" The only other occasion Ferguson has selected Evans and Smalling alongside each another in the league,
it ended in disaster. At home to Bolton last March, Evans' tackle on Stuart Holden resulted in the American suffering an injury from which he is yet to recover.
Evans was sent off, and was suspended for three games"
When Evans and Smalling were fielded together in a Champions League game at Benfica (when Sir Alex Ferguson played something of a second-string side),
they were bullied by Oscar Cardozo, the 6ft 4in, bullish, powerful No9 who waltzed past Evans to thump in the opener.
When used alongside each other at home to Crystal Palace in the League Cup, they conceded the winner from a set-piece – Evans lost the journeyman Palace striker Glenn Murray the way Vidic never would, and Murray nodded in to put United out
Smalling was nearly embarrassed when Tomas Rosicky capitalised on his slip and squared to Van Persie, who contrived to miss from 10 yards, but such a slip is hardly indicative of a major flaw in his defending.
Thats four different games at least (and you could only think about Reading this season where they had even played together at c-h, but no of course you werent wrong about that either)
Without even considering the majority of these players are nothing really to speak about (ok admittedly Rosicky was playing alongside RvP , so it could be the latter's movement causing difficulties but even so)
whether you like it or not Tom that IS damning evidence from just over a year ago.
My point stands, they dont play often enough together to combat a team like Real, and for the most part when they do play together they look shakey.
Centre-half's play as a PAIR for a reason , you can say they are individial mistakes but thats skirting the issue they are not suitable to playing together against a top team. And yes two of those quotes do mention THEM rather than "individual" mistakes.
but hey ho its you, so its not surprising
