Does anybody else think Smalling & Jones get too much stick?

DizeeGorilla20 said:
Why this game specifically? So in your mind, a "United quality" defence should never concede goals? :lol:
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How long have you been watching United? We're not talking about youngsters here. These are players who got plenty of chances to prove themselves in the past 6-7 years, and bar one or two decent runs they have failed miserably. By now everyone knows they are not United quality, no point of trying to make them something they are not.
 
They're not good enough.

I'd keep Smalling as a squad option but Jones needs to go.
 
Rado_N said:
They're not good enough.

I'd keep Smalling as a squad option but Jones needs to go.
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I'm the opposite. At least Jones showed a good run of form earlier this season before getting injured, and he's younger than Smalling. Smalling just isn't good enough.
 
They are both not good enough. I think Jones would deserve a squad spot, but then again, he wont be fit for half the season. You seriously cant expect to win major trophies with them being important players, just not reliable one way or the other
 
Raw said:
I'm the opposite. At least Jones showed a good run of form earlier this season before getting injured, and he's younger than Smalling. Smalling just isn't good enough.
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Jones is a headless chicken, a reactionary defender who'll be praised for a last ditch lunging block whilst overlooking the fact that he was out of position in the first place.

The most Jones thing in the world is to run 20 yards into the oppositional half with the ball and lose it. He's not United calibre, and on top of that he's made of glass and can't stay fit for more than five minutes.
 
Raw said:
I'm the opposite. At least Jones showed a good run of form earlier this season before getting injured, and he's younger than Smalling. Smalling just isn't good enough.
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I'm with you. Smalling is a bit jack of all trades defensively - master of none.
 
Them being a bit rusty can be chalked down not having as much match sharpness after a bit of a break, their inability on the ball though is not something that is going to improve, and is a big problem that our entire team suffers overall.
 
Rado_N said:
Jones is a headless chicken, a reactionary defender who'll be praised for a last ditch lunging block whilst overlooking the fact that he was out of position in the first place.

The most Jones thing in the world is to run 20 yards into the oppositional half with the ball and lose it. He's not United calibre, and on top of that he's made of glass and can't stay fit for more than five minutes.
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If we're honest both are not good enough. Jones seems more of a rotational backup defender type and could be useful(huge question mark on his injury record) as a backup.

Both should not be starting come next year tho.
 
Enigma_87 said:
If we're honest both are not good enough. Jones seems more of a rotational backup defender type and could be useful(huge question mark on his injury record) as a backup.

Both should not be starting come next year tho.
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I already said that!
 
Rado_N said:
Jones is a headless chicken, a reactionary defender who'll be praised for a last ditch lunging block whilst overlooking the fact that he was out of position in the first place.

The most Jones thing in the world is to run 20 yards into the oppositional half with the ball and lose it. He's not United calibre, and on top of that he's made of glass and can't stay fit for more than five minutes.
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You really have not watched Phil Jones play this season
 
They don't get enough. Smalling's first touch and passing sends shivers down my spine. I tense up every time he's given the ball.
 
I'm the only one seeing that as a good cross !!

Frankly speaking I'm actually pissed of at our attackers because I haven't crosses of that quality this season from us .

Note : CB's makes mistakes . We conceded similar goals with Rio and vidic and these things happends. There is no point in moaning about it. There is an absolute lack of rock CB in the whole Europe now. That's why i don't think buying a CB would be our priority .
Again we had carrick and Rooney in our starting Xl which is like playing with 9 1/2 men majority of the time .Mickhi is seriously a disappointment. The whole front 6 barely did anything the whole game and barely took the game to Arsenal .
 
I've said it a few times on here that Smalling has some wonderful attributes - Decent enough at clearing crosses and set pieces with his head, has a decent touch, had decent enough pace BUT the problem I feel with him though is that he is not the warrior type defender that Jose or the best managers like to play with such as a Terry, Bruce, Vidic, Stam, David Luiz, Van Dijk etc. We tend to leak soft goals when Smalling is in the team as he is not imposing enough and you don't see him diving in too often where it hurts. He'd be a wonderful squad player to have next season if he is happy on the bench but I'd imagine he'll want a move to get first team football. Jones is decent but a tad injury prone to say the least and then every time he comes back from injury which is pretty much always then he needs a run of 4 or 5 games before he gets his sharpness back and is very prone to clumsy costly stuff when he is not match sharp. Defo one of them will be sold this summer and possibly both.
 
