio and Evra got caught napping there, not helped by the midfield there mind.

 

[OneUnited24]

Thought he did well considering he just got back from injury and played the full 90 in 2 games over a space of 4 days.

I really like the way he attacks the ball in the air, almost Vidic like

 

[Ekeke]

3 games in and he's joint with Ferdinand for interceptions, both behind the frontrunner of course Rafael. I think this is a good indication of how well he reads the game and positions himself. While I'm here, he's also 3rd most aerial duels won but with Fletcher included when hes only played 1 game. Really he'd be 2nd behind Vidic

 

[Lawman]

Looking like the creation of a monster Frankensmalling......

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

Great to have him back.

 

[OGkush]

has to be one of the top CB "prospects" in the world.

 

[Rowem]

I think he'll start challenging Rio pretty soon.

Will be interesting when Vidic is back and we have 4 top CBs all fit. Who would make the starting XI? All of them would be in with a shout.

 

[ricky-romeo]

he'll get better and better. just need to stay clear of injuries.

 

[marjen]

He's a beast.

He's also got this terribly, terribly annoying threat of "safing" his passes, which translates to always underhit them slightly and play them slightly behind the receiver. It's annoying as it basically ruins our momentum.

He grew into the match as it went on though.

 

[Rozay]

I'm a big fan, and I believe he'll definitely be a confirmed starter in the near future. I think we are passed the stage of 'Rio and Vidic must start together by default when fit' now. Smalling and Evans have definitely made strong cases for themselves, and Vidic was certainly more poor than good before he got seriously injured for the second time.

Jones, however, appears to be condemned to some sort of O'Shea role. That said, things change very quickly. Evans could pick up an injury at the wrong time next season, for example, resulting in Jones having to play CB for 8 or 9 games, in which case he could put himself right back in it. He has a better shot at a midfield role at the moment.

 

[Andrew~]

I'm a big fan, and I believe he'll definitely be a confirmed starter in the near future. I think we are passed the stage of 'Rio and Vidic must start together by default when fit' now. Smalling and Evans have definitely made strong cases for themselves, and Vidic was certainly more poor than good before he got seriously injured for the second time.

Jones, however, appears to be condemned to some sort of O'Shea role. That said, things change very quickly. Evans could pick up an injury at the wrong time next season, for example, resulting in Jones having to play CB for 8 or 9 games, in which case he could put himself right back in it. He has a better shot at a midfield role at the moment.

I mentioned this before and a lot of people rubbished it, but it could actually happen. Unfortunately for Jones, ahead of him are three (or four counting Vida) seriously good players but if he knuckles down and works on his positional discipline, he can definitely be competing with Evans and Smalling for a first team position. He's got the talent, just needs to settle himself down a bit.

 

[Leg-End]

It's still hard to believe he is only 23 and started in non-league football, hes a Rolls Royce.

 

[Rozay]

I mentioned this before and a lot of people rubbished it, but it could actually happen. Unfortunately for Jones, ahead of him are three (or four counting Vida) seriously good players but if he knuckles down and works on his positional discipline, he can definitely be competing with Evans and Smalling for a first team position. He's got the talent, just needs to settle himself down a bit.

As they say though, bit of a catch-22, given that, as you said, there are so many good centre-halves seemingly ahead of him, he will struggle to get a run in that role, which is what he needs to develop his game in the areas you mentioned. The odd Cup game agsinst Shrewsbury or Otelul every other month alongside Michael Carrick is unlikely to be the solution.

What I suspect is more likely to happen, is that he will be given opportunities in a variety of roles in order to get game time. His best hope of establishing himself would be if he gets to cover for a long-term injury, similarly to how Wes Brown covered Neville for near enough a whole season in 08. If, for example, Rafael got injured for 6-8 months, and Jones stepped in, then there's a good chance Rafael may not get back in. Likewise if a similar circumstance arose in another position.

 

[Sassy Colin]

Smalling interview

Some lovely stuff from Chris Smalling, really like the guy & hopefully he'll be a United stalwart.

Now 23, Smalling joined United in 2010 from Fulham and, notwithstanding some injuries, has developed well. “I’ve improved technically since coming here but also in attitude,” he said.

“At this club it’s always drilled in to me: ‘Make sure you’re a winner, go about off the pitch like you’re a winner.’ It helps when you have players like Giggsy and Rio [Ferdinand] who’ve won a lot. You see them side-by-side with you and that really drives you on.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s the 93rd minute, Giggsy is making his jinky, mazy little runs. You could forgive him for maybe not coming out training every day, because he’s done so much in the game, but every day he’s out there. He doesn’t seem to need a rest.

