Smalling Thrives On Defensive Responsibility

Some incredibly unfair things were said and written about Chris Smalling after his red card in the defeat to Manchester City. The defender's response to that setback, meanwhile, was to produce three excellent performances. Each one ended in victory for United and earned Chris a place on the Man of the Match shortlist as nominated by former players on MUTV.

So often in football people talk about how critical it is at the very highest level to deal with adversity, with a heavy emphasis placed on having the character to respond positively. There can be no surer seal of approval in recognition of those qualities than the Stretford End chanting your name, which has happened in the last two home games for Smalling, another indicator that his sending off has already been forgotten.

Old Trafford legend Paddy Crerand told United Review that the post-derby criticism of Chris was not from genuine supporters, and that some of the reaction reported in the press, particularly via social media, was hyperbole at best. Some ludicrously suggested the red card would ensure the Manchester derby would be his last game for the club.

"Chris has done very well to bounce back," said Crerand, who knows how things work at the club. "He didn't get a lot of criticism from United fans for the red card, it was mostly from outside. That's the great thing about football - everyone has an opinion. I think it's the done thing today to criticise - if you don't have a dig at somebody then no-one notices so people will often say something controversial just to make sure they're noticed."

After Smalling served a one-match ban against Crystal Palace, a return to his native London presented a tough assignment with Arsenal defending a 22-match unbeaten home record. The Gunners attacked from the outset and stretched a backline where Smalling was very much the senior figure, joined in the middle by rookies Paddy McNair and Tyler Blackett, with another teenager Luke Shaw on the left and Antonio Valencia, nominally a right-winger, on the other flank.

David De Gea certainly had to play his part in the victory but an Arsenal own goal and Wayne Rooney's breakaway effort late on made it 2-0 to United, before Angel Di Maria passed up an opportunity to extend the advantage further. Olivier Giroud's late strike was only a slight blemish on an otherwise perfect smash-and-grab away raid.

Victory at the Emirates Stadium was a huge step in the right direction for the club. The young defence had passed a stringent test with flying colours. "It was a game that showed real courage and character," Smalling told ManUtd.com. "I think a lot of people learned so much from that."

The stopper was in his element, making clearances with his head and feet, blotting out the danger as the Gunners resorted to a more direct approach in a desperate search for a breakthrough. After being harried and hassled in possession - "Arsenal pressed really high with their three forwards and made it extremely difficult to play out in that game" - there was never a moment to truly relax. And Smalling never switched off in the face of an onslaught.

"I love that as a centre-back," he enthused. "I always have been a defender growing up and it’s just a case, first and foremost, to not let the attacker get a sniff. You must be tight and aggressive and give them the odd kick if you have to, and it is what I enjoy. The other side is getting to play out nice passes from the back and watch the team do well. But, ultimately, I must make sure we’re preventing goals and stopping strikers and that’s something I always enjoy, which is why I play in that position."

Marcos Rojo's comeback from a dislocated shoulder ahead of schedule has provided more options for Louis van Gaal, while Jonny Evans' return is also imminent after a couple of second-string outings. The boss has tended to favour a left and right-sided pairing in the middle, which is something Smalling can appreciate.

"I think he likes to have good balance with the left and right footers on either side of the centre-half partnership," Smalling explained. "Over the years, we’ve not always had a left-footer and, more often than not, you can get away with it. If you have a good touch, you can play with either foot but I can fully understand his point about the balance. Having one right and one left, I can see that.

"I think Jonny is naturally right-footed but has played a lot on the left and I’ve played on the left as well. It’s good to get numbers back as we’re very light in defence and he came through the Reserves' games and has been training with us. It’s good to see options coming back."

Smalling was immense against Hull City and not just in scoring his first goal since his effort against the Tigers last Boxing Day. The centre-back had a couple of other near-misses and was commanding throughout, oozing confidence. When he produced a similarly strong display against Stoke City, it feels right to afford the proper praise to counteract criticism received from some quarters after the red card in the derby.

The run of fixtures this month will benefit Smalling further. The chance is there for him to cement a place in van Gaal's side. "We have got a lot of games and it’s what we like," he added. "It’s all good training and you can train all day long but there is nothing that really beats a game."

The midweek encounter against Stoke under the floodlights did increase the yearning for a return to Champions League football and the club's absence from the competition is not lost on the elegant defender. "I was watching it the other week," he admitted. "Even when we were in it, I would watch it on the other night anyway. Even more so this year. It’s a bit gutting that we’re not involved but you can see the standard of football we need to make sure we rise to.

"You hear the Champions League music when they all line up and it's just a case where we’ve been in it year after year, so it’s a sad time. We’ll be making sure we don't miss out again next year." The evidence of the past three matches suggests Smalling will be playing a key part in the bid for a top-four slot as he continues to make big strides forward.