16 Mar 2015 15:25:02
I'm loving the positivity.
Everything seemed right yesterday, we were back to our old attacking ways. Fellaini had a stormer and Carrick scored a header!
I think its blatantly obvious Rooney is our best striker and should remain in the starting XI for the rest of the season as a striker.
Blind had a great game at LB and i don't want to say it for Shaw's sake, but Blind should play there vs Liverpool.
Carrick and Herrera were fantastic, passing, moving and positioning. Young impressed again and tormented Walker all game. Mata showed why he should be playing a lot more.
Now to the main point of my post. Smalling.
Ever since his red card vs City he has come on leaps and bounds. I am very impressed with his positional play and he has picked up the ability to run forward with the ball. He is our number 1 CB at the moment and i am filled with confidence when i see him there. I think with a season or two being our CB he will become the player we all thought he was going to become. Him and Cahill would be my starting CB's for England and he fully deserves this praise. His injurys are his problem but he has stayed relatively fit of late and i for one hope this continues.
HarryUTD
16 Mar 2015 16:16:59
Smalling has grown as a player since that City sending off which was very stupid. He has clearly learnt a lot from Van Gaal also and plays a little like Ramos in the sense that he gets forward a lot. He and Rojo are the only two centre backs that I trust and I maintain that we need two more - but he has improved a lot and deserves credit for that. Alongside a Hummels or someone like that he would be very good.
16 Mar 2015 16:20:51
I posted on the arsenal page a few weeks back when debating with them how good smalling has been since that day at the etihad and was met with the usual laughs and how they had better etc.
But I personally think he has been great for months now and should start for England in a few weeks. His distribution has improved a lot and his defending and reading of the game is top notch to boot.
His progression this season is great as I've always rated the lad and I'm made up for him he's now getting the credit he justifies. There's certainly not many in the premier ie take over him atm.
16 Mar 2015 16:28:03
I think his fitness has improved since the bloke who was first team physio was demoted and the new guy brought in.
16 Mar 2015 17:14:51
I was having that exact conversation with a friend after the match. Strange jones has went backwards and smalling has progressed well I would of thought it would be the other way around.
16 Mar 2015 17:28:06
Smalling has to be second to Young in terms of most improved player under LVG.
16 Mar 2015 17:46:11
Fresh
I would say Smalling's 3rd.
Fellaini
Young
Smalling.
16 Mar 2015 20:23:43
Agree 100 per cent Herbie