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| Chris Smalling |
With four straight wins, after
the 2-1 victory over Stoke on Tuesday night, it looks like the season has just
begun for Manchester United, after the team’s indifferent start to the season.
While Van Gaal has been very
unlucky with injuries, with over forty different injuries this season alone,
critics and media have not spared him for supposedly not signing a top quality
central back, after the departure of two legendary figures in that department
in persons on Vidic and Ferdinand, coupled with the sales of Evra.
Multiple injuries to players Van Gaal
and the fans thought could and should step up their games and fill in the boots
left by Vidic and Ferdinand has not made that transition easy. Also shaky, inconsistent
and unconvincing performances from these players especially Johnny Evans and
Smalling most times have not helped matters, and has led to the call ups of two
defensive youngsters in Paddy Mcnair and Tyler Blackett. To be honest, these
two youngsters have done very well; except for one or two errors by Blackett,
and these can be pardoned considering his age and lack of experience.
Smalling and Evans have not been
commanding as they ought to be. For Evans the game against MKDons that got
united knocked out of the FA Cup is one he would want united fans to forget in
a hurry as his performance was just too flat, while for Smalling, the climax of
his not too strong performances was the unnecessary red card he bagged in the
game against our ‘noisy neighbours’ Manchester City.
But enough of the criticism,
United’s recent turn around and improvement, has been majorly down to the stability
of the men playing in front of De Gea. De Gea has been one of our best and
undoubtedly most consistent performers this season which has made him win
the December PFA player of the month award.
The same can’t be said of any defensive pairing that he has had to play with.
But since the game against
Arsenal, Smalling has been a consistent figure in United’s defence, playing
three straight games and has put in a more than decent and commanding
performance in each of these games.
Against Arsenal, Smalling had to
marshal a five man defence containing two rookies/teenagers in Mc nair and
Blackett and two wingers turned defenders in Young and Valencia, after Shaw was
substituted in just about a quarter of an hour into the game with an injury,
and in fairness, Smalling put in a
wonderful defensive performance. Though everybody in that defence tried, but
being the most senior defender on the field, he was saddled with the
responsibility of organizing the defence, a job which he did well and United
won their first away game of the season.
He was also at his best in the
game against Hull City and crowned a top defensive performance with a goal, a
goal that typifies the ‘never say die United’s spirit’. It was the first goal of the game, which gave
his team a breather and confidence needed for a solid and arguably the team’s
best all round performance this season.
In the game against Stoke, he put
in another decent performance and continued his recent improvement, which has
also coincided with the team’s improvement.
With the jam-parked festive
season fixtures, and the stern test awaiting United before Christmas, with a
trip to ‘surprise team’ Southampton next Monday followed by the visit of
Liverpool, united definitely needs a solid defence, and with the super form of
De Gea and Smalling improving and commanding form, we only hope our defensive
fragilities are a thing of the past.
With more defenders and players
returning to training and first team duties from injuries, our best is yet to
come.
Do you think Smalling can be a
defensive pillar United can rest and rely on?
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