Chris Smalling

Rosso

No problem with the management wanting a ball playing CB, but at least bring in one of quality. Has Maguire’s passing really been utilised much, I always see him playing long balls that go right back to the opposition. Maguire and Lindelof may have qualifies modern day managers want but they’re also a perfect example that lack of quality ultimately being the key issue.

comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 3 minutes ago
But it’s not hindsight is it if plenty of fans were concerned about buying Maguire and getting rid of Smalling in the summer as those exact concerns seem to apply now.
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I'm not saying everyone is using hindsight though, just some.

There is a notable poster here who was all for Smalling leaving as he would give away loads of penalties due to VAR... But has now done a complete 180. That's revisionism based on Smalling a completely different team and even league.

We needed to shift a CB at the end of last season.

I think all agree Jones would have been our preference to go, but if nobody wanted him ( understandable ) and if he didn’t want to go Smalling was the next in line.

Fair play to him for embracing the challenge.

I think that way too much has been made of Smallings lack of ball playing skills.

Yes he isn’t Paul Scholes but he isn’t a horror show either. I can’t remember any of Smallings misplaced passes leading to opposition goals. I sure their has been. But nothing comparable to the likes of Stones.

If I was going to be picky I would say he gets caught out ball watching with crosses to the back post.

Other than that he is our best CB out of them all until we bought Maguire.

Smalling is our best defender. It was such a stupid idea to send him on loan and spend £80m on a worse defender when our midfield is shiiiiiit. Ole has faaacked us with this decision.

Comment Deleted by Site Moderator

If think we’d all agree Smalling has been our best defender of the post-Fergie era. Then again, I always said we should’ve kept Evans.

The real crime here has been keeping Jones.

comment by The Lambeau Leap (U21050)
posted 1 minute ago
If think we’d all agree Smalling has been our best defender of the post-Fergie era. Then again, I always said we should’ve kept Evans.

The real crime here has been keeping Jones.
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This

Phil Jones has been stealing a living at this club.

comment by Robb Fernandes (U22311)
posted 2 hours, 14 minutes ago
comment by The Lambeau Leap (U21050)
posted 1 minute ago
If think we’d all agree Smalling has been our best defender of the post-Fergie era. Then again, I always said we should’ve kept Evans.

The real crime here has been keeping Jones.
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agree
smalling was a very good defender with an obvious weakness. He never looked comfortable in possession. Having said this, during his time he gave away less errors leading to goals than any other cb at utd. And less errors than most cbs in the epl
I really liked and always rated smalling
I have never rated lindeloff
I thought maguire would be a domineering force with headers in a way smalling couldn't but he looks poorer