20 Aug 2016 12:59:21
Watching City v Stoke and Mike dean awarding that penalty makes me have concerns with Smalling who constantly grabs opponents at set pieces. With the refs looking to clamp down he will need to alter his game or we will concede plenty of spot kicks.
20 Aug 2016 13:05:59
smalling will have to stop doing it then, about time refs done something about it.
20 Aug 2016 13:44:40
As long as they all do it I'm all in favour. Mike Dean is consistent. consistently bad.
20 Aug 2016 14:01:21
Maybe that's why Smalling has been on the bench and not the starting line up so far this season.
He has had more of a pre season than some, yes he picked up a small injury toward the end of pre season and missed the last game. But he has been deemed fit enough to be on the bench ahead of Jones, Rojo, Tuanzebe or TFM who could have been named on the bench.
I'm starting to think maybe Mourinho doesn't fancy him as first choice. If we do bring in Fonte or another CB then Smalling may not play too much this season. He seems to be third choice behind a new youngster and a midfielder.
20 Aug 2016 14:06:53
How that man manages to be in pl is a?, he has to be the out right worst of all referees. Each game he refs that includes a big side we have controversy thanks to a contentious call by him.
20 Aug 2016 14:16:35
shaps
been saying the same blind and bailly.
20 Aug 2016 14:19:28
It will help smalling that José has switched to zonal rather than man marking but he still needs to stop the wrestling.
20 Aug 2016 14:31:59
Red79, I don't think zonal marking is something Smalling will excel at. His best attributes are his size, strength and pace all things that are good when man marking as physically he will more often than not have an advantage over his opponant.
But zonal marking requires intelligence and communication, things that Smalling lacks.
He has a tendancy to wander out of position and gets drawn to the attacker, that is disasterous in a zonal system and compeletly undermines the team defensively.
I wouldn't be suprised if Smalling leaves the club before Mourinho.
20 Aug 2016 14:34:45
It is a defenders job to do everything they can within the referees interpretation of the laws to stop attackers from scoring.
Italian defenders have been brilliant at staying just on the referees side of not fouling for years. Smalling has been pretty good at this too.
If it is not called a foul then it is good defending if it prevents a goal. We seem to hold a moral code to defenders at times, I have never understood why.
I'm sure defenders would adjust if referees started to penalised more harshly at set pieces.
20 Aug 2016 16:20:33
On Smalling would it make sense for all to sell him to Arsenal?
20 Aug 2016 17:29:04
No! He is developing nicely. I felt we looked a bit less strong at the back yesterday, he may yet force his way in later in the season ahead of Blind.
He needs to work hard and play well in cup games.