Stats like that don't tell a full story by themselves. Actually watching the games recently Evans has outshone Rio.
Jonny Evans | 2011/12 Performances
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Quite recently, after the last game or the one before that, when asked about Evans, SAF was quick to add that Rio had helped him a great deal. I suppose that's the sort of thing you can't see, how a player, especially someone as experienced and intelligent as Rio, effects another. So gooDevil (and the stats) might well have a point even though Evans has outshone Rio lately.
Yeah, with a young, foreign keeper and insane fullbacks Rio's experience and football brain is probably at least as important to the defence as a whole as Evans, though Evans is currently outperforming him individually.
Its not as if Rio has never makes mistake.
Evans young and has a more aggressive style.
I remember once hearing a (poncey) analogy comparing central midfield/defensive partnerships to violin duets. When a partnership brings the best out of one player, it's the other one who is more important.
Jonny Evans is in great form, but those stats are wrong. I remember him misplacing two long balls in the first half, for instance.
He had one bad mistake when he lost the ball out on the left and almost gave Fulham a big chance. But in general he was yet again our best defender - and he has been for the last 3-4 months.
What really has impressed me with him and de Gea is the way they have come back after looking shaky during the first months of the season. Now they have together with Valencia and Rooney, probably been our 4 most consistent performers after the Blackburn-game
What really has impressed me with him and de Gea is the way they have come back after looking shaky during the first months of the season. Now they have together with Valencia and Rooney, probably been our 4 most consistent performers after the Blackburn-game
Fair enough, pretty much blows my amateur psychology out the water!
Rio is (along with Nesta) the best defender of his generation, so there's nothing wrong with that. On form he's still a better player, but Evans has been so consistently good in contrast that I feel he's been the better player this season, quite easily.
Perhaps recently, but not over the whole season, imo. It's most often been when we're without Rio that we've conceded multiple goals. He didn't play when we conceded 2 to Arsenal and when Chelsea could have scored 5 against us at OT and Evans and Jones looked poor at times, nor when we lost 3-2 to Athletic Club, nor when we conceded 2 to Liverpool in the Cup. It was Smalling and Evans who gave up 2 to Crystal Palace when we lost 2-1.
Though to be fair Rio did play in the 3-3 draw and 2-1 loss to Basel, as well as the 3-0 loss to Newcastle and the 3-3 draw with Chelsea, though Evans also played in that one and had an OG.
Evans has been in fine form recently, I certainly agree.
sort of contradicted yourself there by naming 4 games where Rio played and we have conceeded multiple goals!He looks a lot more confident and assured now, and he's improved ridiculously on the ball. Keeping Smalling out of the team says something because I can't see what Chris Smalling's weakness actually is. Evans is just playing too well to risk dropping.
However, he's STILL doing that thing where he comes charging miles out of position to try and win a ball he has no chance of winning, and either ends up being skinned or fouling someone. He did it about 10 times against Fulham, conceding a few daft freekicks and being bailed out by Rio at least twice. Why isn't he learning or being told not to do this?
He's also still far too easy to run off. He's caught looking only at what's ahead of him quite often. It's fine when Rio is there to cover, but with any of our other centrebacks, they generally don't cover nearly as well.
To be honest, I don't think it's a coincidence that Evans only seems to play well consistently with Rio, and I don't think Rio's gets enough of the credit. He's been excellent of late after a poor start to the season.
However, he's STILL doing that thing where he comes charging miles out of position to try and win a ball he has no chance of winning, and either ends up being skinned or fouling someone. He did it about 10 times against Fulham, conceding a few daft freekicks and being bailed out by Rio at least twice. Why isn't he learning or being told not to do this?
He's also still far too easy to run off. He's caught looking only at what's ahead of him quite often. It's fine when Rio is there to cover, but with any of our other centrebacks, they generally don't cover nearly as well.
To be honest, I don't think it's a coincidence that Evans only seems to play well consistently with Rio, and I don't think Rio's gets enough of the credit. He's been excellent of late after a poor start to the season.
It'll come with experience and maturity.There aren't many CBs who are that good at that age.
Evans is more of a covering defender than a Stopper. I imagine he would be uncomfortable coming out of the defence to stop an attack because his natural tendency would be to stand-off the forward and take on him on the ground. That is probably why he and Smalling tend to struggle a lot against physical forwards.
This is just plain wrong.
His taste?
Unless you count that season when he played consistently well with Vidic and we went on a massive unbeaten runnoods said:
Smallings weakness is fairly obvious - he isn't composed on the ball. Notice how he always needs that extra touch or that extra 1/10 second to get the ball under control. An attacker closing down our defender always gets closer to Smalling than the other defenders....
