So would you keep Smalling?

[711]

Keep, if he wants to stay, but I doubt he does now, so it doesn't matter. As said above, he's better than Bailly, Jones and Rojo, so selling him them seems a bit dumb to me.

 

[iHicksy]

Doesn't really matter what we think to be honest. He's gone. Was it Jose that actually made a joke in the media about how bad Smalling was at passing a football? You simply can't carry that in a team that wants to win the prem and play from the back. He'll look good, maybe even great for a team that plays to his strengths and doesn't care about his limited passing but unfortunately that ain't us. (anymore)

 

[norm87cro]

He's better than Lindelof but that's really not a compliment.

 

[Garethw]

A top class defender in today's game needs to be able to do both.

If you want a defender who can just defend, you end up with AWB. We need to be more forward thinking. If our players can't play out from the ball, they will get pressed by the opposition in every game and this will lead to more defensive mistakes and we will concede more.

I’m certainly not advocating that Smalling is brought back as first choice mate. But if it’s the 85 minute in a cup final that we are winning 1-0 and it’s a choice between bringing Smalling, Jones, Rojo or Bailly on to tighten things up, I know who my choice would be.

 

[shabz]

He's being embelished because he is better arguably than what we have starting. But that doesn't mean that he is good enough for us, it just means everyone else isn't good enough.

We need to find someone to world class to partner Maguire as he's our starting CB for the forseeable due to what we've paid for him.

 

[11101]

Should never have been loaned in the first place. He and Maguire would have made an excellent partnership. Before Maguire came in, everytime we brought a centre half in, he has still established himself as the best one at the club, and our best spell has been with Smalling plus another. Right up until the end of last season, and then we let our best defender go!

Not really. People have a misconception it was down to him winning his spot back each time, in reality he was the only one able to stay fit. Other than Blind the first player to come in who was able to stay fit replaced him in the team. Rojo was a permacrock from Day 1 and Bailly did replace him initially until he too became a chronic injury.

He is nowhere near as good as Lindelof or Maguire. He would have a role here as backup only if and when Bailly is unfit, and he's clearly not happy to do that.

 

[Superunknown]

I’m certainly not advocating that Smalling is brought back as first choice mate. But if it’s the 85 minute in a cup final that we are winning 1-0 and it’s a choice between bringing Smalling, Jones, Rojo or Bailly on to tighten things up, I know who my choice would be.

Fair enough, sorry if I misinterpreted that. I've always personally preferred Smalling over both Rojo and Jones anyway, although in my mind none of them should be here for much longer. I can't make my mind up regarding Bailly but he doesn't look like he's worth keeping for too long either.

The injury records for these guys isn't great either. We're in a bit of a mess in this area still and it's going to require a bit of work to sort it out. The plus side with Smalling is that we may still get a fee for him, whereas I think we'll struggle to offload Jones and Rojo.

 

[EwanI Ted]

Dont think so. Smalling is a top 6 player, not the kind of guy you can build a title winning defence around, and at 30 years old he's not getting any better. There is a good argument that he would have been a better partner for Maguire than Lindelof, but at this point I'd much rather go for a younger player we can develop than bring him back.

 

[Sassy Colin]

Sell and don’t even think about it.

Poor at passing, okay but not great at defending, and hasn’t set the world in fire while at Roma. He is not the solution to anything.

Sounds like you are describing Maguire at United, although his passing is much better.

 

[romufc]

He is better than Lindelof being mentioned alot on here. However; Ole had both in the line up last season and decided to pursue with Lindelof over Smalling.

So what makes him better than Lindelof? Lindelof is still quite young and would be a very good option as the backup CB.

 

[Eire Red United]

Probably as good as Maguire at defending put poor on the ball, far more reliable fitness wise than Bailly or Jones. I’d have him as first back up for sure.

 

[jamesjimmybyrondean]

If we get a CB then sell. But it would be stupid to sell him If our CB options next season are still Rojo Jones Bailly Tuanzebe Lindelof and Maguire.

