He's has his problems with injuries but his recklessness as a defender is massively over-stated. How many goals have we conceded due to him over-commiting in a tackle? Can't remember him ever conceding a pen. He's never been sent off and never missed a game for accumulated bookings. I don't think he's as reckless as people make out.
4
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 24
- Clean sheets
- 7
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 3
He's has his problems with injuries but his recklessness as a defender is massively over-stated. How many goals have we conceded due to him over-commiting in a tackle? Can't remember him ever conceding a pen. He's never been sent off and never missed a game for accumulated bookings. I don't think he's as reckless as people make out.
Has he definitely signed a new contract?
He certainly has talent. Some way from being a top defender yet though and needs to kick on over the coming years.
At 22 though giving him a new contract is a no brainer.
There's no confirmation of this. It's just some rumour making the rounds at various sources, but there's nothing from Man. Utd. themselves as of yet.
For me, we just seem to play at our worst when Jones is part of the team during the last season or so. Everything is so laboured, in great part due to Jones and Valencia's 'link-up' play. The last thing I want to see next season is any more of Valencia bombing down the right before stopping about 3/4 of the way down the pitch, hesitating, dropping his shoulder and passing meekly to Phil Jones, sho in turn meekly passes to whoever the nearest other team mate is. Ad infinitum.
Also, I have just never rated his performances at the centre of our defence, its nervewracking stuff to see him starting there. Surely he's good enough to fill a John O'Shea type of role as a second stringer, but he shouldn't be getting regular football for us, he's simply not good enough.
Also, I have just never rated his performances at the centre of our defence, its nervewracking stuff to see him starting there. Surely he's good enough to fill a John O'Shea type of role as a second stringer, but he shouldn't be getting regular football for us, he's simply not good enough.
Now imagine Terry and Cahill playing with Valencia as right back, marcos rojo as left back and Blind as DM.
that would be something so funny to watch.
Smalling + Jones (and DDG of course) have been pulling miracles out of their asses game after game. But well... haters gonna hate and blah blah.
I think Smalling is easily a level above Jones, and should he get over his own injury troubles, could do a good job for us as a starter for years. Jones is a completely different matter, and it's imperitive that he is replaced in the starting XI by someone with a steadier head (that's not trying to tackle players three inches off the ground).
Pretty strange thing to say considering he played in the wins against Liverpool x2, Newcastle x2, Spurs and City and when he wasnt playing we lost against City, Chelsea, Leicester, Everton and West Brom. He only actually played in 3 losses which were Swansea x2 and Southampton
Conceded 1 this season against Newcastle.
We apparently conceded 4 this season - Shaw vs Everton, Blackett vs Leicester, Jones vs Newcastle and what was the 4th?
Edit: Rafael vs Leicester.
Last edited:
Yeah, I'm sure we'd have lost all of those games if matchwinner Jones hadn't started. As a club, we can - and must - do better than Phil Jones.
That was not the point of the post you quoted. They were disproving a facetious claim you made.
Well you said we played at our worst when hes in the team while the fact is hes actually played in our best performances of the season but well done on the childish comeback
Were you genuinely happy with his performances last year? Do you think those performances were due to Jones's influence on those games, or despite them? Is it inconceivable that we would have played as well or better with a different player taking his place?
Do you think Phil Jones can stand shoulder to shoulder with any of the United centre backs of the last 20 years or so? Pallister, Bruce, Stam, Ferdinand, Vidic? Even those a level below, like Ronny Johnsen? Honestly, there's a lot of scope for improvement to the squad, and he's one of the first we should be looking at replacing with better.
I'm not saying the results we achieved were particularly bad when he played, but there were only a few of those where I was happy with the performances in general. It was painful to watch so many games last season, with that pairing I mentioned being a particularly troublesome aspect of that.
He should be grateful of the new contract but if he can't provide consistency and improvement then the questions are raised if should we go after other defenders in his age like Laporte or even Stones.
Could be his last contract in United if he won't change his ways.
Could be his last contract in United if he won't change his ways.
He had a good season, he deserves the new contract.
In most of the games we were poor in the problems were a lack of creativity and cohesion further up the pitch while we had most of the ball rather than us conceding a load of goals so to insinuate that a player who did considerably more defensively than any of our other defenders and had a passing accuracy of 85% was one of the main problems is a bit of a reach. It seems people see what they want when it comes to Jones rather than any actual evidence
Pfft... You can prove anything with facts.
