I'm not sure it's physical limitations, I just don't think he's switched on enough yet. Look at the Huddersfield goal, that wasnt a lack of ability it was just lazy play. Many times something happens and he's behind the game and left trying to catch up, it's exactly like Smalling but at least Smalling often has the pace to recover. I will say he seems to be getting better although he's still a way off where he needs to be.
I also like his willingness on the ball. Forget meaningless passing stats anyone can achieve, every time he receives the ball his first move is to look for a forward pass. Time will tell if he's any good at it but it's better than some of our others whose first thought is to check if De Gea is in space.
Backwards passes by our defenders, up to the Burnley game
1. Lindelof 29%
2. Jones 22.5%
3. Smalling 20.8%
4. Bailly 19.4%
5. Rojo 15.2%
Way out in front as the defender who makes the most backwards passes.
Pass accuracy
1. Jones 92%
2. Lindelof 89%
3. Smalling 87%
4. Bailly 86%
5. Rojo 69%
Average pass length
1. Rojo 25m
2. Bailly 20m
3. Jones 19m
4. Smalling 19m
5. Lindelof 18m
Second highest pass completion but making the most backwards passes by far and shortest passes this is less impressive.
Average defensive actions per game, blocks, clearances and interceptions
1. Bailly, Smalling & Jones 8
2. Rojo 7
3. Lindelof 6
The worst
Defensive errors per game
1. Lindelof, Jones, Bailly, Rojo 1
2. Smalling 0
Joint worst
Duels won per game
1. Jones 63%
2. Smalling 56%
3. Bailly 54%
4. Lindelof 41%
5. Rojo 29%
Second worst.
Stats from Squaka
He was in the right there though, DDG has this tendency of not collecting the ball, yesterday there was no real danger but there's plenty of times where he just doesn't come out for it and nearly costs us. Basically what
@ivaldo said there.
Lindelof was 'okay' yesterday bar for one thing that annoyed the feck out of me. This situation where Long nearly scored, his tracking back with him was fecking pathetic, I understand that Matić was covering for him but it nearly cost us, it was a massive mistake not to go with Long there.
He was also responsible for conceding the Ward-Prowse chance, which was their second best chance of the game and they nearly scored from. Lost his man on the line, something he tends to do every game once.
Except he was completely right. I love DDG but his reluctance to come off his line is his biggest weakness. It would be fine if this was a one off but he does it quite frequently and puts needless pressure on our defenders.
It is a weakness of De Gea's but shout at him to come out when he needs to do it, not when there isn't an opposition player anywhere near him, it was a strange and redundant thing to do in the specific context.