Possibly, but there's nothing to say that he was a player in poor form then, and a player in good form now. Maybe he will make it here, but I think we need to watch him for a while longer before we jump to any premature conclusions. Remember, just a few months ago the jury was out on him and everyone wanted to get rid of him.
Jonny Evans | 2011/12 Performances
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Possibly, but there's nothing to say that he was a player in poor form then, and a player in good form now. Maybe he will make it here, but I think we need to watch him for a while longer before we jump to any premature conclusions. Remember, just a few months ago the jury was out on him and everyone wanted to get rid of him.
Behave yourself.....
His international performances first as a left back then as a centre half against an on form Torres for NI were what marked him down as a top prospect a few years ago. The United first team is a difficult, sometimes harsh place to learn your trade. The lad is doing fine.
Looks like you are right but he can still improve many things of his game but in two three years he will be one of the best CB in the league.
Premature conclusions? The only premature conclusion is that Evans "isn't United quality", which some have claimed.
His excellent first two seasons at United, and his excellent season at Sunderland before that, didn't suggest to you that last season was a run of poor form rather than the other way around?
So far he's been playing great for 2 and a half of his 3 and a half seasons in the Premier League, roughly, and in that time he formed the backbone of our most impressive defensive run in modern history along with Vidic and VdS.
So, what's your point really? What excactly is the jury out on? Whether he is a very good Premier League CB? I think that's pretty indisputable. Whether he's good enough to merit a squad place at United? That's pretty much a given. Why do you talk about "making it?
Wanted to post this yesterday but he's been really good this season. Early on in the season he had had improved but was still making one or two really poor decisions/mistakes per game, but he seems to have now even cut that out. Very close to his levels of a few years back when everyone thought he was amazing. Hope he can carry it on.
You should've posted this yesterday really, as he's made a horrendous mistake in this match, the pass for Nani which pretty much played an Ajax-player through.
Agree with you, but he's got a long way to go before he's won over his critics. People need a scapegoat.
Don't kid yourself on here. It wasn't too long ago that people were slating Evans and claiming that he wasn't United quality. I'm sure if I dug back to October after the City game he would've been getting slated in this thread to no end.
It seems like you're completely ignoring his bright start to his United career, though? He had a very good breakthrough season with us in 08/09, he hasn't just shown good form this season.
Fair point. He was actually good in his debut season, but that's always he was to be honest. I wouldn't say he was absolutely brilliant that season, and he was backed up with Vidic a lot of the time, who had one of his best seasons in a United shirt that year, and had VDS behind him in goal as well. I'm not denying that he obviously played well that year, but he was backed up with a very strong defence.
It just sounds like you're being overly cautious with giving Evans credit. He also played a part in VDS having that run of games where we didn't concede. Yes, he was alongside Vidic but still and yet he came in the side and made a good impact. You cant just dismiss that.
Potentially the best defender in his age group, can't think of many more with the amount of big games experience he has.
Pique
People said it, I am now seeing his ball control skills, at first I thought he none really, but lately he has been bring balls down like he is Berba at the back. Sometimes I think it is Carrick doing that and then I see number 6.
That's excactly what I mean about premature conclusions. Those slating him after the City match are the one making them!
They ignored his first three seasons as a Premiership defender, and his first two excellent seasons as a young United-player, just to slate him for what was admittedly a poor season last time around(although he was far from as poor as some would have you believe).
I thought he was excellent again yesterday. Is becoming a very good penalty box defender, which is a nice trait. Clearly worked on his aerial play.
Aside from that one silly pass to nani he was class again. One of these days he's going to get his goal. Everytime he breaks forward he does really well and then so rarely is the ball actually played in to the box.
The one-two with Nani followed by the pass to Young was excellent. And one time in the second half, he popped up in the box, played in by Young.
Enjoying his offensive forays lately.
That's what I'm saying, going forward he's doing everything right he's just getting unlucky that virtually everytime he gets into the box after a good run forward the ball doesn't end up getting crossed in till its too late if at all.
He's taken over Ferdinand's role as the ball playing center half, with Rio staying put, playing as a sweeper if you like. He (Evans) did very well in that respect last night, very assured on the ball when coming forward and he uses the ball really well.
Vidic being out has been a blessing for him, he's really stepped up to the plate imo.
Vidic being out has been a blessing for him, he's really stepped up to the plate imo.
I'd say it's all down to his self belief returning. He had lost it for a prolonged bit.
Our 3rd best player this season. I genuinely can't believe the stick he got seeing as he's 23. Unbelievable.
How many better 23 year old CB's are there around?
I'm still annoyed his header against Villareal didn't go in.