Yes. Jones is statistically one of the best young centre backs in the world. Its rather sad that he's been reduced to a meme in these waters. Apart from the first Aguero goal at Old Trafford this season, I cannot remember him making a mistake that leads to a goal. The only complain I have against him is that he doesn't take care of his fitness much. If he were playing consistently at the back, he will be our best defender, heads and shoulders above everybody else. Including Smalling.
FWIW our current centre-back du jour Chris Smalling was slated on this board after his atrocious performance away against City. He bounced back. In fact, before this season, he's had a pretty hit and miss record. Smalling is 25. Evans was finally written off by this board this season. He's 27. Jones is 22.
I think its because of Jones, not despite him. He remains our best ball-playing centre back.
That depends. If the player replacing him was Thiago Silva or Diego Godin then we would've played better. The replacements from within the team were not too much better.
How many of those were the finished article at 22, barring Ferdinand, who is a one-in-a-generation player?
Yes, but replacing all our promising young players is not the way to go about it.
No. We're supposed to get behind him and support him. He clearly has the potential to be one of the best in the world. Frankly we don't have a discussion if you don't think that is true.
Agreed.
well said.
It's interesting to see Jones be touted as a liability due to his playing style whilst most defenders aren't put in the same boat for playing a similar style. Koscielny isn't mentioned as a liability even though he's a very aggressive defender who loves to win the ball quickly without any regard of Arsenal's defensive shape and structure. Ramos does the same for Real Madrid. Kompany under Mancini (when he was the "best defender" in the League) was also very rash; he conceded lots of fouls and played very instinctively. Pepe used to do this until he matured and controlled his tendencies to become a more dependable defender. Otamendi, like Pepe, also transformed himself to be more dependable as he got older.
There are so many defenders like Jones today who either do not control themselves and remain rash for their whole career or become more dependable only during their late 20's. From what I have seen, Jones may either become reliable during his late 20's or, if he continues to improve at this rate, become dependable 2 years sooner, possibly.
There are so many defenders like Jones today who either do not control themselves and remain rash for their whole career or become more dependable only during their late 20's. From what I have seen, Jones may either become reliable during his late 20's or, if he continues to improve at this rate, become dependable 2 years sooner, possibly.
Did he sign that new contract yet? He seems to have been on the verge of signing it for a while now. Starting to get litte bit worried.
i don't think he's back from vacation yet.
I think smallings rise to prominence is due to the possesion style of football we play rather than him being actually better than jones because before last season; i think most of us rated jones higher.
Saying that; alot has to do with how his surrounding players are. In an ideal scenario you woukd have two ball playing defenders covered by a tenacious DM like Schneiderlin meanhwile 2 Hardcore CB's like Jones & Rojo should in theory be covered by someone like carrick.
Saying that; alot has to do with how his surrounding players are. In an ideal scenario you woukd have two ball playing defenders covered by a tenacious DM like Schneiderlin meanhwile 2 Hardcore CB's like Jones & Rojo should in theory be covered by someone like carrick.
Not sure I understand the logic there, as I see it Jones is the better ball-player but Smalling is the better defender.
We need him gone ASAP.
With each passing year it may become harder for him as we'll be adding new defenders. He may easily not make it in a long run but while he's 23 there's still some chance to reverse the tide.
What does that mean? The fact is I want him gone.
Hope he signs a new deal. One of my favourite players at the club. With more experience, I still maintain that he can be a very good centre back.
I feel the same but he's English so he'll get another contract for sure.
Beat me to it 
Good stuff, hoping to see some major improvement over the coming years.
Good stuff, hoping to see some major improvement over the coming years.
Four more years of the prettiest face in football 
Good news!
Oh bloody hell, seen some guy signing some paper on facebook, thought it was some new transfer and it's just our juggernaut.
Good news anyways I guess.
Good news anyways I guess.
Eat it, @Offside!
Jones: "I'm delighted to have signed a new deal. This is a great club to be part of and I can't wait to start the new campaign."
Louis van Gaal on Jones' contract: "Phil is a talented footballer with great versatility and can play in a number of positions."
Louis van Gaal on Jones' contract: "Phil is a talented footballer with great versatility and can play in a number of positions."