Phil Jones

Was just in the Evans thread, and saw someone suggest that Evans/Smalling is our future CB pairing. So that's Jones as back-up to them. And as back-up to Rafael. And probably to our future CM pairing (Scholes and Giggs, obviously).

Is he going to become a utility back-up player in the mould of O'Shea? Only 20, so I'm hesitant to start gnashing my teeth and wailing things like "doomed" at the sky just yet, but I do wonder if these other talented young players combined with his apparent refusal to work out his best position might lead to it?
 
Minkaro said:
Was just in the Evans thread, and saw someone suggest that Evans/Smalling is our future CB pairing. So that's Jones as back-up to them. And as back-up to Rafael. And probably to our future CM pairing (Scholes and Giggs, obviously).

Is he going to become a utility back-up player in the mould of O'Shea? Only 20, so I'm hesitant to start gnashing my teeth and wailing things like "doomed" at the sky just yet, but I do wonder if these other talented young players combined with his apparent refusal to work out his best position might lead to it?
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If he realizes his potential I think he could play anywhere. But I still think he'll end up as a CB.

Me suggesting Evans/Smalling might be our first choice CB-pairing come the start of next season doesn't say much about Jones and his chances of becoming a first choice CB in the long run. He'll be 21 at the start of next season, awfully young for a defender.
 
What a position to be in to have a young player like Jones coming in a covering another young player like Rafael and there is no drop in quality. Says a lot about what Fergie is building again here. We have some awesome really young players at the club. Jones DDG Smalling Rafael Danny Evans the futures really bright. Mix this with the players who are in their mid to late 20's like Rooney Young Cleverley Hernandez Valencia and we are looking like a top class outfit for a right few years to come.
 
Lawman said:
What a position to be in to have a young player like Jones coming in a covering another young player like Rafael and there is no drop in quality. Says a lot about what Fergie is building again here. We have some awesome really young players at the club. Jones DDG Smalling Rafael Danny Evans the futures really bright. Mix this with the players who are in their mid to late 20's like Rooney Young Cleverley Hernandez Valencia and we are looking like a top class outfit for a right few years to come.
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Cleverley is only like 3 months older than Smalling, bit harsh to put them in separate age groups :lol:
 
Lawman said:
What a position to be in to have a young player like Jones coming in a covering another young player like Rafael and there is no drop in quality. Says a lot about what Fergie is building again here. We have some awesome really young players at the club. Jones DDG Smalling Rafael Danny Evans the futures really bright. Mix this with the players who are in their mid to late 20's like Rooney Young Cleverley Hernandez Valencia and we are looking like a top class outfit for a right few years to come.
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I wouldn't say that there is no drop in quality, Rafa has been immense defensively and going forward and would have been a perfect fit, as Swansea aren't a big team.

However, I'm certain that Jones will do us proud tomorrow.
 
Cold_Boy said:
His best position yet has been RB.

And he has done very well there.
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He has. To be fair, it's also far easier than the other two positions he's played. You're less involved than in midfield, less likely to make a critical mistake than as a centerhalf, and being able to make those runs that he has in him will always make someone look quite good.

Longer term, though, I'd like to see someone with his qualities in a central role, also taking into consideration that with Rafael, hopefully a right back won't be an issue. CB or CM... I'd have to say CM, because his energy would be far better used there. Making when he's older he could be moved back.
 
Amir said:
He has. To be fair, it's also far easier than the other two positions he's played. You're less involved than in midfield, less likely to make a critical mistake than as a centerhalf, and being able to make those runs that he has in him will always make someone look quite good.

Longer term, though, I'd like to see someone with his qualities in a central role, also taking into consideration that with Rafael, hopefully a right back won't be an issue. CB or CM... I'd have to say CM, because his energy would be far better used there. Making when he's older he could be moved back.
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What are these qualities (honest question, no sarcasm intended) ? I honestly see nothing in the current player that makes me thing he can be a good midfielder.Having a good engine and running around isn't good enough anymore
 
kouroux said:
What are these qualities (honest question, no sarcasm intended) ? I honestly see nothing in the current player that makes me thing he can be a good midfielder.Having a good engine and running around isn't good enough anymore
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I presuming he's just referring to runners from midfield and drive from midfield. Something we have lacked with the Carrick / Scholes combination.
 
Exactly. Plus, it's not as if he's a bad footballer who can run around a lot. Obviously he has a lot to learn, but so many midfielders take time to reach a high level so he's got that on his side.
 
For me, he is not good enough (yet) to play in midfield. His passing just isn't good enough and I am not convinced that his positional play is good enough. I worry though that Jone's versatility is going to count against him. I still feel that ideally that he would want to make the CB position his own, that is not going to happen at United in the near future.

