How would Custis know van Gaal's opinion? I somehow highly doubt he's shared it with him.
4
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 24
- Clean sheets
- 7
- Goals
- 0
- Assists
- 1
- Yellow cards
- 3
He's been good this season, particularly bearing in mind it's a new system, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if LVG was a bit dubious about him. The last ditch stuff won't be as easy against really good sides. There you get punished for your mistakes.
Hopefully we keep faith, though. He could be really good if he got consistent games at CB.
Hopefully we keep faith, though. He could be really good if he got consistent games at CB.
The same way he and other journos knew that welbeck was likely to be sold. There are many ways these stories get out of the club. Doesn't mean they are accurate, but he must have heard this from someone he trusts
Aye true enough.
He's leading the league by a distance in interceptions. (Which are different to tackles or blocks.)
The people claiming he's only been doing last ditch tackles because of his own mistakes etc.. are just living in stereotype frankly.
The people claiming he's only been doing last ditch tackles because of his own mistakes etc.. are just living in stereotype frankly.
He's been very good - surprised me! He's been our best player this season, I think. He's perfectly suited for this set-up, as is Smalling tbf. I'm looking forward to seeing Rojo in there as well. I wonder if I would have Jones in the middle and Smalling to the right, but then again, Smalling is much better in the air than Jones.
Smalling's defensive attributes are well suited for this system. He is big, quick and strong and his positioning has gotten better too. His on the ball ability is the big letdown though in this system for me. Jones when he has space can drive forward with the ball, even shimmy past a defender and then pass, or just make better medium/long passes. Smalling on the other hand with space in front of him just takes his time and passes it sideways too much. And when pressed particularly he doesn't have a way to get out which results in pass back to de gea or other defenders putting them in pressure.
I think you are spot on here, mate. Smalling's physical attributes are perfect, but his passing and inability to carry the ball out of defense do let him down a little, sadly. Sounds like Rojo will be very good at that though, so hopefully Smalling will simply be the defending best of the trio - he's a beast in the air and won't lose many races either. Jones is very good, but he struggles against strong and big opponents like Lukaku.
I know right ? Maybe this is what @Annahnomoss was referring to. The sample size is really small but as of now Jones is outperforming some of the best defenders around in their peak seasons :
Currently Jones is a beast, if he stays fit, and gets a good run of games he will soon be among the best I reckon, he has all the attributes to be one of the best, the only thing he is missing is positioning and his aggression/control, but that will come soon.I know right ? Maybe this is what @Annahnomoss was referring to. The sample size is really small but as of now Jones is outperforming some of the best defenders around in their peak seasons :
I got the boot stuck into me on here for suggesting that this is his last season and I still think it's happening. I agree that he's hugely improved but the problem is he's improved on being hilariously shit to being average and still not good enough. Wouldn't be surprised if LVG doesn't fancy him. Could we do better? yes. Have we got the money to? Yes. All adds up to no more Jones for me.
Dont remember the time Jones was hilariously shit, he hasnt been good always but hilariously shit? Think you replaced Evans with Jones.
Spot on. Also he's not average now like dude suggested :
Potentially world class more like.
Nope. They're both Keystone Cops defenders.
That Squawka stuff is hilarious. You stats junkies do know that according to Squawka Jones was a better performer than Kompany last season? REally?
Sure you're not misplacing Jones with Bartra/Pique?
Because it seems like Jones has been around for ages I think people forget he is only 22. He's done really well so far this season. Our best player. Hopefully he stays injury free, this could be a key season in his development as it could be his first where he is played consistently at CB. I really think he could kick on and become an important player for us if given a good run in his natural position.
Quite sure.Now serious, when has Jones been hilariously shit?
For ever man 
He's mediocre. Big heart yes I'll give him that. Not good enough for where this team is going. Severley limited skillset and an almstt complete absence of composure.
I'm predicting that there will be no Jones and no Rafael and no Evans here this time next year. I've a sneaky feeling Smalling might make it but wouldn't be surprised if they're all out the door.
I think sometimes we underestimate the exact scale of the rebuild LVG is going to undertake here. We've put up with poor performances from average players for so long that a run of 3 games from Jones, against really ordinary opposition, where he hasn't has one of his usual calamities has him suddenly being championed as as good as the likes of Hummels.
He is nowhere near good enough, nowhere near, to stake a place in the heart of a defence that is going to win the EPl and the CL and thats the goal here.
He's mediocre. Big heart yes I'll give him that. Not good enough for where this team is going. Severley limited skillset and an almstt complete absence of composure.
I'm predicting that there will be no Jones and no Rafael and no Evans here this time next year. I've a sneaky feeling Smalling might make it but wouldn't be surprised if they're all out the door.
I think sometimes we underestimate the exact scale of the rebuild LVG is going to undertake here. We've put up with poor performances from average players for so long that a run of 3 games from Jones, against really ordinary opposition, where he hasn't has one of his usual calamities has him suddenly being championed as as good as the likes of Hummels.
He is nowhere near good enough, nowhere near, to stake a place in the heart of a defence that is going to win the EPl and the CL and thats the goal here.
WTF, I highly doubt we are watching the same player.For ever man
He's mediocre. Big heart yes I'll give him that. Not good enough for where this team is going. Severley limited skillset and an almstt complete absence of composure.
I'm predicting that there will be no Jones and no Rafael and no Evans here this time next year. I've a sneaky feeling Smalling might make it but wouldn't be surprised if they're all out the door.