“He’s not one of the noisiest ones in the dressing room but as we come in from the warm-up, he goes round, talks to everybody, gives them little information or says ‘good luck’. He’s very mellow. If one of the young lads might be nervous, it’s nice to see someone not getting too pumped up. When you see Ryan like that it chills you out.”

Smalling also watches Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic closely, looking and learning. “They do regular stretching with one of the physios and go in the pool after training for recovery. They’ve had long careers and us young ones want to make sure we can have a long career. Picking up pieces of information like that is crucial.”

It helps prepare him for match-day challenges. “Sergio Agüero is the hardest one to face. He’s quick and always running on your shoulder, threatening that space behind.”

Training can be as taxing. Javier Hernández, Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck await him at Carrington. “I get tested each day which is what I need. One minute you can be up against Chicharito and Wazza, and the next up against Robin or Danny. We’ve four great strikers. Chicharito stays very high in the attack, looking to play on your shoulder. Robin and Wazza like to drop in and try and play-make as well. They have great feet.
“Even before I joined Manchester United, I knew of Wazza as a hard worker. Now seeing it first hand in training and matches, he really does give everything for the team. Even if he has to drop into the hole, into midfield, maybe even sometimes go on the wing, he really does work hard. Danny’s done well. He’s played on the left wing as well as upfront. He’s a strong lad and another who likes to run in behind.”

Good attitudes all round. Michael Carrick, too. “He’s one of the first names on the team-sheet. When he’s playing well, the team plays well. Everything goes through him. He sees a lot of passes that really unlock their teams.”

The right attitude is also shown by David De Gea, occasionally criticised but parading his shot-stopping qualities against Real Madrid on Feb 13.
“When he first joined, he didn’t speak too much English so it was a hard transition but he has taken to it like anything. In the last few months he has kept us in the game in a lot of games and made four or five good saves. He’s young as well, so it’s looking good for the future. He’s feeling a lot better. You can see him around the training ground now; he seems at home.”

After training on Thursday, Smalling visited Nicky Butt’s old school Wright Robinson College in Gorton to help the English Schools’ FA to take a coaching session. He first watched the pupils go online and select a training programme from a website run by The Coaching Manual. “It’s sessions taken from a lot of professional clubs,” Smalling said.

The centre-half owes a debt of gratitude to ESFA, which picked him for England Under-18 duty, an important showcase as his alma mater, Chatham Grammar School for Boys, mainly played rugby union, cricket and athletics. “I started off second row and then went on to the wing and centre because I was quite quick. I was glad to get out of the scrums and score some tries! At cricket, I was mainly a bowler and tried to bat. I hit the odd four or six and then got out! In athletics, I was mainly triple jump and 200m.”

Football obsessed him but opportunities were limited. “I lived on a main road and in the garden we had a really steep hill. I had to wait until I could play at school at breaks or after school.”

All the while, he followed Arsenal. “I was a fan. Tony Adams was a true leader. Him and Martin Keown’s relationship was very good at the heart of that defence. I liked Thierry Henry. I watched Arsenal so much on TV. I did get the chance to go to Highbury and the Emirates when it first opened.”
He played non-League for Maidstone United and was about to head to Loughborough University to study Financial Economics after getting three Bs and a C at A-level. “I got five offers from universities. I was a few months away from joining uni. Roy Hodgson watched me in a trial and took me under his wing.”

Hodgson has been a key force in Smalling’s career, now picking him for England. “He’s a coach I enjoy working with. Generally, he’s mellow. He can get angry. We’ve had a few games where things haven’t gone to plan and at half-time he’s had to address the team. He’s very experienced. I’ve been fortunate with the managers I’ve played under.

“Every day he [Sir Alex Ferguson] is out there on the training field. Talking to Giggsy and Scholesy, they say that from day one he’s not lost that determination. If somebody needs shouting at or needs an arm around them, he does it. He’s had that same hunger throughout all the years and it’s paid off in terms of how successful he has been.”

That right attitude shaped by Ferguson was seen in the way Real’s Cristiano Ronaldo visited his old team in the away dressing room at the Bernabéu. “He came in and was chatting a lot with the players he knew. It was good to see. It shows the good relationship he still holds with the manager and club despite [it being] such a crucial game and only halfway done.”

Smalling knows the danger Ronaldo poses next week. “It’s about not leaving yourself exposed one-on-one against Ronaldo even though I’m quite quick myself. The chances are that if he gets you one-on-one he’s going to beat you. It’s a hard battle. We feel pretty confident that as a team we can keep ourselves together, stay solid and make sure nobody gets exposed.”

