Half as good isn't good enough. I don't think Evans will ever be as good as Rio or Vidic and neither will Smalling.
Jonny Evans | 2011/12 Performances
- Thread starter Sir Matt
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Half as good isn't good enough. I don't think Evans will ever be as good as Rio or Vidic and neither will Smalling.
I think you really need to open your eyes and have a look at what a top class centreback looks like. If you think Evans is anywhere close then you're having a laugh.
I hope you are right, but I don't see it, especially with Smalling. Maybe Jones if he is given a long run of games at his best position, whatever that may be.
Young can't hold the ball for nuts.
Number of goals conceded has more to do with lack of protection from the midfield rather than poor performances from the back four.
After a tough start, he stay composed and got the job done under a lot of pressure. Not a great performance but around the Christmas period, you need to get it done when up against the wall like that. Showed great maturity at 2-0 down.
He's bloody annoying. Takes so much time to make up his mind on where to pass it to. Always allows the defender to win yhe 1st ball. Its no surprise we are to shaky defensively with him being the constant in there.
Bad mistake today. Pretty inexcusable one, but was good for the rest of the game.
Not true. There was one time he could have played a pass to rooney but decided to delay and instead go sideways to ckeverley. I get the feeling hes always looking for a long pass first and foremost.
He does get a bit overhyped on here. As for today, surprising lack of composure on the own goal. You'd probably expect that touch least from Evans out of all our CB options so its uncharacteristic. Did quite well defending in the box other than that, same as Smalling
Uncharacteristically poor-ish performance for the first 15 minutes, not a lot to shout about thereafter though. 6/10 sort of day.
Are you talking about the time he cut the ball out at half way and ran forward with it, played it right which created a decent chance?
Yeah, what a bastard he was there...
Nope not that.
Yeah, I noticed that too. Simple forward pass to Rooney in the hole - he decides to hold on to the ball, and then passes sideways.
I don't know which one you're talking about then, but as you are suggesting his on the ball play is in some way weak or a cause of our poor play then you're talking through your hole.
Bad mistake for the goal puts a black mark on his game. I did like watching him carry the ball forward into midfield and then past them at times when the space opened up. Always handy when a defender has the ability and confidence to do so without losing the ball. Totally messes up the oppositions marking.
Is this a serious post? He's comfortably our best defender with the ball at his feet. His distribution is tremendous and has the ability to step into midfield with the ball to great effect.
I thought him and Smalling rebounded well from a difficult start, especially given that they weren't exactly protected all that well by the midfield.
I'm saying its bloody annoying the way he delays instead of moving it off faster. I'm not saying it's weak or the cause of our poor play. Just bloody get the ball, make your mind up and pass it on. You don't have to be a David beck ham in defenders to constantly look for the long option.
Aye. Absolutely ridiculous.
I do think he sometimes gets bigged up more than he should (perhaps connected with his nationality
) but yeh, utter bullshit.
Aye. Absolutely ridiculous.
I do think he sometimes gets bigged up more than he should (perhaps connected with his nationality
We conceded 1 goal in our last four games. Of the three clean sheets Guess the only centre half to start every one?
Clueless nonsense being spouted
We conceded 1 goal in our last four games. Of the three clean sheets Guess the only centre half to start every one?
Clueless nonsense being spouted
Indeed. Our best CB for the last 18 months now.
A horrid mistake, but then who doesn't make one?
He should be the mainstay replacement for Rio.
He should be the mainstay replacement for Rio.
Made a right cock up with the second goal today. Still, on the whole of the season so far, he's been good.
There's some fecking pony in this thread right now. One mistake gets transcended into "he makes a major error every game." He's great. We need some stability in the back line which I do think Moyes is trying to sort out, although injuries prevent this from happening. Get the midfield sorted, get our awesomely talented defenders some protection and we'll be good as new.
Today's shaky start was more of an anomaly in fairness. That isn't common.
Today's shaky start was more of an anomaly in fairness. That isn't common.
Pretty much this, yes. Both him and Smalling did poorly for the goal. Both recovered well, though.
He's been easily our best defender this season. He was at fault for the second goal admittedly but to claim he's been poor this season? It's laughable. To be fair I also thought Smalling could have done better for that goal.
Moyes trusts him and that's enough for me. Of course there is possibility of signing a centre back but so far Evans despite the mistakes and overall problems with a whole team is capable of doing solid with both Jones and Smalling.
He's a very good player but had a day off. It happens and does not mean he's now shit
Which isn't true considering that this thread hasn't been bumped for mistakes for a couple of months now. It's a lazy opinion to have, that he is defended on here - and the question is on the same wavelength - when the fact remains there are a few people who don't trust him because of this shakiness at the back, despite being consistently good since the 11-12 season. His last mistake which led to a goal this season was against Southampton from a corner and even then, he had a very good game. Today was similar... he made a mistake, but he played well along with Smalling.
Poor for the 2nd but, very good otherwise. He really has become the bedrock of our defense this season.
He's a top top defender but I have a feeling he just will never be in the Vidic, Kompany bracket and I have a feeling that he may be back on the bench if we sign another central defender. But I hope he proves me wrong and right now we need him on form more than ever
Well lost the plot for the second goal, not sure what he was thinking but aside from that didn't do much wrong that I can think off. In general though I think he's doing fine.
I wouldn't put Kompany in the Vidic bracket. Vidic has had a couple of world class seasons, whereas Kompany's only consistent (great) season was in 11/12. Last season, injuries and poor form ruined him. This season, he's not been that special either, but I understand your point. Vidic gives you more assurances than any of our other defenders. He's prodigious in the way he defends and this solid aura he possesses was manufactured from 2007 to 2009. Currently, Evans is in good form, as is Smalling. Maybe some have forgotten his performances in crucial fixtures this season (Arsenal, Shakhtar, for example), but is a defender not allowed to make one mistake without being degraded to the level of a mediocre defender?
MM, I'd say Vidic is fading as age and injuries catch up with him whereas Kompany is still at the top of his game.
I wouldn't put them in the same bracket though. Vidic's best form eclipses that of Kompany's, plus he has been more consistent. Kompany, apart from 11/12 season, hasn't done much since to be labelled as world class IMO. I feel that Kompany's weaknesses are being exposed more often now (see his awkwardness in dealing with mobile strikers and how he's currently adapting to a high defensive line), and I don't believe that there's much between him and Evans this season based on form. Obviously, skill set wise, both differ, but that's a different argument altogether.