Ekeke
Full Member
He was really good against Liverpool, otherwise no he didnt win his place on merit.
funny how this doesnt really get a mention isnt it?He was really good against Liverpool, otherwise no he didnt win his place on merit.
Well not exactly, he was drafted in because Rio was injured in the warmup and was picked ahead of Smalling for the bench. Clearly he merited his place on the bench either because he either outperformed Smalling or he was in better condition than Smalling for the game.He was really good against Liverpool, otherwise no he didnt win his place on merit.
Fergie said something recently about having to pick the right games for Evans, I believe after the Liverpool match. That one he was clearly the right choice for as he was really good in that match.Well not exactly, he was drafted in because Rio was injured in the warmup and was picked ahead of Smalling for the bench. Clearly he merited his place on the bench either because he either outperformed Smalling or he was in better condition than Smalling for the game.
I choose to believe the former.
Probably there was a lack of a midfield balance, last season United respected Wolves with a 4-5-1, United played 4-5-1 earlier against them this season.As a team we were poor as Wolves were resolute and single minded.
as SAF says..we kick on.
That's the key point. He shouldn't be made the scapegoat for that loss. Although it would help if he rose off the ground to meet crosses instead of battling on the ground. He should follow Vidic's lead and make his aerial ability known.Vidic was every bit as bad to be fair.
We'd have won and kept a clean sheet imo. I would honestly back those two against any attack in the world.Would Vidic have played the same game if Rio had been alongside him today though?
agree.We'd have won and kept a clean sheet imo. I would honestly back those two against any attack in the world.
It's a more than a bit of a crisis, he looks a nervous wreck out there, and it doesn't take much for his head to go down. Neither of the goals yesterday were specifically his fault, but the number of times he's been on the wrong side of the opponent or bullied off the ball as we concede a goal from a header is amazing.As far as I'm concerned Jonny Evans has already proved himself at the top level, he's having a bit of a crisis at the moment but you have to have faith in a player who's already achieved so much.
Evans went off with a knock. He limped off.How has our inability to defend set pieces got to do with the midfiled? The entire team played in first gear today, unfair to point the blaim at Evans who should not have been subbed off.
Strikes me as strange when we're chasing a game to take off a defender when it was obvious we needed injection of pace in the middle of the park. Bad preparation for the game imo.
Evans has proven himself to be a very reliable big game player though, has he not?With Rio supposedly injured with the meaty part of our schedule coming up, as crazy as this sounds, I'd rather Smalling and Vidic play in the middle, than Evans. That is a terrible situation for us to be in, a young 20 year old with no experience having to play against the likes of Tevez, Van persie, Drogba, Torres, but that's poorly Evans is playing.
Yup, was great when Rio was out for an extended period with injury....really formed a great partnership with Vida.Evans has proven himself to be a very reliable big game player though, has he not?
He's been good in his two previous games ... hardly a liability. There were plenty of liabilities out there who would have been hailed as heros on another day. Evans was initially on the bench, I'm sure Premier League rules only allow you to promote a sub to the firstteam before kickoff, so it was either going to be him or O'Shea... i.e. not Smalling.Yup, was great when Rio was out for an extended period with injury....really formed a great partnership with Vida.
But none of that takes away from what he's shown on the pitch the last 10-15 times he's played. He is a liability(not the only one), how many liabilities can a title challenger carry in their starting lineup?
Fergie knows best, but I most certainly wouldn't have played Evans last night.
Smalling and Evans as a duo are not ready...that West Ham match was a disaster waiting to happen.He's been good in his two previous games ... hardly a liability. There were plenty of liabilities out there who would have been hailed as heros on another day. Evans was initially on the bench, I'm sure Premier League rules only allow you to promote a sub to the firstteam before kickoff, so it was either going to be him or O'Shea... i.e. not Smalling.
Let's remember Smalling and Evans conceed twice to fullback goals in the Carling Cup game to work earlier in the season, Heck let's remember that at Old Trafford Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra protected by O'Shea conceeded also conceed a goal to Wolves. FIVE SENIOR DEFENDERS WITH EDWIN IN NETS.
Wolves have exposed every defender United have had this year ... don't single out Evans.
This is true, but surely a defender is measured by the amount of mistakes he makes. It wasn't entirely his fault yesterday. Some bad performances all around, but he doesn't give any confidence for the defence it seems. Weak physically and in the air. Hustled by the bottom teams strikes every time he plays.He was really good against Liverpool, otherwise no he didnt win his place on merit.
Your defence always looks crap when Ferdinand's not playing.
He has a point.Try not to bite gents....
totally agree with this, exactly how I would word it. When Smalling Came on, there seemed to be a bit more calmness in the defense. Evans seemed nervous throughout the match.Unfair to pinpoint the loss on him, but seriously, It feels uneasy having Evans at the back. You don't get the same calmness you get with Smalling thats for sure.
He can still make it, but he needs to progress a lot faster.
No surprise you agree.He has a point.
Not really. We've proven that time and time again. Except our 3rd choice centre back is severely out of form. So take Vidic out of the same combination for a string of games and replace him with an out of sorts Evans and you'll see similar results. That's why they call it a centre back pairing. You need two doing their jobs properly to do well.He has a point.
Agree with this, it is one thing losing out to Kevin Davies or Carlton Cole but losing out physically to Kevin Doyle.Bulk up!!
What's more annoying than anything else with Jonny Evans this season is his apparent inability to even challenge for the ball ageinst a striker with his back to goal. He'll either lose the challenge for the ball or concede a foul. If he can't sort out that part of his game he'll never be a top defender.
I'll be honest, Doyle gives a lot of defenders a hard time. Really underrated at leading the line.Agree with this, it is one thing losing out to Kevin Davies or Carlton Cole but losing out physically to Kevin Doyle.
He will have to improve his aerial ability if he is going to cement a first team spot.
Being Irish Im probably biased towards Doyle but hes a handful for most defenders in that sense. His goal scoring has suffered because of Wolves system. He's shown it for Ireland numerous times against big opposition. Most Ireland fans rate him ahead of Robbie Keane and have done for a while.Agree with this, it is one thing losing out to Kevin Davies or Carlton Cole but losing out physically to Kevin Doyle.
He will have to improve his aerial ability if he is going to cement a first team spot.
This.I'll be honest, Doyle gives a lot of defenders a hard time. Really underrated at leading the line.