Was shite today. He makes mistakes every games pretty much, I have no idea what people see in him to ink he's top class or anything. He's good, but for a Tottenham level team at most, all he'll ever be.
Jonny Evans | 2011/12 Performances
- Thread starter Sir Matt
- Start date
He deserves an extended run with a reliable partner who isnt an ageing, broken-down cretin.
I know we lost and pretty much in every player thread on here - those that don't think a player is good enough is going to have a go at them in days like this but why are the knives out for Evans? I guess I blocked out the 3rd goal and who was supposed to be picking up Cahill. Was it Evans that lost him?
Overall I thought he had a good enough game especially since Chelsea did very little going forward. What are these mistakes he makes every game?
Overall I thought he had a good enough game especially since Chelsea did very little going forward. What are these mistakes he makes every game?
That same statement could be said about Jones and Smalling as well. We have no continuity with Vidic and Ferdinand flitting in and out of the squad.
Evans was marking Cahill and lost him. It's little things like that, it doesn't happen all the time but he has basically 1 mistake a game, and it costs us pretty often because he's the furthest man back.
I've been criticised a lot for being too negative in the past when I've said it as well. I do still think he's a good defender and he's clearly useful here and will be a very good defender, but I don't think he'll ever be on that world class level. I've always thought that at his best he'll be very good as opposed to world class, like Ferdinand and Vidic at their best.
Too many still seem to be seeing him as this youngster though when he should really be coming into his prime years now. Even if he develops better when he gets older, he's not a youngster anymore so the 'experience' card can't really be played now. He's gotten plenty of experience.
I like Evans but he has made too many errors this season. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Moyes brings in a new starter for centre defence then selects one from Jones, Smalling and Evans; none of whom have made a particularly strong case for themselves so far this season though Evans has had far more opportunities in the position than the other two.
Ok so understand why the critics are out but losing players happens so very often. Lot of times goes unnoticed but I don't get the mistake a game. No player is perfect but Evans has been excellent most if the season. He not only has been good defensively but often has taken on the responsibility to drive us forward when the rest are standing around.
Really? Got much evidence of this?
I like him but I just don't think he's united starting quality (as in good enough to form a good centre back partnership on par with our other great partnerships for the last 20 years). He's good, but I think he's more of a centre back for a top 4 challenger rather then title challenger.
Evans hasn't lost his ability overnight and is not the single man at fault here. Confidence is the issue here. When we are on a roll he plays with swagger, everything from timing of tackle to distribution. When we are in bad form, he tries things out of desperation....as do the rest of the squad. The talent is always there, it's having the confidence and morale to keep it going.
Mistakes made which have led to goals (this is from my collection so it may differ from other collections):
Manchester United 1-1 Southampton: 1 error. Lost Lovren.
Hull 2-3 Manchester United: 1 error. Not a good enough clearance for Hull's second goal.
Manchester United 1-2 Swansea: should have done better to cover for Ferdinand coming out for first goal. For second goal, after Smalling missed the ball, Evans wasn't close enough to challenge Bony for the ball. 2 errors made.
Chelsea 3-1 Manchester United: 1 error. Lost Cahill for Chelsea's third.
In total, he's made 5 errors which have led to goals. Four of those errors have come in the last month or so. He's still been our best defender in the league and I do think the exaggeration isn't justified, however he needs to find form (which I think he'll do). The problem is that we haven't had a consistent centre-back pairing in the league for quite a while. We have tried quite a few and I'm not sure what Moyes is trying to achieve, but IMO we need to identify our strongest pairing and play them regularly. Evans has been involved with all our other centre-backs this season and, for the most part, has done well.
Manchester United 1-1 Southampton: 1 error. Lost Lovren.
Hull 2-3 Manchester United: 1 error. Not a good enough clearance for Hull's second goal.
Manchester United 1-2 Swansea: should have done better to cover for Ferdinand coming out for first goal. For second goal, after Smalling missed the ball, Evans wasn't close enough to challenge Bony for the ball. 2 errors made.
Chelsea 3-1 Manchester United: 1 error. Lost Cahill for Chelsea's third.
In total, he's made 5 errors which have led to goals. Four of those errors have come in the last month or so. He's still been our best defender in the league and I do think the exaggeration isn't justified, however he needs to find form (which I think he'll do). The problem is that we haven't had a consistent centre-back pairing in the league for quite a while. We have tried quite a few and I'm not sure what Moyes is trying to achieve, but IMO we need to identify our strongest pairing and play them regularly. Evans has been involved with all our other centre-backs this season and, for the most part, has done well.
He's never had the talent when the team is under pressure. Not ever.
Losing Cahill wasn't Evans' fault - it's just something that happened. It's hard to track an opponent normally, let alone when your path to track them is blocked.
What? How about the second goal where he ran towards the ball and left a huge gap behind him?
i think his major problem is that he tends to get injured too often. Defensively he s not as good as vidic but overall he s a better player,especially when coming out of the defence with the ball.
A better player than Vidic. Priceless!!
players change with time and once you go past 30,things tend to get worse (unless you re giggs). And that's what s going on with vidic.
Evans is currently better than Vidić.
Again, you must have plenty of evidence of this, any chance of showing us?
Yep, Currently he is our number one CB. I'd even go as far as saying he has been one of the best players this season.
You put Vidic and Jones together we will defend well, put Vidic and Smalling together we'll defend well. Put Evans in the mix, we will be all over the place, when under pressure.
I think that answers your statement.
I'm starting to think you don't rate Evans?
