02 Aug 2016 17:38:18
It's imperative that we buy a CB IMO. Bailly is not yet proven to be capable and will be missing periods of each season for the AFCON.

We have to prepare for the worst? Imagine EB at the AFCON and shaw injured. We need to go get a quality CB, In preparation for this season.

If anyone believes Smalling is a decent CB then get your eyes tested. I could be just as good with the Midfielders protecting me and Dave the save doing miracles. Blindd is a bit slow and if we play Jones we have to organise Traffic diversions and park an Ambulance outside the stadium. Garay or Godin would be ideal. Who would you pick.

1.) 02 Aug 2016
02 Aug 2016 17:52:17
maybe jose thinks he can get the best out of jones and rojo with blind also as back up.

2.) 02 Aug 2016
02 Aug 2016 17:59:56
The AFCON isn't every season, it's every 2 years. Apart from that I agree with you. Smalling is a good CB, however if you were to rank him in the top 20 CBs in the world he's come about 17-20th.

To be the best team you need the best players. You need a CB who's in the top 10 at least perhaps the top 5, but they maybe very hard to buy.

Some posters complain about the potential Pogba fee etc. We need a player of his ilk. Buying potential or players at the end of their careers will only get you so far.

One of our biggest problems over the past few seasons has been that we've had an injury prone squad and bought poorly to a certain degree.

3.) 02 Aug 2016
02 Aug 2016 18:45:36
Mad hatter it would not surprise me if jose looks at another defender joining but that may not be in this window. personally i am of the opinion he will give smalling, jones and possibly blind a chance first. I think rojo might struggle for game time but some younger players should get a few minutes in select fixtures. Its all personal opinion but i think that good tactics focussing on the team strengths and quality coaching can improve how a player performs and to this end i feel this season is exciting. I am looking forward to seeing how quality coaches like jose, pep, klopp, conte and wenger fare against each other with their different approaches. Its going to be interesting to see how the players react to mourinho tactics and if marked improvement. ps. i admire your bravery with the to be best team you need the best players comment considering the last season and euros ;)

4.) 02 Aug 2016
02 Aug 2016 19:28:20
Sorry RedDevilFan, but i have never disagreed with a post more. My eyes are fine and Smalling was by far our best player last season beside de gea. He's developed into a world class CB, and I think he will enter that top 5-10in the next season or two. Don't agree? How may CBs could defend the entire center by themselves, which is essentially what he had to do playing next to blind or rojo who were both horrendous. Add in the struggles that our RBs had defensively, and the absense of Shaw, and Smalling was really our only defender for much of last season, and there were as many games that Smalling saved for us as there were De Gea. You're entitled to your opinion, but you should just know your opinion is wrong! haha.

5.) 02 Aug 2016
02 Aug 2016 19:30:26
I can't help but think that Jose has something up his sleeve for CB. It may not be a fancy name, or even someone that is currently being discussed.
He has based his whole ethos on being defensively solid and I do not think he will change that now. The replacements cannot be trusted Rojo - has been shocking, Jones - Always injured.
When you look at Leicester last year it shows you don't need to spend fortunes. I do not feel we need a ball playing CB (so no stones) . we need a solid leader at the back.
Williams - would do a job. Fonte - showed in the Euros that he is a leader and a winner. Maybe of interest especially as Portugese. Winston Reid - A favourite of a number of you guys one here. Garay - Always mentioned and had a good season last year.

6.) 02 Aug 2016
02 Aug 2016 21:32:38
Smalling currently in the top 20 defenders in the world?! I don't think he's in the top 20 in the premiership let alone the world. He might at a push be in the top 100 in the world, maybe.

7.) 02 Aug 2016
02 Aug 2016 21:56:29
Sorry for a moment I thought I read Smalling and world class CB in the same sentence? Smalling is much improved. From an exceptionally low baseline. I think we will be challenging for the league and a cert for Top 4. But we are a CB short before anyone can make claims about being potentially title winning. Though clearly the league is there for the taking.

I think Blind was best centre half last year. What does that say about everyone else? We need a successful triumvirate of 2 class CBs and De Gea to mount title winning and later Champs League winning teams. Smalling is not the answer.

And for those who don't agree please take off the red tinted specs and re-watch Arsenal away last season then we'll talk!

8.) 03 Aug 2016
03 Aug 2016 06:12:40
Halesini you beat me to it. Smalling is neither useless nor world class. He was much improved last season and initially looked very solid. As the season wore on I think his form slipped, he does look like he is always 2 minutes away from a mistake and he has no idea what to do with the ball. However, with right partner hopefully his improvement will continue.

9.) 03 Aug 2016
03 Aug 2016 09:54:42
As United fans we want the best of everything don't we? I mean the absolute best. We want centrebacks like Vidic and Rio in their prime, a Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, John Terry style leaders who command and run the game. Players with the attitude of a Stuart Pierce when in the depths of winter in the hard rain, 9pm at night away at Stoke. Stand up and be counted guys.
Would you ever put Blind or Smalling on that list? No. They're good players, some of the most outstanding in the Premier league last season. That doesn't make them world class though in my opinion. Will Barca, Bayern and Real be fighting over signing either of them? Nope.
I saw a random stat on sky sports something like Eric Bailly last season was dribbled past 6 times in a year, Blind was dribbled past 67 times.