Which United CB will leave before deadline day?

[izec]

Smalling or Rojo

Would also love Bailly to go, but injured

 

[mitchmouse]

hearing rumours of Smalling to Arsenal for £35m (I presume we are paying them that to take him away)

 

[Isotope]

hearing rumours of Smalling to Arsenal for £35m (I presume we are paying them that to take him away)

That would be a stupid move in our part, strengthening a rival on what they lack off. He's our best CB in terms of man marking: Hazard, Kane, Suarez, etc. I don't see any of our other CBs can do that.

 

[Gandalf]

That would be a stupid move in our part, strengthening a rival on what they lack off. He's our best CB in terms of man marking: Hazard, Kane, Suarez, etc.

There is no reality in which selling Smalling for 35m is a stupid move. There is no way this story is true but if it was then I will pay for the movers.

 

[Rocknrolla69er]

Tuanzebe has looked very good in pre season, pacey, reads the game well, calm under pressure and picks a good pass, i honestly think he d be the perfect foil for Maguire and id use him as backup to Lindelof , to be fair i expect Ole will use him as Lindelofs main backup as well as playing cup games and Europa league.

Smallings passing ability and set piece lapses could well be his undoing under Ole, the same could be said of Jones whos slightly better at passing than Smalling

 

[FootyGirl88]

Smalling or Rojo

 

[JJ12]

Hopefully Phil. Likely to be Smalling which would be wrong imo.

 

[Volumiza]

hearing rumours of Smalling to Arsenal for £35m (I presume we are paying them that to take him away)

Smalling to Arsenal would make some sense to me. He could do a job for them.

 

[Chillosophy]

Hopefully Rojo at the very least.

Also Smalling or Jones if Tuanzebe goes back to Villa on loan. However i'd prefer to have Maguire, Lindelof, Tuanzebe and Smalling/Jones as our CB options (depending on who we can get sold of the two.

 

[mu4c_20le]

Dont think anyone will leave now that Bailly got injured. Rojo can cover LB i think, not very well but prob still better defensively than Young

 

[Rood]

True ... but he played in the behind the closed doors friendly ... so a little bit of a mystery.

A poster on another thread suggested perhaps Jones might cover as a central defensive midfielder - which sounds quite intriguing.

Smalling has not been frozen out completely and he still needs to stay fit, but him getting zero minutes in the last 2 proper matches is a big hint

Jones played DM several times under Fergie but I dont think it has happened for years now

 

[sideshow_bob]

Any one of the clowns Rojo, Bailly, Jones, Smalling.

Preferably in that order.

 

[diarm]

God I wish we'd held onto Blind.

Lindelof, Maguire, Tuanzebe, Blind would be a great set of centre backs. Blind covering LB and DM as well at a pinch.

 

[villain]

looks like Smalling is being pushed out - no minutes at all in last 2 preseason matches

He & Jones played in the behind closed doors game on Monday.

There's nothing to suggest that Smalling is being pushed out, we took 6 CB's on tour and they all needed minutes to get fit.

I think Rojo was most at risk of leaving, but Bailly's injury has scuppered that and now it doesn't look like any of them will leave.

 

[peridigm]

This is fun if you're bored.

wheeldecide

 

[Ødegaard]

That would be a stupid move in our part, strengthening a rival on what they lack off. He's our best CB in terms of man marking: Hazard, Kane, Suarez, etc. I don't see any of our other CBs can do that.

Jones took on Ronaldo for example.
But with him it's always going to be about the unreliability of when he is available to play and what form he is in.

 

[Isotope]

Jones took on Ronaldo for example.
But with him it's always going to be about the unreliability of when he is available to play and what form he is in.

If Jones did that constantly against others, yeh you can claim that, but he isn't.

Smalling though. He was our best CB for 4 seasons, before the emerging of Lindelof (of which he only has one good season, and could be back to shit this season). He's as reliable as you need from a CB. He's been constantly marking out best players in the past season after season, of which you can't say the same with other CBs we have.

 

[bosnian_red]

Based on pre season its Smalling isnt it? Not sure though. I think we only need 5 CBs, and of our current group, I'd get rid of Rojo and Bailly.

 

[K13]

Jones played DM several times under Fergie but I dont think it has happened for years now

Very true. I think Jones played there for Blackburn as well with great success.

