the case for smalling

Smalling may be the best in the air. Jones is the most versatile.

Evans is the best defender of the 3.

He's also the best with the ball of the 3.

But his weakness is his organisational skills, or almost complete lack of any.

The other 2 are quicker, and better at scrambling, thus making them a more likely partner for the leader LVG needs. The issue with that is that Rojo and Evans play left, the other 2 play right - where the new head would likely be signed to play. And that's why it's a mess.

Originally Posted by Semantic Lisp

Smalling may be the best in the air. Jones is the most versatile.

Evans is the best defender of the 3.

He's also the best with the ball of the 3.

But his weakness is his organisational skills, or almost complete lack of any.

The other 2 are quicker, and better at scrambling, thus making them a more likely partner for the leader LVG needs. The issue with that is that Rojo and Evans play left, the other 2 play right - where the new head would likely be signed to play. And that's why it's a mess.

Sell 2 of the 3, groom McNair.

Problem solved.

I like Smalling and Jones. There's a place for them. I have completely given up on Evans

Occasional brain fart and niggly injury aside, Jones has done alright this season tbh, unfortunately Brain Farts are common place with CB's in their early 20's, especially when they've spent their entire career so far getting injured and/or £#%&!ed about positionally, tactically and managerially. Needs to settle the £#%&! down soon though.

immense

Originally Posted by dunk

I like Smalling and Jones. There's a place for them. I have completely given up on Evans

Occasional brain fart and niggly injury aside, Jones has done alright this season tbh, unfortunately Brain Farts are common place with CB's in their early 20's, especially when they've spent their entire career so far getting injured and/or £#%&!ed about positionally, tactically and managerially. Needs to settle the £#%&! down soon though.

you could actually be right

still expect an actual ball-player to be bought in and that United will be a far better proposition once that player settles

Originally Posted by Semantic Lisp

still expect an actual ball-player to be bought in and that United will be a far better proposition once that player settles

You don't say. The sages among us have been promoting the need to sign Hummels for a long time.

Meanwhile, you wrote Smalling off from the first moment he pulled on the shirt, and he's currently making you look a mug, which isn't the most difficult of tasks, tbf.

Originally Posted by Neo

You don't say. The sages among us have been promoting the need to sign Hummels for a long time.

Meanwhile, you wrote Smalling off from the first moment he pulled on the shirt, and he's currently making you look a mug, which isn't the most difficult of tasks, tbf.

is this neo off of the matrix?

Originally Posted by Semantic Lisp

Smalling may be the best in the air. Jones is the most versatile.

Evans is the best defender of the 3.

He's also the best with the ball of the 3.

But his weakness is his organisational skills, or almost complete lack of any.

The other 2 are quicker, and better at scrambling, thus making them a more likely partner for the leader LVG needs. The issue with that is that Rojo and Evans play left, the other 2 play right - where the new head would likely be signed to play. And that's why it's a mess.

Evans the best of three? are you serious? I can't be doing with him. He's shit on the ball too. At least Smalling and in particular Jones are still relatively young and inexperienced. Evans has been here, what, eight years? and he's still far from convincing. he's a arm waving, responsibility-shifting soft arse too.

I wasn't even remotely bothered by his ban. It will make no difference at all to our prospects.

Originally Posted by Szekely

Evans the best of three? are you serious? I can't be doing with him. He's shit on the ball too. At least Smalling and in particular Jones are still relatively young and inexperienced. Evans has been here, what, eight years? and he's still far from convincing. he's a arm waving, responsibility-shifting soft arse too.

I wasn't even remotely bothered by his ban. It will make no difference at all to our prospects.

fair enough. tbf they've all been at United a while now and still look like novices at times. i give every new player a year to settle and judge them after a couple of months of the next season - jones and smalling still make the same £#%&!-ups they were making back then, albeit LVG's staff seem to have got them functioning as a pair a damn sight more impressively than their individual attainment would suggest was possible, though it's very early days yet, of course, as any fool would accept

it's gonna be interesting to see what LVG does because none of the 3 of them are ever going to fill anyone with total confidence in their fitness or their concentration but he can't replace all 3, not at once anyway.

McNair is clearly a better footballer than any of them but can LVG fast-track him into becoming a ball-playing defender?

Smalling has blossomed since his sending off. He's a naturally gifted defender and his confidence is rising. He's stepped up more in the last few games than rio ever did despite rio being a far better technical player. Great to see.

Originally Posted by armchair

Smalling has blossomed since his sending off. He's a naturally gifted defender and his confidence is rising. He's stepped up more in the last few games than rio ever did despite rio being a far better technical player. Great to see.

baiting pure by the looks of it

or pissed

Originally Posted by carlosartorial

What part are you confused about? How many times in Rio's United career did he bring the ball from his own half into the opposition's half? I bet Smalling has done that more in the last two games, despite being a far less technical player.

I'm not a Rio hater but he cruised a lot of games. Smalling has shown a lot more bravery.

*I've bolded up what I consider stepping up. It's basically a defender pushing into midfield and beyond. Presumed most people were aware of the term.

Originally Posted by armchair

What part are you confused about? How many times in Rio's United career did he bring the ball from his own half into the opposition's half? I bet Smalling has done that more in the last two games, despite being a far less technical player.

I'm not a Rio hater but he cruised a lot of games. Smalling has shown a lot more bravery.

*I've bolded up what I consider stepping up. It's basically a defender pushing into midfield and beyond. Presumed most people were aware of the term.

Thought that he did it quite a bit between 06-08.

superb player imho but not a leader, put him at the side of a steve bruce type and he would be a star

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...-Smalling.html

Originally Posted by Jethro

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...-Smalling.html

G2C Wenger snapping up our rejects. He can have Jones and Evans as well if he wants. £30m job lot? Sold to the man in the large sleeping bag and the wizened face.

Originally Posted by atticusgrinch

G2C Wenger snapping up our rejects. He can have Jones and Evans as well if he wants. £30m job lot? Sold to the man in the large sleeping bag and the wizened face.

Originally Posted by Semantic Lisp

fair enough. tbf they've all been at United a while now and still look like novices at times. i give every new player a year to settle and judge them after a couple of months of the next season - jones and smalling still make the same £#%&!-ups they were making back then, albeit LVG's staff seem to have got them functioning as a pair a damn sight more impressively than their individual attainment would suggest was possible, though it's very early days yet, of course, as any fool would accept

it's gonna be interesting to see what LVG does because none of the 3 of them are ever going to fill anyone with total confidence in their fitness or their concentration but he can't replace all 3, not at once anyway.

McNair is clearly a better footballer than any of them but can LVG fast-track him into becoming a ball-playing defender?

Yes.

Not at full back though, absolutely craps his pants in the final third.

brought straight back in after a win ..quality