Chris Smalling | Match Discussion thread 2017/18

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Sideshow Bob

Sideshow Bob

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Chris Smalling Statistics 2017/18

Appearances
Total 1
Premier League 0
FA Cup 0
League Cup 0
Champions League 0
Super Cup 1

Goals
Total 0
Premier League 0
FA Cup 0
League Cup 0
Champions League 0
Super Cup 0

Assists
Total 0
Premier League 0
FA Cup 0
League Cup 0
Champions League 0
Super Cup 0

Clean Sheets
Total 0
Premier League 0
FA Cup 0
League Cup 0
Champions League 0
Super Cup 0

Yellow Cards
Total 0
Premier League 0
FA Cup 0
League Cup 0
Champions League 0
Super Cup 0

Red Cards
Total 0
Premier League 0
FA Cup 0
League Cup 0
Champions League 0
Super Cup 0

Previous Seasons
Chris Smalling | Match Discussion thread 2016/17
Chris Smalling | Match Discussion thread 2015/16
Chris Smalling | Match Discussion thread 2014/15
Chris Smalling | Match Discussion thread 2013/14
Chris Smalling | Match Performance Thread​
 
Super Cup: Real Madrid 2-1 Manchester United - 8th August 2017

He played well.
 
Champions League: Benfica 0-1 Manchester United - 18th October 2017

He played well.
 
Champions League: Benfica 0-1 Manchester United - 18th October 2017

He played well.
 
Solid tonight looked after Lindelof and never really looked trouble.
 
Premier League: Huddersfield 2-1 Manchester United - 21st October 2017

He's one of the few who shouldn't be criticised after yesterday's performance. He's been absolutely fine this season and is criminally underrated. In Smalling, Jones, Bailly and Rojo we have great options and depth at centre back.
 
They are all injured quite a lot. Maybe injury prone is a bit strong but i dont think any of them are reliable.
 
Rojo picks up a lot of injuries before his knee injury last season in his first 2 seasons he missed a lot of football, Jones misses about 1/2 the season every season & Bailly gets quite a few niggly 2-3 week injuries which can be a bit frustrating.

Smalling is alright solid defender but he's poor with the ball in possession is where his lack of academy coaching shines through his passing is way below the necessary level which can be a problem if you have the ball a lot but in a Jose side it's not a huge issue.
 
Data from transfermarkt:

Bailly missed 8 games through injury in 2016/17.

Smalling has missed 50 games since 2011/12.

Prior to the injury sustained in April, Rojo has missed 41 games since 2014/15, which included 18 games for a shoulder injury.

Jones has missed 101 games since 2012/13.
 
Based on an average of 50 games per season assuming the totals are prior to this season.

Rojo 41 games in 3 seasons (150 games) 27%.
Jones 101 games in 5 seasons say 250 games is 40%.
Bailly 8 games out of 60 last season 15% (I know last season we had a lot of matches with cup runs)
Smalling 50 games in 6 seasons (300 games) 17%

These aren't exact figures but Jones & Rojo are unavailable for roughly 1 in every 3 games due to injury which is quite poor the others are 1 in 6 which is better and probably consistent with what you'd expect most pro footballers average, if you time it wrong a 6 week absense could cost you 10 games in a season.

Smalling is probably the least talented but you can at least rely on him being fit most of the time which makes him a useful guy to have in the squad but it feels like to win a league you need to have a settled partnership, the Utd defence is constantly changing especially when you chuck in the 4 man rotation we have going on at LB between Darmian, Blind, Young & Shaw.
 
Premier League: Manchester United 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur - 28th October 2017

He played well.

He's been very good so far this season.
 
Been solid so far feel he’s better protected but next up Chelsea away was a real horror show for him last season.

Feels like he’ll be part of a back 3 there as well can he put last year behind him.
 
Premier League: Manchester United 4-1 Newcastle United - 18th November 2017

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Premier League: Watford 2-4 Manchester United - 28th November 2017

He was excellent.
 
Yep can’t argue with that he was solid again that central role in the 3 seems to suit him as he can’t just use his athleticism to cover for people and win the headers and with Rojo/Jones/Bailey/Rojo either side of him he has guys who are more comfortable with the ball.
 
Smalling would be such a better defender if he could pass out from the back instead of just sticking his foot through it all the time. It's not that difficult to get your head up and pass out from defense. His tackling is usually good, he is good in the air but his passing just needs working on.
 
Red Warrior said:
Smalling would be such a better defender if he could pass out from the back instead of just sticking his foot through it all the time. It's not that difficult to get your head up and pass out from defense. His tackling is usually good, he is good in the air but his passing just needs working on.
Click to expand...

It's a lot harder than it looks at the top level balls need to be played through very tight gaps with a lot of pace on them, there are midfielders who struggle to pass the ball forward so it's a bit harsh calling out centre backs for not doing it. Having guys who can do it is a luxury most teams can only dream of but it's a much more important part of the modern game.

I think he has improved his passing it's not awful but it's always short and safe so as long as people come to give him those options he's fine but ask him to spray a long pass from the back and he can't do it.
 
Premier League: West Bromwich Albion v Manchester United - 17th December 2017

He was very good.
 
He's having a very good season. Getting dropped by England and being criticised by Southgate has lit a fire in him.
 
Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Manchester United - 31st January 2018

Forget Fulham this guy wouldn't get in the maidstone United side any more.
 
He was awful on the ball but he was United’s best player in the second half.
 
FA Cup: Huddersfield Town 0-2 Manchester United - 17th February 2018

He was excellent.
 
That’s his bread and butter game loads of long balls to head away, crosses to clear and blocks to make sitting in deep.

Still made a heart in mouth moment with that header towards our own goal when Lindelof was going to head it away not sure what happened there.
 
Vs Seville
His positioning for the moment which led to the DeGea wonder save was very poor. I feel he isn't composed as a defender and brings a lot of confusion and uncertainty especially when combined with lindelof who himself is a bit shonky atm.
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I think with Smalling we must remember he was never properly coached as a kid as an academy player so what he's gone on to achieve is pretty incredible when you think about it BUT he's not and will never be an elite level defender.

I think that chance was a number of things happened Young was caught out of position so Lindelof went to lose the cross, Matic dropped into the defence, Smalling moves over to defend the near post but Valencia doesn't move in to defend the back post.

That gap between Valencia and Smalling was a bit of a problem all night Valencia wasn't staying tight to him probably because it's not natural for him as a full back he's used to being a winger and staying out wide.
 
Plus when you see the full picture lindelof is also drawn out of position and smalling doesn't no whether to stick or twist
 
Smalling just doesn't have the quality to play elite football. He'd do alright at Arsenal ;-D. Same for Jones
 
I think the reality is they've both progressed to some extent into good players but neither has become a great player which is what Utd really need their first choice centre backs to be. I think one can stay as a squad player be the 4th choice centre back a bit like Klavan is at Liverpool but the guys starting on a regular basis need to be of much better quality.

Bailly looks to be that but he's always injured, Lindelof doesn't really look to be that quality but is still young and is in his first season and improves almost every game, Rojo probably falls into the Smalling/Jones bracket of good but not great. I think Jones/Rojo/Smalling are squad player centre backs bit like Klavan at Liverpool they're your 4th choice if needed but you wouldn't want to have to play them for a long run of games.

I think some better full backs will help the centre backs Valencia/Young are ok but they are not natural defenders but really a Utd defender should be defending from a position where he is exposed our centre backs have it so much easier than the ones at other clubs who let their full backs get forward.
 
Premier League: Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea - 25th February 2018

He was good again.
 
I’ve slated him a few times recently. Today he had a good game.
 
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