Chris Smalling has not developed in the manner it was hoped when he arrived from Fulham in 2010 and so limited was the faith placed in him last season by former manager David Moyes that the ageing Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic were often the first-choice centre-back pairings at the club, with Smalling limited to just 19 full league games. The departures of Ferdinand and Vidic now leave United worryingly thin at the back, a criticism that scarcely pays compliment to Smalling. That he is expected to lead the line at the back this season is an even more frightening concept when you re-watch his performance against Swansea City last weekend, with the England star failing to deal with Gylfi Sigurdsson in the build-up to the visitor's opening goal at Old Trafford. Smalling does not inspire confidence, and does not have a big enough personality to play at the heart of United's defence in the same manner Ferdinand and Vidic once did. It may sound harsh but Smalling's development has been so minimalistic it wouldn't come as a complete surprise to see him downgraded in FIFA 15 by a point or two. PREDICTED FIFA 15 RATING: 76
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