I am quite intrigued by it because of Ole's penchant to follow/ adopt certain Sir Alex principles. He played Ronny Johnsen and tried Ferdinand in that position before Jones. Perhaps Ole is considering it as an option. Last season Pep played Stones there as a sub in a couple of games so maybe a tactic to close up a tight game.

It seems rather strange keeping so many CBs so near the transfer window closing date unless Smalling and Jones can cover if needed at right back but how suitable they are for that athletic role now is unclear. I guess we will know soon enough.

 

[Garebo]

I would be happy if Rojo, Smalling (I would say Baily but he's injured so he won't be sold this summer), Darmian, B.Jackson, F.Mensah leave the club.

 

[Hanky panky]

Rojo or Jones, i would say Rojo. Dont get it why people say Smalling. He have been much more important player last years. Rojo has played 14 PL games in last two seasons, Smalling 53. So it should be quite clear who should stay and who should go.

 

[Houdini]

Rojo, Darmian, Jones, Mike, in that order.

 

[Infra-red]

New contracts in the last 18 months for Rojo, Jones and Smalling will probably keep them all at the club. Tuanzebe to be loaned out.

 

[Houdini]

Very true. I think Jones played there for Blackburn as well with great success.

I am quite intrigued by it because of Ole's penchant to follow/ adopt certain Sir Alex principles. He played Ronny Johnsen and tried Ferdinand in that position before Jones. Perhaps Ole is considering it as an option. Last season Pep played Stones there as a sub in a couple of games so maybe a tactic to close up a tight game.

It seems rather strange keeping so many CBs so near the transfer window closing date unless Smalling and Jones can cover if needed at right back but how suitable they are for that athletic role now is unclear. I guess we will know soon enough.

Rojo and Jones are good only for medical experiments.

 

[Bobski]

I'd be delighted if Smalling or Jones left.
I'd be happy if Rojo left.
I'd be ok if Bailly left.

Only Lindelof has shown he is good enough. Tuanzebe gets a free pass because of his age.

Lindelof being good enough is still far from proven, don't see how he could be given the terrible nature of his first season and the horrendous defensive performance last season.

Not too long ago that Rojo/Bailly had periods of being claimed to clearly be our best CB, based on very little. Smalling and Jones are both far more proven players than those 2.

 

[UpWithRivers]

If Ake is quoted at 80/90 mill or whatever it is and Duffy 50 and Mings 25 then even with high wages I dont see why clubs dont come in for them. Leciester could have Rojo, Jones and Darmain and have cash left over for the money they got from Maguire.

 

[starman]

Would be great to see the back of Jones, Bailly & Rojo this window. Where as Bournemouth want 70m for Ake and Burnley 50m for Tarkowski. I still have hope Leicester are going to take one of ours for 20m

 

[Black Adder]

Best of the bad bunch which is Smalling.

But good thing we've given long contracts to both Rojo and Jones, so no matter how much average players leave there'll still be left someone.

 

[11101]

Lindelof being good enough is still far from proven, don't see how he could be given the terrible nature of his first season and the horrendous defensive performance last season.

Not too long ago that Rojo/Bailly had periods of being claimed to clearly be our best CB, based on very little. Smalling and Jones are both far more proven players than those 2.

Lindelof looked for large parts of last season like the best CB we have had since Rio and Vidic left. That's not saying much, but still. Rojo and especially Bailly have had spells where they looked like they could be our best CB and (again Bailly especially) could develop into a genuine top class player. There's still a glimmer of hope.

All Smalling and Jones have proven is that they are not good enough and never will be. There is no point persisting with them and hoping they'll become anything else.

 

[Bobski]

Lindelof looked for large parts of last season like the best CB we have had since Rio and Vidic left. That's not saying much, but still. Rojo and especially Bailly have had spells where they looked like they could be our best CB and (again Bailly especially) could develop into a genuine top class player. There's still a glimmer of hope.

All Smalling and Jones have proven is that they are not good enough and never will be. There is no point persisting with them and hoping they'll become anything else.

I think you are greatly overrating Lindelof's performances. He was ok but he has obvious flaws in how he deals with physically superior players, can be far too passive in his defensive style and despite being good on the ball he often goes into his shell and takes little responsibility on the ball when the pressure is on. I think over the last few years it has been far too easy to put the majority of the blame on Smalling and Jones and pretend that with them gone that Lindelof/Bailly and Rojo will suddenly be reborn as different players.

