[A-man]

Doesn't he almost always play on the left with Lindelof? Its Bailly and Smalling who push Lindelof to the left.

Exactly and that’s a real benefit with playing Jones, that he allows Lindelof to play to the right where he is much better.

Think this was Jones best match in a long time, did well.

 

[El Zoido]

Good performance today. If only that shot had gone in..

 

[kiristao]

Jones has been playing on the left when partnered with Lindelof.

Will be interesting to see who is on which side when it's Lindelof and Smalling. Both of them play on the right when partnered with Jones, and move over to the left when playing with Bailly. Under Mourinho it was Lindelof who switched sides, but that might be different now under Ole.

Looks like I confused the Lindelof position alongside Bailly with his position alongside Jones.

 

[Johan07]

Jones has been playing on the left when partnered with Lindelof.

Will be interesting to see who is on which side when it's Lindelof and Smalling. Both of them play on the right when partnered with Jones, and move over to the left when playing with Bailly. Under Mourinho it was Lindelof who switched sides, but that might be different now under Ole.

It has always been Smalling at RCB when he has played with Lindelof so far. I think that the only CB we have that might push Smalling to the left is Bailly if they play together.

 

[MadDogg]

Exactly and that’s a real benefit with playing Jones, that he allows Lindelof to play to the right where he is much better.

Think this was Jones best match in a long time, did well.

Jones was very good in the first two matches after Ole took over as well. He also had another good match a couple of matches ago (can't remember exactly which one).

 

[RedIan]

Unloved by many but a very good game today, nice shot as well.
Stats in last 10 games must be up there with the best.
Get off his back and give him support. Good honest lad and a FERGIE buy. Maybe he can finally start to establish himself and realise the potential Fergie saw in him.

 

[MadDogg]

It has always been Smalling at RCB when he has played with Lindelof so far. I think that the only CB we have that might push Smalling to the left is Bailly if they play together.

Smalling definitely plays on the left next to Bailly. Or at least he did when Mourinho was manager, and I see no reason for that to change now.

 

[Kostov]

If that was what you took from his performance today I feel sorry for you. He was excellent today. He has a damn good left foot for a right-footed player and owned Mitrovic, not just for the build-up to Martials goal.

Why would you feel sorry for me?

He was excellent today and yet made a total feck up that resulted with the best chance for Fulham. Typical for him.
CBs are often judged on the mistakes they make and his almost cost us a goal, against better opposition it will cost us big time.

 

[A-man]

Jones was very good in the first two matches after Ole took over as well. He also had another good match a couple of matches ago (can't remember exactly which one).

Agree. Think him and Lindelof have been a good pair. Who will play against PSG? I hope Jones and Lindelof but really don’t know.

 

[Johan07]

Smalling definitely plays on the left next to Bailly. Or at least he did when Mourinho was manager, and I see no reason for that to change now.

You are probably right. It might say something about Baillys left foot that; which is a ltb weird to me, I have always thought he looks OK with both feet. He is probably the best CB we have technically. Or its the fact that he isnt comfortable on the left defensively.

 

[limerickcitykid]

You are probably right. It might say something about Baillys left foot that; which is a ltb weird to me, I have always thought he looks OK with both feet. He is probably the best CB we have technically. Or its the fact that he isnt comfortable on the left defensively.

I don't think so technically, if any thing he's only better than Smalling. Lindelof is easily better and Jones is at least level. Rojo is also very good technically on the ball, he's just an idiot.

 

[ottosec]

His best game in years. Hopefully a turning point, as we are stuck with him for the next 4 years.

It was a shame that that shot didn't go in!

 

[Irwin99]

Someone posted some in the contract thread. Cant remember who but the numbers were I think a bit better with Jones playing.

Stuff like that Kane game is the dumbest criticism ever for me. Top strikers get the better of defenders all the time, just like Torres on Vidic. Somehow Kane, one of the best strikers in the world, having a great game makes a defender shit. It's insane.

I disagree there. There's a difference between Vidic/Rio making the odd mistake against Torres but otherwise keeping him relatively under control for most of the match and outright getting bullied and dominated by a striker (Kane vs Jones on a few occasions). Drogba scored a few goals against United over the years but Rio and Vidic (in particular) used to handle him very well by and large.

I thought Jones was pretty decent today and has done well for us lately. I still grimace whenever he gets a knock as I'm always certain he'll come off injured. Thankfully it didn't happen.

 

[Johan07]

Thought his flying stomach/chest-block that made the Fulham-supporters scream for handball was kind of awesome also. Funny.

