[FromTheBench]

I can't believe anyone thinks Smalling is quicker. Look at the difference in pace between him and Rooney in whatever goal it was against Leicester...you really believe these "records"?

The angles are misleading in that though i agree that Jones is quicker than Smalling especially in full sprint. He gave good competition to likes of Ronaldo and Bale previously.

Rooney when he gets going is probably quicker than Smalling too though dependson the distance.

 

[Gannicus]

One would expects those brain farts to have gone down over the years of working alongside some of the best defenders of their own generation, but this isn't the case so far. When it comes to having a good footballing brain, it's usually either you have it or you don't. The more it goes, the more I'm inclined to put Jones into the second category. Knowing how the game is evolving, top clubs are less and less inclined to have defenders who have consistent brain farts in them.

Jonesd would have done well in the 1990s or even in the 1980s, but top clubs don't play that kind of football anymore.

I don't think his recent hamstring and shin splint problems arose out of reckless challenges. Those were just bad luck injuries. He may still have a few bonehead mistakes left in him but if he can ever get a run of 10-12 matches at CB I have no doubt whatsoever he'll prove his critics wrong. But can he e re stay fit for that long?

 

[Mickson]

An hamstring injury with England like two months ago, no? What's the deal here?

 

[Devil may care]

An hamstring injury with England like two months ago, no? What's the deal here?

Shin splints was the last reported issue.

 

[Scarecrow]

Is he ever coming back? What's going on?

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

I had shin splints once. Cleared up in about a week. Are Phil Jones shins made of dog biscuits?

 

[Mickson]

I had shin splints once. Cleared up in about a week. Are Phil Jones shins made of dog biscuits?

It can be quite tricky tbf. But often it's over in a few days.

 

[Sarni]

Is it possible that he will play for us again in this decade?

 

[kouroux]

Where the f is he ?

 

[dirkey]

I have to admit, I'm not overly bothered. OK, be good to get him back from a squad depth perspective, but I don't want him in ahead of anyone at the minute.

 

[Shimo]

Philosophy says he has to play for the 2nd team first and there isn't another reserve game till Sunday I think, so that's when we may first see him. LVG said he's one that's back training

 

[Americano]

Is he ever coming back? What's going on?

Let's rush him back from the shin splints so he can hurt his lower back or his hip

 

[Antisocial]

Let's rush him back from the shin splints so he can hurt his lower back or his hip

Sounds an efficient approach at any rate - he can finish recovering from the shin splints whilst recovering from the inevitable injury picked-up when rushed back too early from shin splints. 2-for-1 recovery time?

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

This is already his 3rd longest spell on the sidelines in his career so far (and there's been a lot of them), for shin splints! A quick read about shin splints suggests 1-3 weeks with a combination of ice, heat and anti-inflammatory. It's been 2 months. 9 games. He just defies logic.

Transfermarkt predicts he's due back on Saturday 20th December.

 

[Ole's_toe_poke]

Smalling is injured so Evans came back. Evans will get injured in the next couple of weeks at which point Jones will return. Obviously Jones will injured himself by going into a ridiculous tackle within a couple of weeks of return and hence Smalling will get fit.

The cycle shall continue until everyone realizes that Jones, Smalling and Evans are Infact the same person.

 

[Ish]

Smalling is injured so Evans came back. Evans will get injured in the next couple of weeks at which point Jones will return. Obviously Jones will injured himself by going into a ridiculous tackle within a couple of weeks of return and hence Smalling will get fit.

The cycle shall continue until everyone realizes that Jones, Smalling and Evans are Infact the same person.

This my friend, seems the only plausible explanation

 

[ricky-romeo]

Smalling is injured so Evans came back. Evans will get injured in the next couple of weeks at which point Jones will return. Obviously Jones will injured himself by going into a ridiculous tackle within a couple of weeks of return and hence Smalling will get fit.

The cycle shall continue until everyone realizes that Jones, Smalling and Evans are Infact the same person.

the true story.

 

[Floyd]

I have to admit, I'm not overly bothered. OK, be good to get him back from a squad depth perspective, but I don't want him in ahead of anyone at the minute.

I am bothered. I want him ahead of everyone bar Smalling. Yes, that includes Rojo (he scares me) and must certainly Evans, McNair and Blackett.

Jones was very good at the start of the season but his mistake at WBA seems to be what people choose to remember now.

 

[RedDevilCanuck]

Over hyped player. Position ally clueless, rash as feck and not really good with the ball. He has so much to learn as a defender.

I thought he was better in midfield where he can have a simple task to stick to.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Smalling is injured so Evans came back. Evans will get injured in the next couple of weeks at which point Jones will return. Obviously Jones will injured himself by going into a ridiculous tackle within a couple of weeks of return and hence Smalling will get fit.

The cycle shall continue until everyone realizes that Jones, Smalling and Evans are Infact the same person.

Now that you mention it, I can't remember when I last saw Jones, Smalling and Evans at the same time.

 

[Maroo]

Smalling is injured so Evans came back. Evans will get injured in the next couple of weeks at which point Jones will return. Obviously Jones will injured himself by going into a ridiculous tackle within a couple of weeks of return and hence Smalling will get fit.

The cycle shall continue until everyone realizes that Jones, Smalling and Evans are Infact the same person.

 

[Maroo]

Now that you mention it, I can't remember when I last saw Jones, Smalling and Evans at the same time.

As it is, philosophy says that two right footers cannot play center back together.

