Lets just ignore that it was Martial who gave the ball away in a dangerous area when the defence was pushing out
Schoolboy defending.
Does anybody else think Smalling & Jones get too much stick?
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Does Martial's mistake suddenly render every other mistake that followed meaningless?
No they are simply not good enough for us and ones injury prone and ones ridiculously injury prone
Herrera not going for the tackle can also be blamed, but really is this how you defend a cross over the top?
In all fairness to both of them, they just played 90 mins after 7 weeks out.
I thought Jones was perfectly fine, but Smalling was shocking and his positional sense was just a shambles.
Why this game specifically? So in your mind, a "United quality" defence should never concede goals?
Yah
What other mistakes were there?
They don't get enough stick, if you ask me! 
Answer to the thread title: No.
The problem is their history shows they are prone to injuries and them needing at least a couple of games to get back to fitness means we only get to see the best of them for less than half a season (probably less than a quarter for Jones). I'd sell both.
The fact that Smalling completely misjudged the flight of the ball?
It happens. Believe it or not, we did concede goals from crosses even when we had Rio and Vidic.
That way they'll never get into optimal form. Decisive matches of the season and they've just returned from the injury number 158... but let's come up with the excuse because it's not their fault while they can't have one consistent season... and people want to see that season after season ? Please...
It was frustrating. Thought they were good in the first. That second goal effectively finished off the game.
They're both West Brom kind of level and Jose knows this.
It's why he played them in a dead rubber of a game and rested the better defenders.
It's why he played them in a dead rubber of a game and rested the better defenders.
So just the one mistake then? Which occured cause Arsenal suddenly regained possesion as the defence were pushing out?
Smalling lost his man Welbeck and didn't win the header. How is that Martial fault?
Ferguson always said that the CB defensive partnership was his first priority when building his teams. Jones and Smalling are talented, but they aren't a Vidic and Rio or Pallister or Bruce. Now a lot of that maybe down to the fact they are so bloody injury prone so have never had any consistency to develop together a critical understanding in the way a partnership in those positions need to in order to be really successful. Obviously Ferguson had faith in Smalling and Jones...but I do wonder whether that would have continued in the light of their consistent injuries....
I think they're both good defenders when they're able to play a run of games. Don't really understand the constant need to rip into them.
Some "supporters" are weird like that.
Some "supporters" are weird like that.
They don't get enough stick even with all this. They deserve more and more tbf.
How was it not his fault? He lost the ball as the defence was pushing out, or should Smalling have followed Welbeck everywhere, even when we were in possesion?
Yeah, just the one rather big mistake from our centre back who failed to head the ball away though he was right there leading to Welbeck scoring. But aside from that Smalling didn't do anything wrong of course.
Again explain how Martial's mistake suddenly allows Smalling to escape any criticism for his poor play? Losing the ball in dangerous areas occurs from time to time and capable defenders should be able to deal with that.
Neither is good enough for this team. Both should be shipped, either in one go or more pragmatically one this summer and the other the next.
Not sure if you have played cb before (I'm guessing not) but when the opposition is attacking one of your main job is to watch the attacker coming in and win that dual against him. If you aren't watching the attacker coming in and then don't even win the header you are essentially failing at 2 of the main jobs as a cb.
And in 99% of instances, they did deal with it. You lot are banging on as though we were ripped apart by the Arsenal attack.
Do you think teams like Juventus, Bayern, Chelsea and Atletico don't concede similar goals too?
Smalling doesn't have the mentality to play a main role in our defence. Can't believe i'm saying this but would cash in on him... he'll do better at a team without any 'pressure'..
Far too much.
Apart from the 2nd goal, I think they were all over the place after our good opening 15 minutes. Arsenal should've scored a few.
No
You're banging on about Martial's mistake and absolving Smalling of any responsibility. That's baffling.
Obviously those teams concede goals like that and the players who make the mistakes will receive criticism when they do. Why can't you accept that?
Really? They deserve there stick, both on 80k a week or more... both can go
And if he had been watching Welbeck and given away a penalty in an attempt to stop him, the argument would have been "He should be focusing on the ball and not the man"
You can't win either way as a defender.
It's not like they caught him on the backfoot either. The ball was flying at least second and a half - two. He had time to reposition himself and clear the danger. He misjudged the flight of the ball, didn't position properly and the most frustrating part is - he turned his head couple of times, got glimpse of Welbeck and still was running into a straight line with his back to him, not narrowing the gap.
credit to @GifLord
Not enough
Both rubbish and one is a sick note. Two more players that epitomise our mediocrity over the last few years.
I can accept mistakes, what I can't accept is people's over the top reactions to the mistakes. It's quite laughable actually.
You would swear this wasn't the pairs first game in 7 weeks, away from home to one of the top sides in the league.
Indeed. Perhaps if we could actually score goals then we wouldn't drop points every time the opposition score.
Because that's the reality. We almost never win games when the other scores a goal. Given that we've got one of the best defensive records in all of Europe I'm pretty sure I know where the blame lies. And it isn't with Smalling and Jones.
Their biggest flaw ( except injuries) is positioning. That goal describes smalling the best. He had plenty of time to position himself and he didn't do that. That is smalling. Solid game but there is always one or two huge mistakes from him. Sorry but this is huge mistake in defending. Mistake which is not allowed in big games.
Jones also does that too often. In first half he was out of position couple of times.
On time he tackled i think sanchez from behind. Luckily sanchez stayed on his feet.
I don't understand how some people can't accept that they are just not united level.
We are manchester united. Like in attack where we will not tolerate striker who will score 15 goals per season, like in midfield where we will not tolerate midfielders like cleverley or fellaini that is why we should not tolerate average players like those two.
They are not bad defenders but they are not class players.
For me smalling is everton level player. Jones stoke level.
Jones also does that too often. In first half he was out of position couple of times.
On time he tackled i think sanchez from behind. Luckily sanchez stayed on his feet.
I don't understand how some people can't accept that they are just not united level.
We are manchester united. Like in attack where we will not tolerate striker who will score 15 goals per season, like in midfield where we will not tolerate midfielders like cleverley or fellaini that is why we should not tolerate average players like those two.
They are not bad defenders but they are not class players.
For me smalling is everton level player. Jones stoke level.