 

[bosnian_red]

I disagree there. There's a difference between Vidic/Rio making the odd mistake against Torres but otherwise keeping him relatively under control for most of the match and outright getting bullied and dominated by a striker (Kane vs Jones on a few occasions). Drogba scored a few goals against United over the years but Rio and Vidic (in particular) used to handle him very well by and large.

I thought Jones was pretty decent today and has done well for us lately. I still grimace whenever he gets a knock as I'm always certain he'll come off injured. Thankfully it didn't happen.

Torres straight up bent Vidic over in 2009. Doesnt stop him from being the best cb in the world that year.

 

[limerickcitykid]

I disagree there. There's a difference between Vidic/Rio making the odd mistake against Torres but otherwise keeping him relatively under control for most of the match and outright getting bullied and dominated by a striker (Kane vs Jones on a few occasions). Drogba scored a few goals against United over the years but Rio and Vidic (in particular) used to handle him very well by and large.

I thought Jones was pretty decent today and has done well for us lately. I still grimace whenever he gets a knock as I'm always certain he'll come off injured. Thankfully it didn't happen.

They didn't make the odd mistake. Torres ran him ragged. Aaron Lennon took the piss out of Evra numerous times and he isn't even good. If you think no one ever got the better of Vidic or Rio then you're lying to yourself. There isn't a single CB in the world who hasn't been dominated by someone at some point. The likes of Kane, Aguero, Hazard etc. are dominating defenders every week, even the best ones in the world. If you think Vidic never had a bad game then you're lying. It's ridiculous to expect us to keep the best striker in the country quiet every time we play them.

 

[lex talionis]

Jones was excellent today. I still worry that at any given moment he’s capable of a boneheaded mistake but when he puts in a solid shift it’s our obligation to praise him.

Like many others, he’s been a new player under Ole. With a new manager and contract in hand, perhaps he can maintain consistent top form.

 

[limerickcitykid]

Torres straight up bent Vidic over in 2009. Doesnt stop him from being the best cb in the world that year.

And that's exactly the point. It happens to the best CBs to ever play the game. Jones or Smalling or whoever are only just pretty good. Calling them shit because they don't pocket world class attackers every game is the stupidest delusional criticism ever.

 

[Matson]

Thought he had a great game today. Probably the best ive seen him play in a while.

 

[Johan07]

They didn't make the odd mistake. Torres ran him ragged. Aaron Lennon took the piss out of Evra numerous times and he isn't even good. If you think no one ever got the better of Vidic or Rio then you're lying to yourself. There isn't a single CB in the world who hasn't been dominated by someone at some point. The likes of Kane, Aguero, Hazard etc. are dominating defenders every week, even the best ones in the world. If you think Vidic never had a bad game then you're lying. It's ridiculous to expect us to keep the best striker in the country quiet every time we play them.

There are not many if any CBs in the world that will not be exposed in a one on one situtation with a quick top class forward. Its just how it is. Just from the CL this season Salah made Koulibaly look like a fool and Moura ran rings around Skriniar (even if Skriniar was playing RB in that game). Those situations need to be minimized.

 

[Van Piorsing]

Good to see him appreciating the contract he received. May long it continue while being United player.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Solid game. Blocked more or less everything and was comfortable on the ball. Was very unlucky with his shot. Would have been a great way to celebrate his new contract.

 

[crossy1686]

Jones isn't that bad, he is capable of a shit performance every now and again but he's a good defender for games like Fulham when we need to rest our first choice options. There's a daft trend of murdering our players at the moment because they've been shit under shit managers.

 

[KW2006]

His passing is the biggest problem, especially in our current playing style(more short pass from the back), otherwise could be a useful squad player.

 

[Irwin99]

Torres straight up bent Vidic over in 2009. Doesnt stop him from being the best cb in the world that year.

I honestly can't remember that much of the game but are you sure that, other than THAT goal, that Torres was winning every 50-50, getting in behind all the time and running Vidic ragged? As i recall it was Gerrard's movement that caused the vidic red and our midfield gave the backline no protection at all in picking Gerrard up (think it was Carrick and Ando that day). Vidic of course had a nightmare game but I really don't think Torres beat him that many times overall. As i said there's a difference between conceding a goal to an exceptional striker and being truly bullied.

They didn't make the odd mistake. Torres ran him ragged. Aaron Lennon took the piss out of Evra numerous times and he isn't even good. If you think no one ever got the better of Vidic or Rio then you're lying to yourself. There isn't a single CB in the world who hasn't been dominated by someone at some point. The likes of Kane, Aguero, Hazard etc. are dominating defenders every week, even the best ones in the world. If you think Vidic never had a bad game then you're lying. It's ridiculous to expect us to keep the best striker in the country quiet every time we play them.