 

[dirkey]

I am bothered. I want him ahead of everyone bar Smalling. Yes, that includes Rojo (he scares me) and must certainly Evans, McNair and Blackett.

Jones was very good at the start of the season but his mistake at WBA seems to be what people choose to remember now.

I agree that Rojo scares me ... but I think he's better than Jones. I'm not remembering that mistake against WBA to be honest, I just don't think he's a particularly good defender. I think his positional sense is poor, and it's his athleticism that then lets him get back at times to make last ditch challenges, that he needs to make due to being out of position. Because of this, he then gets injured more often, the nature of his challenges. Caused by his lack of positional sense.

Granted, he's whole hearted, I just don't think he's a good enough defender. Personal opinion. I also feel on account of his 100mph approach, people love him, and his abilities were initially massively overblown. I never had that great love for him that many United fans did.

All just my own opinion. I really hope he comes along and proves me wrong though, would be great.

 

[Sarni]

He'll probably never be fit enough to play 10 games in a row again.

 

[DWelbz19]

He'll probably never be fit enough to play 10 games in a row again.

He's done it before? For us?

 

[WyoManU]

You forget he is even a United player as he is always injured. I rarely even think about him any more. If he is playing I just assume he will pick up an injury and then I won't think about him for another 2 months.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I am bothered. I want him ahead of everyone bar Smalling. Yes, that includes Rojo (he scares me) and must certainly Evans, McNair and Blackett.

Jones was very good at the start of the season but his mistake at WBA seems to be what people choose to remember now.

Yep. Which is absurd.

Arguably our best player in all our opening fixtures and a hugely talented young CB. Obviously frustrating how often he gets injured (him and almost every other fecking player on our books!) but it's crazy the way people let this cloud their opinion of him as a footballer. He's not the finished article but he's a bloody good defender and we're badly in need of some more of those.

 

[simonhch]

I had shin splints once. Cleared up in about a week. Are Phil Jones shins made of dog biscuits?

I remember Andy Cole was out for 2-3 months with shin splints. My shin splints plagued me for a year. I did everything under the sun, including complete layoff from sports for 3 months. They came right back. They can be tricky and when they are bad it feels like you are being stabbed.

 

[dirkey]

Yep. Which is absurd.

Arguably our best player in all our opening fixtures and a hugely talented young CB. Obviously frustrating how often he gets injured (him and almost every other fecking player on our books!) but it's crazy the way people let this cloud their opinion of him as a footballer. He's not the finished article but he's a bloody good defender and we're badly in need of some more of those.

Disagree quite a lot. Don't think he's a bloody good defender at all. Rash, terrible positioning. Uses his physical ability to get himself out of trouble ... which then also causes him trouble by helping him get more injuries.

Don't think it's remotely absurd. I think the fact he's English and runs around a lot makes people overrate him. The Welbeck effect.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Disagree quite a lot. Don't think he's a bloody good defender at all. Rash, terrible positioning. Uses his physical ability to get himself out of trouble ... which then also causes him trouble by helping him get more injuries.

Don't think it's remotely absurd. I think the fact he's English and runs around a lot makes people overrate him. The Welbeck effect.

Yup. We definitely disagree. There's a whole lot of wrong in this post IMO.

My only caveat would be that he's not the finished article yet. His potential is obvious though and impressive.

 

[poisson]

so any news on when he's likely to be back?

 

[Verminator]

Fact: Since retiring, Paul Scholes has played in a United shirt more times than Phil Jones.

Well I made that up, but it's plausible.

 

[TwoSheds]

See it's funny, most clubs' players become world class when injured (see Sturridge, Wilshere, Walcott etc). Ours become utter dogshit.

 

[Kounan]

Disagree quite a lot. Don't think he's a bloody good defender at all. Rash, terrible positioning. Uses his physical ability to get himself out of trouble ... which then also causes him trouble by helping him get more injuries.

I agree if you mean a CB, but as FB he is really good at defending.

 

[dirkey]

Yup. We definitely disagree. There's a whole lot of wrong in this post IMO.

My only caveat would be that he's not the finished article yet. His potential is obvious though and impressive.

Please God you're right in the long run.

 

[dirkey]

I agree if you mean a CB, but as FB he is really good at defending.

Intriguing. I actually think he's an even worse fb

 

[Señor]

I love the guy and think he's our best central defender when fit but that's the problem, isn't it?! He's never fit.

He's also one of our defenders this season that actually did step up and take some responsibility after Rio and Vidic left but he got crocked again soon after.

 

[Cassidy]

I love the guy and think he's our best central defender when fit but that's the problem, isn't it?! He's never fit.

He's also one of our defenders this season that actually did step up and take some responsibility after Rio and Vidic left but he got crocked again soon after.

Hes and accident waiting to happen tbh, lacks positional disciplne, and always looks like hes going to give away a penalty.

 

[Señor]

Hes and accident waiting to happen tbh, lacks positional disciplne, and always looks like hes going to give away a penalty.

I don't agree with that. I mean, sure, he looks rash and wild in the challenge and his style of play is a bit cavemanish, similar to how Rafael used to be, but he was actually a titan at the back for us earlier on in the season. I don't know, it might be a case of me having a tad of selective memory, but there's not a lot to criticise about him this season apart from his injury woes.

 

[Kounan]

Intriguing. I actually think he's an even worse fb

I actually rate him as a FB (defense, his attacking play is quite bad). The games against Bayern were brilliant.