I want Tuanzebe to get a chance this season, instead of plateauing on loan he might take a leap and become an excellent PL cb. Smalling I would keep, need another Cb beyond Maguire with aerial presence and his one v one defensive ability is excellent. Rojo is going into his 6th season with Utd and has maybe 3 good months to his credit in that time, while Bailly is a gifted idiot.

 

[hobbers]

The established order should obviously go Maguire, Lindelof, Tuanzebe, Smalling, Jones, Rojo

But brainless club that we are we gave Rojo and Jones mega contracts that no other club would ever want to match. Nailed on they'll both be here at least until the end of those, which is a financial disaster in and of itself.

Tuanzebe is our most in-demand defender and I wouldn't rule out letting him have a Henderson-like loan experience, if he was going to be a regular starter in Prem matches somewhere for a whole season.

Smalling might attract a bit of interest so he has to be the favourite of all our defenders to actually be sold, even if the ideal scenario would be having him as fourth option after Tuanzebe.

 

[maverickjesus]

Maguire

 

[Isotope]

Maguire

Jebus. That's a maverick suggestion.

 

[SilverPaper on the Breeze]

Rojo, probably on loan to a Russian club or similar, and we’ll stump up most the wages. Won’t be til late August though. Expect Darmian will be gone too.

However, symbolically, we could do with getting rid of one of Smalling or Jones; they’re memes for crying out loud! Would rather keep Smalling because he’s more likely to be fit, but he’s also more saleable for that very reason.

 

[Canuckred64]

Tuanzebe on loan, maybe to Newcastle to sweeten the deal for Longstaff?

 

[Rood]

He & Jones played in the behind closed doors game on Monday.

There's nothing to suggest that Smalling is being pushed out, we took 6 CB's on tour and they all needed minutes to get fit.

I think Rojo was most at risk of leaving, but Bailly's injury has scuppered that and now it doesn't look like any of them will leave.

Smalling had the least minutes of all of them in preseason - even Darmian features in the closed door friendly so that was just like a general training session

Pushed out might be too strong but he's clearly at the bottom of the pecking order, I'm sure that Ole has the same issue as Southgate when it comes to Smalling

 

[Snow]

I can see Tuanzebe leave and no one else. Rojo, Smalling and Jones all got a contract fairly recently so I can't see them leaving unless Arsenal get desperate towards the end of the window what with Koscielny actively seeking his way out of the club.

 

[villain]

Smalling had the least minutes of all of them in preseason - even Darmian features in the closed door friendly so that was just like a general training session

Pushed out might be too strong but he's clearly at the bottom of the pecking order, I'm sure that Ole has the same issue as Southgate when it comes to Smalling

It’s more likely that they all had a minutes quota to hit, and Ole wanted them to hit it with some sports science data analytics to back the reasoning.
It’s also likely that we need players like Rojo, Tuanzebe or Darmian to have a reasonable amount of match fitness in order to sell or loan them in the final days of the window.
There’s lots of hypothetical situations that can be drawn up to suit any agenda, with no facts to back them up, yet.

Smalling is our most experienced CB, and apart from Maguire, the most reliable in the air and against physical attackers too - it’s unlikely that we’d put him at the bottom of any pecking order. Especially since Bailly has a long term injury, and Jones will likely follow him at some point.

 

[United Hobbit]

I can see us sending away Tuanzebe in some form I hope we dont as I'd like to keep him and start giving him some games in the early rounds of the Europa/ league and FA Cup

Maybe Smalling will be used alongside the youth in the cup games?

I'd sell Jones, Rojo and try and get Bailly fit to sell in the winter. He frustrates me the most as he can play very well but then ends up doing something stupid and being sent off or getting injured so he cant build any consistency.

I'm surprised some of the smaller clubs haven't enquired about Smalling especially and even Jones as they could still be useful for them I guess the wages put them off.

 

[MrSingh2002]

Phil Jones for me. He's a poor version of Maguire. Rojo can play LCB as a Lindelof backup. Smalling can play in games where we need to defend and not play from the back and Tuanzebe can be Maguires backup.

Time to invest in Tuanzebe and also sell Bailly when he makes it back.

The 5 to keep...
Maguire
Lindelof
Tuanzebe
Rojo
Smalling (Sell when he can be replaced adequately)

Jones to go now.... Bailly and Smalling in the next 12 months.