Training Talk: Chris Smalling Chris Smalling took part in our Training Talk feature recently. The defender picks his five-a-side team, is full of praise for James Wilson and discusses pilates... Who has been the best player in training of late? I’d say James Wilson. He’s such a threat in terms of he’s always looking to run in behind. He is very quick and his finishing, while I wouldn’t say it’s surprised me, it’s just the consistency and how hard he strikes the ball and how well too. He’s been very good for a lot of this season in training and I think it’s only a matter of time before we really see him make a big impact. Who scored the best goal you have ever seen in training? I think it might have been Raf [Rafael]. When we were playing a small game, maybe eight versus eight, he was bombing up and down the wing, as he does, and he got it 30-35 yards out and just smashed it into the top corner. I can’t remember who was in goal but he didn’t even move. He’s produced that in a game as well but that was one session where everybody just stood still, the goalkeeper included, and he was off celebrating. It was last season. Can you talk us through the best goal you’ve scored in training? In training? I actually scored a good one this season. We were playing attack against defence and we’ve got two little goals for us defenders to defend and a big goal we get to break out towards. I was played through and I just turned, it’s gone through Felli’s legs and I’ve knocked it around Robin and slid it into the goal. So I’m in form! Who is the most competitive player in training? I’d like to think I’m up there but I would say Antonio Valencia is up there as well – and Fletch. Maybe Fletch as I’d say he treats every game like a real match, whether it’s a small game, possession or the box. He takes it very seriously and is very competitive. Who would join you in an ideal five-a-side team? Okay, I’d just have me as the one defender. I think I can manage that. I would have Di Maria – Angel would be in there and Antonio Valencia. Yeah, you’ve got me, Angel and Antonio – they can play wider and I would go with [long pause] Wazza and Willo, for his pace, up top. Which part of training do you enjoy the most? I think I enjoy the games as we do 11 versus 11. I think at times it’s fun to do small games and, more often than not, I enjoy them the most but I like to play 11 v 11 as that gets you into the game mode rather than training. It takes a bit more serious emphasis and is what I like because it’s very realistic to what you’ll face at the weekend. Is gym work important and are you working on anything specific in the gym? Yes, gym work is massively important as the league and all the players are getting stronger and quicker. A lot of that is aided by what goes on in the gym. I’m doing more pilates now. It’s something I am doing on the reformer with quite a lot of strengthening of my core, my groins and glutes and everything, and it’s something I’ve taken on a lot more over the last six months.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 18:21:02 +0000
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