Personally I prefer Smalling, as I think he is the more naturally-gifted defender out of the two and including Jones too. Evans' contribution over the past three seasons cannot be underestimated however and he has probably been our best performing centre back over that period of time. Also taking into consideration his distribution and ball-playing ability, he has every chance of being the most favoured defender out of our current batch under van Gaal.
Jonny Evans - What do we think?
- Thread starter LawCharltonBest
- Start date
Errr, he was an automatic starter.
He never was. Don't tell me you're really this deluded. To begin with, his injury record never allowed him to do so, and he missed several key games due to not being selected. He never cemented a first team automatic position. The facts are there.
He has been our best CB for the last couple of seasons, if you don't agree then fair enough.
He has been our best CB for the last couple of seasons, if you don't agree then fair enough.
The fact that he's been our so called best when he's barely featured in the last few seasons says a lot about our state of affairs at the back doesn't it? Look back at how many big matches Evans has actually been involved in. Rio and Vidic still played more of those in the last few seasons. Evans had his most consistent season in 2011/12. Only played 17 times in the league last season and 23 times the season before that. Fergie predicted that one day our team and defence would be built around Evans, even tipped him for the captaincy. It hasn't worked out that way and I don't think it will.
Evans has been our most reliable CB for a while and is very underrated. Like a lot of very underrated players in big teams though he'll never actually be a top player. If we're looking for a CB partnership featuring two top class players then Evans is ruled out. However, we're still some way away from having two CBs of that standard so atm he should still be a starter for us.
Evans has earned the right to be the first name on the back line until injuries or form dictate otherwise.
People are letting the 2013-2014 season cloud their judgement on Evans. He was first choice most of 11-12 and the first half of the 12-13 season. And those seasons he did a decent job and was relatively injury free.
Yes because I've been proven wrong on so many occasions. Oh wait....
I don't think he is reliable enough.
He still can't handle a target man with any kind of physical prescence, he gets far too tight and either gets bullied or conned in to stupid challenges.
He suffers from the kind of lapses in concentration you make at 21, not 27.
He still has games where he is at fault for us conceding due to poor decision making and not because he has been "beaten".
And sometimes, they all happen in the the same game.
Which is a shame, because when the stars align,when he has had a good night sleep and his mum got his porridge just right in the morning for his breakfast, he is a decent defender.
He still can't handle a target man with any kind of physical prescence, he gets far too tight and either gets bullied or conned in to stupid challenges.
He suffers from the kind of lapses in concentration you make at 21, not 27.
He still has games where he is at fault for us conceding due to poor decision making and not because he has been "beaten".
And sometimes, they all happen in the the same game.
Which is a shame, because when the stars align,when he has had a good night sleep and his mum got his porridge just right in the morning for his breakfast, he is a decent defender.
Great summation. Couldn't agree more
Evans had his best spell when he played regularly. He suffers more from rotation or injuries than others for some reason. The problem is we can't either be sure he stays fit nor can we gaurantee him a starting place when needs 10 games in a row to hit form.
Therefore we must look elsewhere for someone to boss our defence. Smalling and Jones both still making their mistakes and have their injuries too. Both must step up this season but to give one of them the resonsibility to organise our back four seems not beneficial for their development.
Therefore we must look elsewhere for someone to boss our defence. Smalling and Jones both still making their mistakes and have their injuries too. Both must step up this season but to give one of them the resonsibility to organise our back four seems not beneficial for their development.
oh my, you're such an expert
sorry but i disagree with that part in particular. He has handled the likes of Drogba magnificently, even at a younger age.
Yes, he has had lapses in concentration. The same accusation could be leveled at any defender of a certain age. Rio suffered from the same when he was younger. These things get ironed out with regular football. Evans has all the attributes. I feels he's somewhat underated because hes homegrown.
Evans is a player who divides opinion, he has the odd run of good games but truthfully lacks consistency, power, leadership and athleticism to be a top defender. He is a fair-weather player and doesn't excel in any area, sometimes he passes well, sometimes he reads the game well and other times he gets in good blocks but it comes in flurries as does his insufficiencies.
Lets be honest here, outside of Old Trafford he isn't rated - obviously other fans watch him less, so they don't get to see all the smaller details throughout the season that the die hards do and cling on to, but if your that great a defender that some posters are making out, you would be getting recognition else where and his level of ability be common knowledge. There is a reason that its only a selection of united fans that rate him, its because the rose tinted glasses are in full effects, the fans look at him with optimism and hope and ignore the flaws and mediocracy that are in his game.
At nearly 27 Evans should be in his prime, he should have displaced an ageing Ferdinand, he is nothing more than a decent squad player not a commanding world class centre half. At 27 Rio was the best defender in the world in our 0/6/07 campaign, they are not even comparable.
Lets be honest here, outside of Old Trafford he isn't rated - obviously other fans watch him less, so they don't get to see all the smaller details throughout the season that the die hards do and cling on to, but if your that great a defender that some posters are making out, you would be getting recognition else where and his level of ability be common knowledge. There is a reason that its only a selection of united fans that rate him, its because the rose tinted glasses are in full effects, the fans look at him with optimism and hope and ignore the flaws and mediocracy that are in his game.
