Man Utd have conceded the least amount of goals in the premier league, but are "just lucky as we have a lot of ball watchers"
Smalling "can pass 10/15 metres but hitting anything more is not in his capabilities" and is no where near as good as Bruce, Vidic and Stam who were obviously raking 50 yard passes all over the pitch whenever they played. The 3 players you mentioned all were pure defenders who could barely pass wind, and were played along side another ball-playing (passing) centre back - Pallister, Ferdinand and Ronnie Johnson (or possibly Ferdinand) respectively.
Not sure why you have such a soft-on for Smalling but he is playing as well as he ever has, is they key component in the best defence in the premier league (and if you think that anything Owen says about football anything has any merit then you are more deluded than I thought) and is the number 1 England centreback at the moment. Not sure what else he can do, or who you realistically think you can replace him with. This may upset you Leggy, but if Man Utd buy another centre back it will be to play alongside Smalling, and not in place of him.
I agree about another centre back and I don't think he will be replaced. As you mentioned he will play along side him. He is not a leader and that is what you need in that position. The fact that he is playing as well as he ever had does not mean anything.The players I mentioned could at least organize the defense around them.
Of course this is my opinion and you are obviously the expert. As you say, Michael Owen knows nothing about the game.