Again, did he really? He gave a few problems absolutely but there's a difference between that and the extreme of absolutely dominating. In the two matches in the 07-08 season Rio had Torres in his pocket. I never said Vidic made no mistakes by the way, he made plenty. I just think Jones really struggles against Kane and it's fair criticism even though Kane is one of the best strikers in the world. In my opinion Smalling tends to deal with Kane a lot better.

Anyway, i'm pleased he's done well recently. Long may it continue.

 

[Red00012]

Lads it’s fulham let’s not get too over excited bout Jones’s performance. Let’s see how he fairs Tuesday night.

 

[Doracle]

Why would you feel sorry for me?

He was excellent today and yet made a total feck up that resulted with the best chance for Fulham. Typical for him.
CBs are often judged on the mistakes they make and his almost cost us a goal, against better opposition it will cost us big time.

You can’t surely be referring to the chance Babel had? That was great defending of a devilish cross. Very unfortunate it fell to the attacker afterwards but it was in no way a “total feck up”.

 

[Cutch]

Far better player than he gets given credit for. Think it’s due to his terrible injury record and the funny faces he pulls making him a bit of a joke figure. Every manager he’s played for loves him

 

[Johan07]

You can’t surely be referring to the chance Babel had? That was great defending of a devilish cross. Very unfortunate it fell to the attacker afterwards but it was in no way a “total feck up”.

Exactly. Good defending. But it was Jones so it was a potential brainfart. And the one thing that said poster thought was relevant to highlight from Jones performance today.

 

[Kostov]

You can’t surely be referring to the chance Babel had? That was great defending of a devilish cross. Very unfortunate it fell to the attacker afterwards but it was in no way a “total feck up”.

Devilish cross? What is this? Are we playing Sunday league football? It was knee high cross that he should have cleared better, instead he was lucky he didn’t firstly score an own goal and secondly Babel fecked up.

 

[Johan07]

Devilish cross? What is this? Are we playing Sunday league football? It was knee high cross that he should have cleared better, instead he was lucky he didn’t firstly score an own goal and secondly Babel fecked up.

Really? How? By a rabona up to Lukaku or Martial? It was one of the best efforts from Fulham during the entire game and Jones dealt with it. Dont you see a small problem with you isolating this incident, which was not even an incident to begin with, in your first comment to Jones excellent performance today?

 

[Kostov]

Really? How? By a rabona up to Lukaku or Martial? It was one of the best efforts from Fulham during the entire game and Jones dealt with it. Dont you see a small problem with you isolating this incident, which was not even an incident to begin with, in your first comment to Jones excellent performance today?

Can someone post a video of the incident? I think it was a bad clearance. Does clearing the ball not in the direction of the oppo attacker really need a rabona? Jones almost scored an own goal.

And no, as I said defenders and GKs are often judged by the mistakes they make. And Jones made a feck up out of that. Does it kill the narrative, pointing that out?

 

[Steven7290]

What a shot that was from him. Had an element of surprise to it too.

 

[All 3 United]

Starting to look like a fit Phil Jones again, aka our best centre back.

 

[Member 105568]

When he’s fit and in a run of games he’s a good player, but prone to silly errors. Surely a decent squad option as one of 4-5 senior centre backs...

 

[Bwuk]

Not a fan but he was excellent today.

If that left foot shot had went in, he should of just walked off the pitch after it because that’ll be his peak.

His ball playing has been very good under Ole too.

 

[Mcking]

He is arguably the most complete among our centre backs. His problem has always being injuries.

 

[Mr Smith]

I've said many times, when he gets a run of games in the team he's an excellent player. Really sad injuries have held him back so much over the years.

 

[IronCroos37]

I thought that Smalling was our best defender or more consistent, among the others.
I thought Baillie, yes raw in the begining but he for sure will become our best defender, maybe even worldie.
I thought that Rojo, despite being awfull in his first season, he settled and became our best or top2.
Now lindeloff looks like the real deal.


Maybe Lindeloff is having a good patch, a good season and then next season will be awfull, just like rojo, baillie, jones(when fit)


Maybe, just maybe all our 5 defenders are average or 1 level above average, while switching who is having a mare seasons and who a goodish one.

 

[Amar__]

Why is he not starting our most important game this year, during his best form? I thought he was our best defender.