 

[LuckyScout78]

The main job for a CB is not concede goals. If they are good with the ball and passing too. Then its a plus plus. So before Maguire came. Clearly Smalling was best as defending. Smalling was best with the defensive work. Even not the best defender with the offensive and creative work. But again, its not their main job. One of the CM can help with play from the deep. All players can make available. You dont need to play from CB to midfield and midfield to attack all the time. Dont limit your football style. Keep it simple, direct, free and and effective. When its right to play long ball play long ball. When its rigth to play short play short. Do it was it right here and there.

So we cant all blame the build up on CB and full back. Central midfield players should be the most creative players on the pitch. Its theirs main job.

Compare to Vidic. Vidic wasnt good with the ball too. But he was a beast at defending. So if some CB are world class at defending, but above average and under the best with ball playing. Buy him. You dont need a Xavi as CB.

I havent seen Smalling play this season. But i know what i will buy if i m looking after a new CB. No need for a top ball playing CB.

 

[Bilbo]

The main job for a CB is not concede goals. If they are good with the ball and passing too. Then its a plus plus

Not in this team. Our centre backs have a lot of touches, and we've seen in recent matches that we still need to improve against teams that press us high up the pitch. Playing a centre back who is pretty poor with the ball at his feet is not going to help that at all.

However there does seem to be a shortage of available centre backs on the market. You'd like to think that it would make it easier for us to sell the ones we dont want, but so far that doesn't seem to be the case.

I've always liked Smalling. He had to go to Rome to become rated by our own fans it seems, but i don't think he is right for the type of football we are looking to play.

 

[Eire Red United]

Tuanzebe has 2 times the ceiling of Smalling. From the few times I've seen him, he just looks like a massive talent, but sadly could end up becoming a wasted talent like Jones.

In regards to Williams, I think he'll develop like Gary Neville in that Neville looked bang average to start out with for 2 seasons, but he had a special elite mentality that leaders have to become the best, and I think Williams may have a similar mentality despite looking average a lot of the time in this moment.

Southgate has about 10 central defenders he will pick before Smalling. The likes of Michael Keane, Tyrone Mings, Tarkowski, Ben Mee etc and Southgate has a strong reputation for building a solid defenses.

Tuanzabe is absolutely no use to us if he cant stay fit, no matter how talented the kid is

 

[EwanI Ted]

The main job for a CB is not concede goals. If they are good with the ball and passing too. Then its a plus plus. So before Maguire came. Clearly Smalling was best as defending. Smalling was best with the defensive work. Even not the best defender with the offensive and creative work. But again, its not their main job. One of the CM can help with play from the deep. All players can make available. You dont need to play from CB to midfield and midfield to attack all the time. Dont limit your football style. Keep it simple, direct, free and and effective. When its right to play long ball play long ball. When its rigth to play short play short. Do it was it right here and there.

So we cant all blame the build up on CB and full back. Central midfield players should be the most creative players on the pitch. Its theirs main job.

Compare to Vidic. Vidic wasnt good with the ball too. But he was a beast at defending. So if some CB are world class at defending, but above average and under the best with ball playing. Buy him. You dont need a Xavi as CB.

I havent seen Smalling play this season. But i know what i will buy if i m looking after a new CB. No need for a top ball playing CB.

In the modern game, I just dont think this is true any more. For one thing, there are so many pressing teams around that good passing is good defending for a CB. The press is the first line of attack and good passing is the best way to counter it. For another thing, most teams build from the back, not from midfield these days. If your CB can't pass effectively into midfield, the whole attack suffers. To my mind you need players who can pass as well as they defend to be a top team.

 

[Green_Red]

All depends. If we manage to sign another top CB to pair with Maguire then we don't need him. If we don't manage to sign a defender he would be a good squad option.

 

[LawCharltonBest]

Very close to signing for Roma.

Id have kept him as it doesn’t look like we are going to sign a CB. Lindelof isn’t good enough and Bailly & Tuanzebe are too injury prone

No disrespect to Jones, but I don’t think we can seriously still think of him as an option

I think we will regret this and have another CB crisis by November

 

[SwedishFish]

Farewell Smalling. Good price for a defender over 30 and he wasn't happy to stay anyway.

We might not sign another CB this window, but there are more pressing areas to deal with in terms of the squad right now.

Hopefully the money raised will be used for Sancho.

 

[ivaldo]

Served us well over the years but never reached the levels Fergie hoped he would. We have at least 2 CBs markedly better than him now. He should remain in the past.