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I thought both did okay today, considering how long they had been out. What amazes me how both scored far below Rashford, who did absolutely nothing coming on, though in fairness was isolated up front.
 
Ace of Spades said:
Them being a bit rusty can be chalked down not having as much match sharpness after a bit of a break, their inability on the ball though is not something that is going to improve, and is a big problem that our entire team suffers overall.
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And it's not like the rustiness is going to improve over time since they are always getting themselves injured.
 
Keeps It tidy said:
It is a really lazy description of Jones as a defender. Someone like Bailly is more likely to go to the ground than Jones but, that does not fit the narrative.
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Jones positional sense is appalling, I don't give a shit about narratives.
 
Giggs86 said:
And it's not like the rustiness is going to improve over time since they are always getting themselves injured.
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I agree, was just pointing out that even if they get over their injury woes, there are still big problems in other areas with them playing.
 
Smalling is still living off that good six months under LVG. He's been so underwhelming for a couple of years now. It's pretty apparent his only value now is as a squad player. Ultimately, he just lets us down far too often (and far too often in big games).
 
They both played ok considering how much game time they've had but they still looked way short of Utd quality.

Of the 2, Smalling has a future but Jones doesn't. It doesn't make him a bad player but he's nowhere near top quality. He's make a decent centre back for a team like Leicester
 
There is only 1 person in the team getting an unfair amount of stick and that is Fellaini, previously it was Valencia but he seems to have turned around the opnion about him.

Jones and Smalling are if anything not getting enough stick. They have been bang average since they got here and they have been here for years. All excuses have been used for them but reality is they have been here for 6 years and they still look nowhere near United quality for me, they are also constantly injurred and hence you cannot count on them to provide you with squad depth when you need it and they surely aren't good enough to be starting material for a topclub.

Should be curtains time for them
 
Smalling has never been good enough. He has decent bouts of form but in terms of actual ability he's not good enough. I've never liked him.
 
I am finding it hard to believe these two actually have fans who want to see them playing for us?

I get supporting the club and all that but I just cant bring myself to defend these guys. They're shite.
 
they are both fairly decent but are prone to the odd mistake here and there. They arent world class but they are fairly good defenders. I still think right now he is one of englands best defenders. other options are cahill, keane, stones all of whom are fairly similar level
 
We have had a good defense all season even in the matches these two have played. Our defense probably looked best when we had the run with Jones/Rojo. Their injury records are worrying and I prefer CBs who are better on the ball but, defending is not really the issue with the club right now.
 
Both did ok. Valid point that Rashford did feck all, yet seems immune from criticism on here.
 
Smalling is emphatically just a big, quick guy.

Can't play football to save his life.

Jones actually can.
 
When you think that Rio & Vidic is the standards we need, neither of them are good enough. I never rated Jones but had hopes for Smalling; those hopes have completely disintegrated this season. He may stick around as a back up player but i fully expect more CBs to arrive and push ahead of him in the pecking order over the next season or two.
 
matherto said:
Smalling is emphatically just a big, quick guy.

Can't play football to save his life.

Jones actually can.
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Jones is lower premier league standard as a defender. He has absolutely no composure at all and is always scrambling to make tackles because he doesn't read the game or his opponent.

Today he was dreadful. The huge clearance he attempted that landed 5 yards in front of him at an arsenal players feet just summed him up.
 
Neither Rojo or Baily played today, for the first time in a long time.
Smalling+Jones played. Result? Conceded 2 goals for the first time in a long long time.
We don't really need say much else.
 
Both these average players need to be shown the door. Axel Tuanzebe & Fosu-Mensah would do a better job than both of them.

Smalling is so awkward on the ball. All he's good at his heading the ball. Useless with his feet.

Jones loves venturing off like a mad man.

We'll be better off without the pair of them.
 
Brophs said:
Smalling is still living off that good six months under LVG.
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You nailed it.
I just don't see Smalling as a first team defender of a league title winning team.
Jones' problem is that he can't stay fit more than about 4 games in a row, so he can't gain any form. His body is not built to play football and his contract should be allowed to expire.
 
sunama said:
Neither Rojo or Baily played today, for the first time in a long time.
Smalling+Jones played. Result? Conceded 2 goals for the first time in a long long time.
We don't really need say much else.
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Do not factor in the fact that they did not play for 7 weeks or the level of opponent. It really is that simple.
 
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