Chris Smalling believes he has emerged stronger from a “make or break season” at Manchester United, with the defender eager to maintain recent progress and ensure he plays an integral role for England.
The centre-half earned his 17th cap in Sunday’s goalless draw against the Republic of Ireland, starting alongside Gary Cahill, and will compete with Phil Jagielka for a place in Roy Hodgson’s lineup against Slovenia in Sunday’s Euro 2016 qualifier in Ljubljana. The 25-year-old recognised an opportunity had presented itself at club level following the departures of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand last summer, and his form duly earned him the armband in the absence of Wayne Rooney and, in April, a new four-year contract.
Louis van Gaal suggested the defender’s game had developed significantly over the course of the season, with Smalling confident he and his club-mate Phil Jones have made a positive impression. “I think it was make or break considering the outgoings at centre-back last summer,” said the former Fulham player.
“It was a chance where players had to step in and, luckily, I’ve been one of those who has had a good run, especially in the second half of the season. Apart from the start of the season, when I had a few injuries, I’ve been able to have a good run and the manager has shown faith in me at United.
“We take more risks at United than the majority of teams but the manager wants us to play. That is something we have fully taken on board, because that is his style, and I think that has helped me when playing in the games. On the back of that, it was nice to get another England game [in the Republic of Ireland] to carry on the season. Now it is all about building on that next season.”
That appearance in Dublin was only Smalling’s fourth in England’s nine games since last summer’s World Cup finals and his second start in succession after the friendly draw in Italy during March. Although Hodgson has often turned back to his most experienced centre-half pairing of Cahill and Jagielka in more awkward contests, there is a recognition that younger combinations must be introduced. Smalling is effectively competing with Jones and the highly regarded John Stones, currently with the Under-21s for the summer’s European Championship, for a regular place.
The game in Slovenia represents another timely opportunity for Smalling to stake a long-term claim for a centre-half position.
Hodgson will seek a much-improved performance from his team against their nearest challengers in Group E after the anaemic offering in Dublin, but an 11th match without defeat – the run started with a 0-0 draw against Costa Rica at the World Cup – is their objective.
“We’re unbeaten since Brazil and in that run we’ve had some very good performances, a lot of them better than in Dublin,” said Smalling. “The fact we’re still unbeaten has bred confidence. We could have done a lot better against the Republic of Ireland but we kept a clean sheet and we’ll try and take some positives from it. We probably needed that game given the time we’d all had off.
“We have a job to do on Sunday. It is one of those where we know if we do the job it [qualification] is near enough there and we can go into the summer relieved and happy. Whereas if we don’t win this game it is a long break [with the job still to be finished] so I don’t think there will be any problems with people getting up for it.”