 

[RedSky]

Always defended Smalling and rated him as a CB, been a very good player for us and wish him well. He'll continue to do well over in Italy, it suits him.

 

[devips]

Farewell Smalling. You have been United's best defender these last 7-8 years. You will be missed.

 

[flappyjay]

Keep him and try get upamecano next year. I fear we might go for an alternative that's not as good as Dayot just to bring in another cb.

 

[Leftback99]

Not only is he better than Lindelof but it will never seem like a good idea while the sorry crop of back ups are permanently injured.

He's probably worth more than the rest of them combined which is likely the reason we're cashing in rather than how useful he is to us.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Served us well over the years but never reached the levels Fergie hoped he would. We have at least 2 CBs markedly better than him now. He should remain in the past.

One.

And even if we say it’s two, I think he would have stayed last year if it wasn’t for the fact we can’t get rid of Bailly, Rojo and Jones, and he was the only one that had any value to anyone else.

 

[Cathy Ferguson]

Very close to signing for Roma.

Id have kept him as it doesn’t look like we are going to sign a CB. Lindelof isn’t good enough and Bailly & Tuanzebe are too injury prone

No disrespect to Jones, but I don’t think we can seriously still think of him as an option

I think we will regret this and have another CB crisis by November

Agreed, and neither Bailly nor Tuanzebe has proven to be an upgrade over Smalling, even though both of them have potential not least Tuanzebe.

If Ole does not rate Smalling and we get €20m for him then I can understand why we are selling him.

I cannot see us winning major titles with our inept defence, as evidenced by the Sevilla debacle. Are there any realistic targets out there who will not cost a fortune?

 

[Bilbo]

Had to be sold. Simply does not have the passing ability to be able to play out from the back, and this is how Ole wants us to play.

Wish him the best though. He's been a good servant for the club.

 

[Gary_Walsh_Nou_Camp_Hell]

Get rid

Cannot bear the thought of watch him in a United shirt again.

 

[devips]

Get rid

Cannot bear the thought of watch him in a United shirt again.

The state of this post.

 

[ivaldo]

One.

And even if we say it’s two, I think he would have stayed last year if it wasn’t for the fact we can’t get rid of Bailly, Rojo and Jones, and he was the only one that had any value to anyone else.

It's two, at least in this team.

He just doesn't fit in with the style we want it play. If he would step in now I think people would appreciate just how awkward he is in possession.

 

[Bwuk]

He’s what, 30, never kicked a ball for us last year in a massively improved side, and his fee will pay about half of Van de Beek.

Hopefully Jones and Rojo aren’t far behind.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Keep him! He could challenge for a starting spot.

 

[AshRK]

Sell him. Thanks for the services.

 

[Shark]

Giving Jones a 5 year contract and loaning Smalling out has the one of the worst decisions. Say what you want about his ability to pass out from the back but he's a very good defender and a threat at corners/set pieces unlike our captain.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Seen a lot of people suggest we should keep him. Premier league proven, suitable partner for Maguire or Lindelof and arguably our best defender but can't play out from the back. Keep or sell?

Sell.

 

[m1tch]

Unless all our goalkicks are going to be hit up field then he's got to be sold. He's better than Jones and Rojo but they clearly need ushering out too.

I'd be surprised if we didn't have half a dozen prem teams bidding for him, shame the same can't be said for other players we need to move on.

 

[Jacob]

Maguire
LIndelöf
Smalling

In that order.

Therefore, Rojo and Jones should be sold first if there are any takers.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Maguire
LIndelöf
Smalling

In that order.

Therefore, Rojo and Jones should be sold first if there are any takers.

Problem is no one wants them, been trying to sell Rojo for 5 years. You even forgot about Bailly, so crap he’s forgettable.
Smalling is either our second best or third best CB.

 

[Jacob]

Problem is no one wants them, been trying to sell Rojo for 5 years. You even forgot about Bailly, so crap he’s forgettable.
Smalling is either our second best or third best CB.

Aye, you're right. I forgot about Bailly. Not a fan of him either.

To be honest, I don't like any of our CBs.

 

[EwanI Ted]

£20m plus add ons is decent. If he comes back, sits on the bench for a year then goes back on the market aged 31, we won’t get half that.