Going for the Treble and aiming for a World Cup in Brazil, these are “exciting” times for Smalling. “I don’t think it gets much bigger than playing in a World Cup for your country. I’m very hopeful of the future.” He has the right attitude.

Chris Smalling was speaking at the launch of the English Schools’ FA partnership with The Coaching Manual, which provides coaching sessions from the professional game to teachers, students and grass-roots clubs. Visit http://www.thecoachingmanual.com for more information and to see the video lessons.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-and-soaking-up-clubs-winning-philosophy.html

 

[RDCR07]

I am hoping he starts today.

 

[Beachryan]

I fear he's the new Wes Brown. Bear with me. He's a fine centre back, and looks good enough there.

But stick both he and Wesley at RB and the vast, vast majority of times teams will gladly give them the ball. It's like what you do in 5 a side when one player is really bad, just let them have it.

He can't beat a man, he can't cross and he makes poor decisions on that flank. The reason Reading were able to nullify our attack was that their strategy seemed to be give it to Smalling and make sure the other outfield players are marked.

What's slightly more worrying is how easily he's beaten over the first 5 yards. No doubt his top speed is high, but I worry he's just too tall to be a full back.

All that said, I like him as a CB option, but I really, really don't want to see him at RB anymore.

 

[ArmchairCritic]

Yeah I don't actually think that was a particular strategy from Reading. He's not a full-back but he's a useful option when we need extra height.

 

[MrMojo]

I fear he's the new Wes Brown. Bear with me. He's a fine centre back, and looks good enough there.

But stick both he and Wesley at RB and the vast, vast majority of times teams will gladly give them the ball. It's like what you do in 5 a side when one player is really bad, just let them have it.

He can't beat a man, he can't cross and he makes poor decisions on that flank. The reason Reading were able to nullify our attack was that their strategy seemed to be give it to Smalling and make sure the other outfield players are marked.

What's slightly more worrying is how easily he's beaten over the first 5 yards. No doubt his top speed is high, but I worry he's just too tall to be a full back.

All that said, I like him as a CB option, but I really, really don't want to see him at RB anymore.

I don't care if he can beat men, what his crossing's like or his decision making. He's a centre half so it's all completely irrelevant to his future.

 

[Solius]

He's a centre-back and we need to stop playing him at RB. Only in emergencies should he play there. His crossing is crap and he's not agile enough to play up and down the wing.

 

[Ekeke]

Yes, he can just be a Wes Brown at RB. But thats fine for a backup isnt it? At CB he's very reliable. As has been mentioned before he needs to improve his passing, he's at an age now where we should be seeing an improvement. Not a thing wrong with his actual defending at CB though.

 

[Sultan]

He's a natural centre half, and not nimble enough to be a full back. Sir Alex is simply giving games to squad members.

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

Probably just giving him game time today. I'm not worried. He'll be a fantastic CB in the future. Reads the game excellently.

 

[Dargonk]

We really do lose a lot of attacking threat with him playing at RB. Just doesn't have the same attacking skill set that Rafael does. Though I can understand giving him some game time there to give him experience and rest Rafael. Not a RB though, will eventually share the CB spots with Evans. Good back up option t have for RB though.

 

[golden_blunder]

Wes wasn't that bad at RB, he just focused on defence first

 

[kps88]

Brown could definitely cross the ball better.

 

[Varun]

Unlike Jones, he doesnt even look like he could be a top RB, so I wouldnt be worried. He'l be a top CB. He needs games and with Rafa being rested and Jones injured, he was the only one we had for the spot.

 

[Sultan]

Brown had one of his best seasons in a United shirt at right back. Played a full season in that position and more importantly stayed injury free.

 

[ricky-romeo]

Brown had one of his best seasons in a United shirt at right back. Played a full season in that position and more importantly stayed injury free.

yup. brown was immense back in 2007/08. safe to say fergei is only using smalling at RB if he thinks we need extra height at the back. he is behind rafael and jones for the RB position at the moment as far as i am concern. also an alternative when he need minutes under his belt when the likes of rio, vidic and evans are available.

 

[Rozay]

Find it a bit strange that no mention has been made of our young centre-half starting two World Cup qualifiers in a week for England. Thought he acquitted himself quite well overall. With a run of games in our first-team, he can cement that international spot.

Needs to improve composure on the ball, but funnily, this was not really lacking a couple of seasons ago when injuries led to him playing every week for us. But the on-the ball ability is his main weakness at the moment, unquestionably.