At nearly 27 Evans should be in his prime, he should have displaced an ageing Ferdinand, he is nothing more than a decent squad player not a commanding world class centre half. At 27 Rio was the best defender in the world in our 0/6/07 campaign, they are not even comparable.
Except that even at Rio's prime, you have other idiots claiming that Terry was the superior defender and that Rio was prone to having mental feckups and he was only made to look good because Vidic carried our defense.
Evans isn't even half as good as Rio was in his prime.
Lets face it, Evans is good, but he's not world class. He's done well to have one of Vidic or Rio partnering him most of the time.
Lets face it, Evans is good, but he's not world class. He's done well to have one of Vidic or Rio partnering him most of the time.
He is world class when he plays regularly next to a world class CB.
So, he looks a lot better when he's carried by a better partner? Isn't that the same as everyone?
If he was world class he'd show it regardless of who he played against.
For some perspective -
Terry
Cahill
Agger
Skrtel
Jagielka
Mertesacker
Vermaelen
Koscielnly
Demichelis
Kompany
These players are from our direct rivals and all are better and more accomplished centre backs.
Terry
Cahill
Agger
Skrtel
Jagielka
Mertesacker
Vermaelen
Koscielnly
Demichelis
Kompany
These players are from our direct rivals and all are better and more accomplished centre backs.
Last edited:
On both those seasons you mentioned Vidic was injured, which was the main reason why Evans was first choice.
He is a very good defender, almost excellent when he is partnered by someone better. His passing is really great. However, we are joking ourselves if we think that he is world class (as someone mentioned) or that he'll ever be as good as Rio or Vidic. Still, a good player to have and currently our best CB.
I don't think that neither of the bolded ones are better than him, with some around the same level (Cahill and Agger/Vermaelen when they aren't injured). Kompany is clearly better and Mertesacker may be better, but the likes of Jagielka, Skrtel and even Terry aren't as good as him.
All I'm saying is, Evans is a confidence player, give him a run of games injury free, he will be back to his best when we kept clean sheets for fun.
Had a very patchy season. Season before last I thought he was excellent and had usurped Rio as first choice.
I think he is now our best central defender, but he certainly does need to get and stay fit, and I think he needs a leader alongside him.
I think he is now our best central defender, but he certainly does need to get and stay fit, and I think he needs a leader alongside him.
Carlton Cole, every time he plays against him, says hi.
Never said he was the level of Rio and Vidic. I just think he is a very good player like you do.
Demichelis?? Heck, even Rio on one foot is better than him!!
Sorry blunder, I will keep my opinions to myself in this open forum!
I don't like criticising our own players and try to be positive but Jonny Evans isn't the future. Gets bullied too easily, injury prone and makes far too many mistakes. He isn't going to make it at United and really is in the Nani/Anderson camp of "could do better".
Thing is, Smalling doesn't fill me with confidence either. We desperately need a new central defender.
Thing is, Smalling doesn't fill me with confidence either. We desperately need a new central defender.
Theres arguably only about 4-5 players on that list of 10 that are/were better than Evans. I get that a lot of people criminally underrate Evans but its getting ridiculous now.
Demichelis better than Evans, Jesus.
How about you just throw every single centre back in the league into that list ? The new list will be just as accurate.
Christ.
and Duncan Ferguson used to give both Bruce and Pallister a battering, yet they were known for their arial ability
Vidic never played well against Torres, does that mean he's crap? No, it just means that he's human
Demichelis was for most parts, one half of the centre back partnership which won the league, after a shaky start he was very good.
Evans just isn't rated outside of United and for a valid reason, he isn't that good. Like I said before our fans look for the positive in his play and want to ignore the blatantly obvious weakness he brings to us, because he is a humble, unassuming and nice enough bloke people the fans appreciate that.
When top strikers come up against Johnny Evans they probably look forward to it.
The best way I can describe Evans... When Vidic was one v one with a forward, I'd be sat thinking, 'it's vida, not a chance' when Evans is one v one, I think, 'oh shi*'
Sorry but
A lot of guys on your list has some pretty obvious weaknesses. And if Demechelis is good because of the league title he help won Evans has helped win three of those.
He's being both underrated by some and overrated by others here. He's a very good defender, but incredibly injury prone. He isn't the best defender in the world, league, or maybe our team. But he is a good player and a great distributor from the back, which is something LvG will value. On best form I think Smalling is a better defender but Evans is a better footballer, and I think they would make an excellent pairing, barring any injuries.
My point is we need a world class centre back and should not be reliant on the idea that Johnny Evans is our best centre back.
He is a good squad player I would agree.
He is a good squad player I would agree.
Who is world class these days? I might be in the minority here but, I think we can win with Evans/ Jones as first choice and Smalling/another CB as depth. Especially since Van Gaal as had plenty of success without great defenses. I really do not think there is a ton of great defenses around right now.