Granted its difficult to see if you've not played the game but just watch the goals we've conceded over the last couple of seasons when he's played, he will have gone AWOL. He runs to the ball and leaves his man, he jumps to early or not at all when defending in the air and seems to confuse the other 3 members of the defence.
No I'm not a big fan. Lol
no he's not.He's still very young in CB terms. He might not reach the peaks Rio hit but he's still far from his own peak. I'm not overly concerned at his mistakes at the moment. What does worry me is his inability to stay fit for continued periods in a season. That actually seems to be a fecking chronic issue with our defenders for a long while now.
Usual tiresome idiots coming out with their knifes sharpened to prove they were right about a player jut because he has one bad game.
I have played the game, not at a professional level but at an intermediate level. I also played the same position as Evans.
With the exception of the 2010/11 season he has been one of our best defensive minded players. Of course he has been at fault for goals we have conceded, he's not flawless, no one is.
As for going AWOL
come on now, he has been our best defender this season, I think your hatred for him is clouding your judgement.He runs to the ball? Would you rather he lets the player run through on goal, his interceptions as well as his ability to win back possession are his biggest strengths, as for his arial abilities, only Vidic is better than him in that department. I think it is something he has to improve on, just like the rest of the team.
Is this the same defence that has been changed on a regular basis, maybe that's what's confusing them
Currently, yes.
He didn't even play that bad, he's just an easy target.
He's perfectly fine as a squad player, but I don't think he's ever shown that he has the ability to form a World Class partnership with anyone.
He'll always be the potential weak link in my opinion (the Johnson in the Johnson-Stam partnership). Personally I feel we need to give Jones-Smalling 5-10 games together and see if we see an improvement.
He'll always be the potential weak link in my opinion (the Johnson in the Johnson-Stam partnership). Personally I feel we need to give Jones-Smalling 5-10 games together and see if we see an improvement.
I like Evans, I really do - in fact, I think he is for the most part a very good centre back, that could yet become a great one - but... for some reasons that I can't quite put my finger on - he's probably the centre back I trust the least out of the 5 that we currently have.
Once again a big thanks to the CAF. I now know Gary Cahill is "light years" ahead of Evans as a defender.
GARY CAHILL.
GARY CAHILL.
He's shown for a good few seasons that he is a class centre back. He started the season well, but his form has dropped off in the last few games, and was poor yesterday, like most of the defence was to be honest.
You clearly don't rate him, but he's been a great defender for us for a while now.
Really?
Him and Vidic formed quite a formidable partnership, especially during the clean sheet record in 09. Since then both players have suffered from various injuries and never really had the chance to build on it.
Now that a Rio is out of the picture he has the chance to build a good understanding with a CB partner, be it Vidic, Smalling or Jones, but yet again injuries to him or other players have hindered that.
Any defender is going to suffer when the partnerships are changing week in week out. We are at our best, every team is at their best when they have a settled back four. Something Moyes just hasn't given us this season yet (partly his fault, partly unlucky with injuries).
I've just been glancing through the past 10/20 pages of this thread. Almost all praise. Many saying he is our best CB currently, others saying he should definetly be in our first choice CB partnership etc etc. Not many posts from you @All 3 United, until quite recently.
I genuinely think he's the most over-rated player we have at the minute.
It's not that he's necessarily a bad player, in fact, I think he's rather good, but all the descriptions of this classy, top tier centre back that everyone else on here apparently sees just arent there for me.
I don't think he could have any complaints if we upgraded in the summer, I'm just not sure he's reliable enough to be the centre back a club with our aspirations should be having as a first choice.
It's not that he's necessarily a bad player, in fact, I think he's rather good, but all the descriptions of this classy, top tier centre back that everyone else on here apparently sees just arent there for me.
I don't think he could have any complaints if we upgraded in the summer, I'm just not sure he's reliable enough to be the centre back a club with our aspirations should be having as a first choice.
Is he ready for that step up though?
I think he was our best defender yesterday, pretty much surrounded by an array of shite performances from all of Vidic, Rafael and Evra. And he was the one who took it upon himself to pass the ball out of defence as well, which Vidic didn't seem particularly bothered about.
I do think he's not been excellent this season and I'm a bit disappointed he's not taken that further step towards being our best overall CB which I do think he should've.
I'm starting to agree with the verdict on him being a "good player but never a great". As part of a defensive partnership with a top class CB he'll be grand, but he's not going to be the leader that we can rely upon.
He doesn't inspire the safety that a Vidic or a Rio at the top of their powers did. Big ask, and he'll always be a very good player for us, but I do think if Jones and Smalling fulfill their potential Evans is the man to go from that line-up. (Provided we sign an actual midfielder some time so that Jones doesn't have to be one)
I do think he's not been excellent this season and I'm a bit disappointed he's not taken that further step towards being our best overall CB which I do think he should've.
I'm starting to agree with the verdict on him being a "good player but never a great". As part of a defensive partnership with a top class CB he'll be grand, but he's not going to be the leader that we can rely upon.
He doesn't inspire the safety that a Vidic or a Rio at the top of their powers did. Big ask, and he'll always be a very good player for us, but I do think if Jones and Smalling fulfill their potential Evans is the man to go from that line-up. (Provided we sign an actual midfielder some time so that Jones doesn't have to be one)
I think Vidic was at his absolute peak at that point and covered a lot for his inadequacies. That duo was an acceptable partnership at the highest level because Vidic was the best CB in the world and Evans was/is a good player. A truly exceptional partnership requires two great players such as Ferdinand-Vidic or Bruce-Pallister. Stam similarly carried Johnson to a level higher than he would be capable under "normal" circumstances.