I fear that he might be condemned to being an O'Shea 2.0.
 
Jimy_Hills_Chin said:
For me, he is not good enough (yet) to play in midfield. His passing just isn't good enough and I am not convinced that his positional play is good enough. I worry though that Jone's versatility is going to count against him. I still feel that ideally that he would want to make the CB position his own, that is not going to happen at United in the near future.

I fear that he might be condemned to being an O'Shea 2.0.
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Whilst he's learning his trade then I expect to see him used in a variety of positions. The difference between he and O'Shea is that Jones has the ability to nail a spot down as his own in future whereas O'Shea never did.
 
Jones came with a reputation as a leader and was talked of as a future captain almost before he'd kicked a ball for us. And he does indeed seem to like telling his colleagues what to do around the pitch.

Whilst people pass it around him 'cos he's not close enough to 'em to get a tackle in. I'm sure he'll learn, but he'd be a bit more endearing if he'd do more getting on with learning and less ordering people about.
 
711 said:
Jones came with a reputation as a leader and was talked of as a future captain almost before he'd kicked a ball for us. And he does indeed seem to like telling his colleagues what to do around the pitch.

Whilst people pass it around him 'cos he's not close enough to 'em to get a tackle in. I'm sure he'll learn, but he'd be a bit more endearing if he'd do more getting on with learning and less ordering people about.
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This is a great attribute to have in a player, why would you like him to do it less? It would be better if more players around him did it imo Jones is doing alright so get off his back.
 
Good to have him back, thought his role was odd, if there was ever a time to let him get on and just run and close down players figured it was today, but he sort of sat back and carrick seemed to be pressing highest. Still like I said he's back now which is good, might even play in the middle against west ham if we want to rest carrick again.
 
Good to see him back. Bit of a quite game, though that was more to do with the role he was given when he came on
 
Bossed it tonight. Classy as feck, relatively good with the ball and wasn't afraid to get forward. Yes IAR the best performance of his at centre back that I can remember (my memory's shit though)
 
Got me scared with that miss kick, but other wise a very promising game from a very talented CB.

A lot better than Wooten, a lot more confidence about him and he still has that youth to cover his mistakes. Kinda reminds me of when you watch Varane at CB, both really raw players but both are so good on the ball and so strong.

Hope there's more to come.
 
That was a pretty exciting performance. Not going to get carried away yet, but our defence was tested a lot tonight and he came out on top looking excellent.
 
He's played 2 or maybe 3 games at CB this season and he's been fantastic in all of them. Certainly nothing like his shocking performances at CB last year.
 
He looked really good tonight. He got in brilliantly in front of his man a couple of times to get the ball and keep it in play even.
 
Against Spurs i would play him in midfield alongside Carrick and Cleverley probably at the expense of Valencia.
 
He's a class act. Was brilliant tonight and I reckon will go on to become a Utd legend. It's all there, just needs to stay clear of injuries.
 
Had what was in my opinion his best performance for us a centre-back tonight. Still some position issues like one moment in the first half when he got too close to Smalling and a gap opened up for an easy pass through, luckily it wasn't seen. Also caught out in the second half when he tried to acrobatically get it.
 
Solius said:
Had what was in my opinion his best performance for us a centre-back tonight. Still some position issues like one moment in the first half when he got too close to Smalling and a gap opened up for an easy pass through, luckily it wasn't seen. Also caught out in the second half when he tried to acrobatically get it.
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I think his positioning has been his biggest problem when he's played at centre back for United really, though to be fair to him he's only had a few games in that position with United. Most of those seem to have been in Europe as well and most defenders say it's much more difficult to position yourself correctly in European games because the strikers tend to have better/smarter movement - Jones has been particularly shite at dealing with strikers dropping off the defence.

He doesn't know when to get tight to them or when to leave them with space (last season he got too tight too far away from goal and left a gaping hole behind him several times - he did it once tonight as well but got away with it). He'll learn eventually with enough games at centre back, it's just getting enough games in that position that's the problem at the moment.

That's the main weakness he has in his game at centre back though, everything else is good to go.
 
Cutch said:
He timed his jumps superbly tonight. He's not tall for a centre half (5' 11'' I think) but it won't matter if he can jump like that
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Not a direct comparison but he reminds me of once terrific Iván Córdoba (only 5 ft 8in) in the sense that his pace will usually enable him to make up for bad positioning, losing aerial battle outside the box etc.
 
Cina said:
Amazes me how people still think he could be a midfielder, he's clearly a center back.
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This. Typical caf overcompensation. That performance reminded me of Jones & Smalling during the U-21 Euros. Impressive stuff.
 
he was awful at CB last season, but the couple of times he has played there this season I thought he has looked great.
 
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