Roma want to keep Smalling

comment by Mason The King Greenwood (U10026)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by Elvis (U7425)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Mason The King Greenwood (U10026)
posted 39 seconds ago
Remains to be seen as Tuanzebe has a lot to prove. And he seems pretty injury prone, so we’ll be seeing Lindelof and Maguire as the main partnership going forwards, which isn’t good. TFM is still recovering from injury I think.
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I think Axel moved ahead of Lindelof in the pecking order before he got injured. I reckon he will establish himself over the course of the season.
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Based on what? Starting against Newcastle because Lindelof was injured?

Lindelof and Maguire is cleary the first choice partnership. Tuanzebe won’t be breaking into that in the premier league unless there’s a serious injury.
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Based on his performances being of a high standard and in my opinion playing better the Lindelof.

There is no doubt that he started the season behind Lindelof in the pecking order, but I think that he has done enough to move ahead of him. If not then he is certainly pushing him and I think that come the end of the season, which is when Smalling's future will be in the balance, Axel will have done enough to be first choice.

He started one game at cb in the prem. As always, you are getting carried away with an academy player, making declarations based on what you hope will happen rather than anything tangible leading to such a conclusion. Lindelof is quite clearly first choice and one of Ole’s most trusted players.

Di Marzio reporting Smalling will complete deal by the end of next week.

12m Euro + 3m Euro add on.

comment by Mason The King Greenwood (U10026)
posted 1 hour, 20 minutes ago
He started one game at cb in the prem. As always, you are getting carried away with an academy player, making declarations based on what you hope will happen rather than anything tangible leading to such a conclusion. Lindelof is quite clearly first choice and one of Ole’s most trusted players.
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I think Elvis is correct here Darren. Lindelof had been struggling and Tuanzebe had been impressive in Europa/LC games. He was also excellent bar one pass against Arsenal. I think Ole saw that as a chance to put Tuanzebe in, which he did against Newcastle, but he then got injured before Liverpool.

I reckon we'll see Maguire & Tuanzebe before long personally. The signs were there. Tuanzebe does need to keep himself fit though.

He’s not, though, because despite Lindelof struggling he was still first choice. And will continue to do so because Ole loves him. He’s missed five premier league games since Ole’s been coach. I hope you’re both right and Tuanzebe pushes him out of the team because he’s a better fit to play alongside Maguire based on his athetise. But there’s little to suggest that will happen based on what we’ve seen of both at the club.

*athleticism

because despite Lindelof struggling he was still first choice.
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That's entirely normal - I wouldn't expect Ole to dump Lindelof out of the team right away without first giving Tuanzebe or first back-up a run in the cups as a tester.

But as soon as Tuanzebe showed himself comfortable in the cups, he dropped Lindelof for the Newcastle game (where he was very, very good). He was also in the team against Liverpool before the injury.

Add that to the fact Ole has spoken highly of Tuanzebe, made him first reserve, gave him a lot of pre-season minutes etc and I think we've enough evidence to suggest that he was going to be in the team were it not for injury, and Lindelof's place was the one at risk.

Lindelof was injured against Newcastle and was also in the starting lineup with Tuanzebe against Liverpool. Ole has spoken highly of him, but there’s been no indication that he was going to, or is going to, take Lindelof’s place in the team.

Ole’s been singing Lindelof’s praises ever since he got the job. He’s spoken many times about him and Maguire forming a partnership. He’s been given a new contract. He plays him every game.

How any of this indicates Tuanzebe is, or will be, ahead of him in the pecking order is beyond me.

comment by BerbaKing11 (U6256)
posted 7 hours, 2 minutes ago
comment by Mason The King Greenwood (U10026)
posted 1 hour, 20 minutes ago
He started one game at cb in the prem. As always, you are getting carried away with an academy player, making declarations based on what you hope will happen rather than anything tangible leading to such a conclusion. Lindelof is quite clearly first choice and one of Ole’s most trusted players.
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I think Elvis is correct here Darren. Lindelof had been struggling and Tuanzebe had been impressive in Europa/LC games. He was also excellent bar one pass against Arsenal. I think Ole saw that as a chance to put Tuanzebe in, which he did against Newcastle, but he then got injured before Liverpool.

I reckon we'll see Maguire & Tuanzebe before long personally. The signs were there. Tuanzebe does need to keep himself fit though.
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Exactly how I see it. He did well against arsenal and then against Newcastle at CB. I think he'd have stayed in the team if not for injury.

There are twenty+ players that United should have dumped so ignominiously before Smalling.

As weird a decision as dumping lukaku and keeping lingard/raxhford/rojo/lindelof.

It's as if the club is determined to sabotage itself from within