4
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 24
- Clean sheets
- 7
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 3
Sounds like John Terry. Maybe that's why Jones is so highly rated in the UK, but do we actually want a John Terry-type of CB? Some may say a better comparison would be Vidic, but I never thought Vidic was of the barnstorming, bringing the ball forward type, which you see Jones do a bit too much for my taste. If you're a CB, defense first, otherwise become a DM.
It's obvious Jones has talent, but I wonder if there are enough brains there to get the most out of him for a full season or two. If only we could transfer Rio's brain into his body, LOL.
John Terry's had a great career and is very highly rated outside England too. Being captain and one of the best players for a team that made two CL finals and dominated domestically will do that.
I don't get this redcafe trope that John Terry is crap because he makes a lot of last-ditch tackles. And that's as someone who thinks Ferdinand was a better player. More than one way to skin a cat though.
Evans has shown more in his time at United to be clearly the best when on form.
The comparison starts and ends with their no nonsense approach to tackling and putting their bodies where others would not. Terry is way better than Jones, even at 18 Terry was exceptional, he made his debut at 17 just short of his 18th. Terry is technically and positionally better than Jones. He is also more tactically astute. English fans hope Jones will be the next Terry but he won't at this rate.
If Jones ends up like Terry i'd be ecstatic. I know a few on here think Terry is overrated but he's a quality CB.
Yeah, Terry was one of the very best English centre backs and he has the medals and awards to prove it. There wasn't much between him, Campbell and Rio Ferdinand.
Philistine's latest affliction doesn't seem to be healing too well:
Read more at http://www.squawka.com/news/delay-i...return-from-injury/217695#8h1Q8R7F3zKvOX0Z.99
Read more at http://www.squawka.com/news/delay-i...return-from-injury/217695#8h1Q8R7F3zKvOX0Z.99
LvG said from the start shin splints were a hard one to predict as far as return date goes.
What the hell is going on?Surely we're always concerned about him re-injuring himself.
What a waste of wages him, Evans and Smalling are.. no matter their potential.
We are paying Nani's wages to play for another club!
Feel for him. Shin splints suck ass
Shop window loan that's gonna pay off judging by the current form.
Strange story considering the story he references actually says Jones is back in training
As much as I love Evans, I think his time is up here. Will turn 27 early next year, faced long spells out with injury and when fit was underwhelming at best and disaster at worst. Can't see Van Gaal having too much time for him. Philistine on the other hand is only 21 and a player with his physical attributes is worth waiting for and hoping that he grows out of his injury issues.
He'll be fighting fit soon enough, getting back to the top of his game and making us all speculate as to whether or not he's our greatest ever.
Then injure himself flying off a bouncy castle or something.
Then injure himself flying off a bouncy castle or something.
*sigh*
BAAAAAHAHAHAHAH. Phil Jones. Our greatest ever! That's absolutely fabulous.
What is it about English players that makes people overrate them so spectacularly. So far he has been very, very average at United. Prone to mistakes and also prone to injury. Makes some good last ditch challenges, due to in fairness to him absolutely giving it his all, and having great physical ability to get back ... but most of these clean ups come after his own mistakes.
Greatest ever. Good God. That's brilliant.
@iBoss Fergie gets it wrong too.
Too right. Fergie absolutely got it wrong about a lot of players. He also praised Liam Miller and Djemba-Djemba very highly
I said that in reference only to something SAF said, and to be fair, English or not he has had some outstanding performances.
I dont agree with that in the slightest - clearly he is an injury liability but the talent is there for all to see, he just doesnt manage to stay fit.
And it wasnt just Fergie showering him with praise either, other managers he worked with like Capello and Allardyce went out of their way to talk up his potential as well - a massive shame that injuries has stopped him from progressing from that early form.
What are his own managers going to do? Talk him down?
Is that the only alternative?
That's not the point - they have a full squad of players and he was regularly picked out for particular praise by a whole raft of managers.
IIRC Allardyce compared him to Essien and Capello said the only similar players he ever worked with were Baresi and Hierro - it doesnt get much better than that.
High praise indeed. Hopefully they are proved right. Haven't seen anything in him to suggest he'll be one of our greats myself, hence why I found original comment so funny, but God knows I've been wrong before
Philistine, our best ever. 
What a clanger from SAF.
What a clanger from SAF.Well if he cant stay fit then he never will be - even now he has not really progressed enough from the days that his managers were raving about his future, but that is due to injury and not ability.
Won't be here next season never mind being one of our greats.
Either him or Smalling (most likely) will probably be off, yeah.
I don't see a huge future for either as a centre back here, but I'd keep Jones as a utility player.
I'd personally disagree with that. I don't really think it's only injury, when he has been fit I think his performances have been completely and utterly overblown by most fans. Just my own opinion mind you.
An opinion we share.
That's not me saying "He's been utter rubbish", before anyone gets angry.
I do feel it's the "English barnstorming player" bias. He used run around a lot, so you'd see a lot of him, so people would constantly be talking about what a great performance he had. What I was seeing, was a player routinely out of position, flying back to make last ditch challenges (albeit great ones at times) which left him even more likely to get injured. Every decent game he played was lauded as outstanding.
I think it's a bit of:
a) Looking good at Blackburn - in a 6-18 yard box centre back role.
b) Having a big, strong physique, and being pretty quick and strong.
c) Being 'fearless' etc.
So you can understand why he was a relatively big deal at the time.
But, to me, he's always been a 6-18 box defender. Good at the getting something on it, getting in front of shots, sliding in to block shots.
But I still don't see a truly natural defender. 30 odd games of Phil Jones would 100 mph most of the time. And that's not what being a defender is all about.
He has enough qualities to stay here as a utility player, but not to be a long term centre back, in my opinion.
I'm already seeing more in McNair.
I used to be a "Phil Jones could be the next Bobby Charlton mini-me" man, but I've given up all hope on him as anything more than a solid squad player.
If you don't have the football brain to avoid ridiculous tackles that lead to self-inflicted injuries, you don't have the football brain to become a United legend.
If you don't have the football brain to avoid ridiculous tackles that lead to self-inflicted injuries, you don't have the football brain to become a United legend.
Jones is only 22. People seem to forget that when discussing tranfers. He has struggled with injuries but if that stops we have a talent on our hands!