I think sometimes we underestimate the exact scale of the rebuild LVG is going to undertake here. We've put up with poor performances from average players for so long that a run of 3 games from Jones, against really ordinary opposition, where he hasn't has one of his usual calamities has him suddenly being championed as as good as the likes of Hummels.
He is nowhere near good enough, nowhere near, to stake a place in the heart of a defence that is going to win the EPl and the CL and thats the goal here.
sweet jonas the shit i have to read in here...
I know right ? Maybe this is what @Annahnomoss was referring to. The sample size is really small but as of now Jones is outperforming some of the best defenders around in their peak seasons :
Exactly. That and also his 91.5 passing percentage, which can be compared with T.Silva who last year got 92.7 and the year before that had 89.5% for a team which is a high possession team and recycles possession in the defense even more than us.
Long balls accuracy and successful amounts are also similar at 4.7 for Phil Jones and 4.9 for Silva in 12-13 and 7.2 in 13-14 with a very similar accuracy in them as well.
I highly doubt he will continue it, but hopefully he can at least remain at a highly improved level compared to previously.
Claims that he is still living on "last ditch tackles" and/or have poor passing is just perceptions based on previous seasons. His least impressive statistic is his tackling this season, even if it is still good of course. He also has 0 errors this year.
This is something that really irks me. Apparently once a player has been tagged it's rather difficult to get the monkey off their backs.
It's similar to how De Gea still has question marks over his ability to catch the ball, especially from certain sectors of the media. This despite being error free (vs Sunderland COC was the solitary error he made in the whole of 2013/ 2014 IRIC) and being aerially dominant for the past 2 seasons running.
Conversely people refuse to accept that some players that were world class in the past no longer belong in that bracket (eg Kompany). They still include him in the conversation for the best defenders in the world when actually he's some ways off the top now.
Same with people who say Smalling his distribution is shite, it really isnt that bad, its decent.
I first found it really annoying but now I find it really hilarious. If somebody posts facts to support their argument, like you did above.
Then somebody always comes in without any facts and claims facts are shit so they win the argument because they didn't provide any facts.
Jones may be a shit midfielder, and no doubt a worse striker, but he's turning in class performances now that he's getting in a decent run at center back. Expect to PJ dominate at center back for club and country for the next 6-8 seasons.
Jones is a very good midfielder when plays there.
For ever man
He's mediocre. Big heart yes I'll give him that. Not good enough for where this team is going. Severley limited skillset and an almstt complete absence of composure.
I'm predicting that there will be no Jones and no Rafael and no Evans here this time next year. I've a sneaky feeling Smalling might make it but wouldn't be surprised if they're all out the door.
I think sometimes we underestimate the exact scale of the rebuild LVG is going to undertake here. We've put up with poor performances from average players for so long that a run of 3 games from Jones, against really ordinary opposition, where he hasn't has one of his usual calamities has him suddenly being championed as as good as the likes of Hummels.
He is nowhere near good enough, nowhere near, to stake a place in the heart of a defence that is going to win the EPl and the CL and thats the goal here.
Depends on whether we stick with 3 at the back i reckon.
Also, if we're in the business of retaining only those defenders who are technically efficient and good on the ball then Smalling would be out before Evans.
Some people want to sell the whole squad.
Oh and if we ever stupidly tried to sell Jones i am sure there won't be any shortage of suitors. Same as with most of our players except a few. (And even more for Jones.)
Oh and if we ever stupidly tried to sell Jones i am sure there won't be any shortage of suitors. Same as with most of our players except a few. (And even more for Jones.)
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Don't understand the basis of some of the criticism here of Jones. In a season where we have lost the big boys in Rio, Vidic and Evra, Jones has been our best defender by a mile since the start of the season. It is Smalling and Evans who have yet to perform.
Gonna get rid of Smalling and Evans long before that day.
But I have always rated Jones, though he's certainly had his moments of madness. I guess we'll see this season if he's gonna make it.
Jones is proving me wrong. I had Smalling and Evans as our best CB pairing at the start of the season. Jones has been a lot better than both this season though. Hope he can keep it up.
If only he can stay injury free and start regularly in CB he'll come good for us.
I really like him at the centre of this back 3. He had the leadership that the position requires and had shown it thus far.
Smalling hasnt put a foot wrong since pre season, its unfortunate that he is injured again. But Evans has been really bad.
Some people want to sell the whole squad.
Oh and if we ever stupidly tried to sell Jones i am sure there won't be any shortage of suitors. Same as with most of our players except a few. (And even more for Jones.)
Not all the squad no. Just a large swathe of a squad that finished 7th last year and against average opposition has 2 points out of 9 this. Thankfully it seems LVG has come to that conclusion too.
I think a lot of people confuse effort with ability when it comes to Jones and I don't get it. Maybe he's turning a corner and will step up now but I'm not rowing in with that idea after just 3 games against the mighty Swansea, Sunderland and Burnley. Forget your squawka stats - according to that site JOnes made no defensive errors the whole of last season. Whats that all about then?
Anybody reckon Jones would get in the City or Chelsea squad? Not me.
He would easily get a place in their squads, no doubting that. Being a regular starter is a different matter but a place in their squad, of course he would.
Not surprised at all. I love Jil Phones.
The Sun
The Sun
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As I've said this summer, I believe Jones will establish himself as first choice this season.
He's 22 years old ffs. Always had obvious potential and seems to be starting to put it all together. Having a storming start to the season. Anyone who can use that evidence to conclude he will definitely be gone next season is, quite frankly, clueless.