I don't see why you want to downplay everything. Yeah, he's good, nothing more. Said the same about Carrick and plenty of other United players, seems very harsh. Evans was reliable that year and that's all you can ask for from a 21-year old. He played in just under half of the games during that clean sheet run and was solid throughout. Yes he played in a strong defence - although a mainstay of that defence was O'Shea, yet another solid defender that people wanted rid of every now and again, so what does that tell you - but no defender can do it all on his own, even the best defenders will look worse in a poorly organised defence.
Evans is just like Carrick, some people find it very easy to criticise him and very hard to praise him. I'd say in part because he lacks the very English qualities of getting stuck in, putting his head where it hurts and fighting for every ball...despite the fact that much of the time this can lead to players being caught out of position, a lot. People see it in Phil Jones, for example, and it covers up his deficiencies so he gets less criticism than Evans despite being more error prone.
He turned 24 in January lads.
Good post brwned. Agree completely on the Jones bit.
Yeah, the Jones bit is spot on.
Jones has actually been pretty average at CB, even in the early games when he got praise for his beastiness, which cannot be denied, but fundamental defensive flaws like actually being a defender were overlooked. I'm not saying he isn't awesome, he obviously is, just that he isn't a very good CB(yet).
I think Evans has a decent shot at being our next long-term CB, alongside either Jones or more likely Smalling. Jones I could see as a midfielder, or as a full-back, although it would possibly be a bit of a waste to not mould him into a great CB. We'll see, options are good anyway.
Jones has actually been pretty average at CB, even in the early games when he got praise for his beastiness, which cannot be denied, but fundamental defensive flaws like actually being a defender were overlooked. I'm not saying he isn't awesome, he obviously is, just that he isn't a very good CB(yet).
I think Evans has a decent shot at being our next long-term CB, alongside either Jones or more likely Smalling. Jones I could see as a midfielder, or as a full-back, although it would possibly be a bit of a waste to not mould him into a great CB. We'll see, options are good anyway.
Indeed. All good points on Jones.
We'll see how composed he is compared to Evans when he's 21. It'll take some doing.
Ive actually been more impressed with Evans this season than Carrick. Obviously Carrick has been the better player but he's much older and would generally be expected to be at his 'peak' now. Evans on the other hand is still young for a CB and his form this season has been so much better than the last 2. I've always defended him but I still didn't expect him to deliver this much this year.
We'll see how composed he is compared to Evans when he's 21. It'll take some doing.
Ive actually been more impressed with Evans this season than Carrick. Obviously Carrick has been the better player but he's much older and would generally be expected to be at his 'peak' now. Evans on the other hand is still young for a CB and his form this season has been so much better than the last 2. I've always defended him but I still didn't expect him to deliver this much this year.
Evans was really good against Ajax. Really making good preogress this season.
I'm not really looking to downplay it at all. I just read through some things in the thread and felt that others were really overplaying him. He's shown massive improvement this season, but it's not a guarantee that he's going to be a world class defender.
Very true. RE Jones; he's an accident waiting to happen whenever he plays CB. Some of his performances have cost us dearly on a few a occasions.
exactly just like the argument that being a world class talent doesnt mean you're going to become a world class player. there's a reason why there's only a select few players regarded as world class
Ah, the Jones fan-boys vs the Evan die-hards. It's like something out of West side story. The Jets and the Sharks. I can see our respective leaders circling each other like cats, on their toes, leather jackets shimmering under the flickering steet lamp, damp from the rain, quiffs proud and erect, switchblades at the ready, the rest of us clicking our fingers in a menacing fashion.
They're both great, lucky to have 'em.
They're both great, lucky to have 'em.
pure class from Evans, eating my words and enjoying it. The rapid change and rise this season in comparison to the previous 2 has been very interesting. So much of the game is about confidence and belief and this is proof. Right now he is glowing with an assured confidence and sense of responsibility which I've never seen in him. I still maintain he needs to develop in the air and the physical side of his game but what a player he could become.
Johnny Evans must be shite because Efan Ekoku says so. He's the best CB we have at passing the ball out from defence and his concentration levels are improving. He has been one our best players in the last 2-3 months.
On a serious note, I have not read any of the criticisms of Jones as a centre back in this thread but I'd hope posters would realise Jones is still only 19. His potential in any position is huge and I'd still have him down as potentially the most important youngster we have. I was pointing out his deficiences at cb early in the season when the central midfield was being overly hammered but his potential is obviously massive.
I'd hope that would not be lost, especially in a thread on Johnie Evans, someone who I think it's fair to say got written off by large sections of the fanbase far to quickly.
Noticed distribution of the ball has become a topic in this thread. Personally, I think Smalling, Jones and Evans are all very good in this regard and all three are good at bringing the ball out from the back. Nice to see Johnie finally get recognised for this because I also thought he got a harsh reputation on the CAF as a "hoofer" but the other two are equally good IMO and both younger.
Jones looked awesome alongside Smalling as a center back at the Euro Under 21 championship. Going on that alone, I'd expect him to develop into a class center half if he makes that role his permanent one.
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