Well he is very raw, ridiculous upside though, you really wouldn't believe he was non league player a few years ago
Roll it on three years and it'll be Jones and Smalling as the CB partnership with Evans filling in.
I don't think his composure is a massive problem to be honest. For someone who is a natural centre back, he's decent enough on the ball. If he wasn't, then he certainly wouldn't have featured as much as he did at right back for us this season. I'm not saying that he's brilliant on the ball, but compared to some defenders out there, he is decent enough on it.
That's complete bollocks. Composure is one of his major strengths - he seems naturally calm and composed on the ball to an extent that you don't usually see a that age, especially in traditional English centre halves. No idea where you've plucked that fro tbh.
Wouldn't be so sure in 3 years Jones will still be a young player of about 22/23 still learning his trade, Where Evans will be even better at the peak of his career at 27/28 with about 8 seasons of premiership experience under his belt. Could really see Jones moving into midfield.
Dont see it myself. Evans the guaranteed starter with Jones and Smalling battling for the other CB spot in my book. Almost certainly Smalling. Not sure what role Jones will end up having, but he will still be young in three years.
Hardly complete bollocks. Smalling is composed, but Evans is easily better in that department. When Smalling came on against Fulham he had a few shocking passes.
Interesting how things change.
Just a few months ago Jones was our new Duncan Edwards, with a golden future at United. Now you have to ask where he's going to play?
Just a few months ago Jones was our new Duncan Edwards, with a golden future at United. Now you have to ask where he's going to play?
He could be the next JOS - except with more talent. Mind you, that may not be the worst thing in the world for us.
Not for us, no. Whether he would be happy with such a role...
Even at age 19 he was looking for game time, and it was only when Fergie was able to reassure him that he agreed to come to OT in the first place. Would he be willing to understudy Evans and Smalling at age 21? And Rafael is young himself and looking nifty at RB.
Far too early to be worrying about that of course. Anything can happen in the next few years.
Duncan Edwards wasn't a CB (right?), so he might still be the new Edwards (well, not really). Smalling is nailed on to make one of the two CB positions his own, god knows where Jones will end up.
That's just his style masking that deficiency. I've noticed it also that his touch lets him down. It's too inconsistent. Does well in most other areas of his game though.
Smalling's pretty silky
First point was the problem not the second. Comparing him to Duncan Edwards !!
to be fair to Smalling, everyone had shocking passing against Fulham
Edwards could play anywhere, and played at CB in the '57 FA Cup final.
People weren't really saying that Jones was as good as Edwards, saying someone reminds you of a great player doesn't mean you're ranking them at their level.
If Tom Clare says Jones reminds him of Edwards then it's good enough for me.
That is true. As you say though, there is still some time before we need to worry about such things which shows what a good position we are in now.
I think the sooner people stop comparing Jones to a legend (in the true sense of the word) the better things will be for him. It's an unnecessary burden to put on young shoulders.
Also, I also see the future being Smalling and Evans at centre-half with Jones playing midfield, but also providing cover if one of them gets injured.
Also, I also see the future being Smalling and Evans at centre-half with Jones playing midfield, but also providing cover if one of them gets injured.
Player of the month in March with 47% of the votes. Very deserved.
http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-F...ter-united-player-of-the-month-for-march.aspx
http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-F...ter-united-player-of-the-month-for-march.aspx
Great again yesterday, dominant in the air, composed with the ball at his feet. If we do win the title this year, his role in the absence of Vidic can't be underestimated.
Loved how he trashed Yakubu in the air a couple of times.
What I particularly like when he plays, is the way he always looks to make a positive pass when he wins the ball. He very seldom just hoofs it away, he tries to play it into a midfielder or a winger in a good position to initiate another attack. And he obviously carries the ball very confidently out from the back, a nice feature against sides parking the bus.
Scholes and Carrick loves playing with him, they always anticipate the early ball when Evans is first to it.
What I particularly like when he plays, is the way he always looks to make a positive pass when he wins the ball. He very seldom just hoofs it away, he tries to play it into a midfielder or a winger in a good position to initiate another attack. And he obviously carries the ball very confidently out from the back, a nice feature against sides parking the bus.
Scholes and Carrick loves playing with him, they always anticipate the early ball when Evans is first to it.
Knee Jerk much? Got to love him proving people wrong. Our season would have had big(ger) problems had we got rid of him.
When Vida comes back do you think we'll see a Vida/Evans partnership or will Rio take his place?
He probably won't get our player of the season now due to Valencia's explosive form in the run-in, but I think we all know he'd have deserved it
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