What has Smalling done of late? Jones has made a few mistakes, but Smalling has been quite solid when the rest of the defense has looked awful. I wonder how Smalling and Rojo would do if they got a few games in a row.
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Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 26
- Clean sheets
- 10
- Goals
- 1
- Assists
- 0
- Yellow cards
- 3
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
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Prone to injuries and critical errors. Vicious cycle, every season.
Jose won't hesitate to let Jones go, if there are any suitors in the summer.
Two awful showings in quick succession. Asleep when the Rostov lad ran off him. 
He seemed more uncertain in a 3 than Rojo and Smalling.
Just don't trust him.
Yeah, but he's not just asleep either. He just can't keep up with players anymore either. He used to be very quick, but he loses too much ground to pretty much any attacker now. Perhaps he has taken the Terry comparisons too literally. Terry knew how to position himself though.Two awful showings in quick succession. Asleep when the Rostov lad ran off him.
Maybe I'm making excuses but that pass and run, if executed well, is really hard to defend against.
You're right but Jones should have at least been close enough to apply pressure to his man and maybe force a mistake. A good run but Jones went to sleep and Smalling ended up closer to the runner than Jones.
12m from Stoke.
Most have a dislike for Fellaini around here. I don't mind the human mop as much as some (as long as he isn't starting games!)
But I have an irrational dislike for Phil Jones. He's pony. Just not good enough for Utd. Probably not good enough for Stoke either.
Sell sell sell. I have said it for years now.
But I have an irrational dislike for Phil Jones. He's pony. Just not good enough for Utd. Probably not good enough for Stoke either.
Sell sell sell. I have said it for years now.
His return since injury has not been good at all which is such a shame. Not sure what he was thinking for their goal today. When youre the last man like that, you cannot afford to just leave your man like that especially when you are with him for the first part of the move.
It was a good run by their player, but if Jones goes with him, theres no way hes controlling the ball in our box under no pressure and finishing as easily as he did.
It was a good run by their player, but if Jones goes with him, theres no way hes controlling the ball in our box under no pressure and finishing as easily as he did.
Should keep him in that case so we can get the annual insurance pay.
Can't excuse how he position himself and play the scorer onside. He takes huge blame for letting the scorer have it easy.
Good point though, the way the passer was allowed all the space to execute the pass is not good. The 2 supposed holding midfielders were too deep all game. The supposed 3 at the back formation should mean that the libero role would do both CB & Dm job at time & free up a central midfield doing the destroyer role. Fellaini was like a fourth CB at times instead. Blind was slow to press in the incident leading to the goal. Blind was exposed as the physical weakest player on the field. Too many times he's just seems like too easy to get turned, a step slower, too short a leap, too lightweight in tackling, aerial duel, run... In a game where there us a foul every 2 minute, Blind is only good with his crossing. Even his passing & anticipation was mostly negated by the bad surface. Anyways, it's harsh to unrate him in game like this where the condition is so bad that's guaranteed a scrappy game before kick off. A win would be more ideal, but I am happy with the result
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Problem with Jones is that he is rusty for a huge amount of time after an injury layoff, and considering he has about 4-5 huge injury layoffs in a season it really isn't good enough or sustainable. If he had a huge ceiling and a top level that was amongst the best in the league \ world then it would be worth it to nurture him, but that really isn't the case.
If we're replacing one CB in the summer then it has to be Jones.
This place is fickle as hell. A few pages back and he was Jaap Staam reincarnate; now he's out the door this summer.
He's had a couple of bad games in what has otherwise been an amazing season for him. Get a grip.
He's had a couple of bad games in what has otherwise been an amazing season for him. Get a grip.
New duncan edwards. Fergie retired at the right time or he might have done a Wenger.
Exactly this. I can't even read the fecking Caf after a match anymore.
Just wait for Smalling's next mistake and everyone will be flocking here
Been terrible the last two games.
He'll be important in the rotation till the end of the season, but if he doesn't improve he can be off this summer
He'll be important in the rotation till the end of the season, but if he doesn't improve he can be off this summer
Amazing season? He managed to remain injury free for a couple of months and played well but he's hardly the new Vidic or Ferdinand. Now he's back from another injury and cost us two goals with stupid mistakes.
Also the Caf isn't a single entity so different posters can have different opinions.
You're arguing with someone who has Phil Jones as his highest rated player.
He's always been the type of player that will play well enough but has one or two errors in him each game. Generally we have got away with it this season but not always. He's bottom of the pile when it comes to our CBs and if we sign another then he should be the one that makes way.
Stop the nonsense, it was a wrong claim yes but he still won the league at ease, he probably would have gotten more out of can Persie/Welbeck/Chicharito/Jones/Smalling, Rafael/Januzaj too. We'd still be a top side in England easily.
Well, it's either Smalling or Jones. Smalling seems relatively safe for the moment! What they should do before the coming season is to change their names to something like Lindelof, or Manolas. They sound infinitely better and are United quality.
This place has gone down the shit pan in recent years. Far too many knee jerk posts.
He's a funny player isn't he? I read an interview where he said that he is not a player than can jump in and out of the team when needed. He needs to have a run of games under his belt before he reaches his peak and it's so true.
Explains why people are so knee jerk about him. His first few games back are usually grim to watch, but over time he becomes a beast...like watching that scene in Forrest Gump where the braces come off
The problem is they both keep on making mistakes. Jones makes more and is the most likely to see the door, but neither of them seem to be learning. They're not new to the league anymore.
They are both not quite the level we have been used to previously IMO, not their fault though however I feel one of them should be upgraded IMO
I criticise SAF alot in the mess he created in CM and the flanks but in defence he did the right thing. At one time we had 3 world class players + Gary Neville in defense, all of a similar age. Its only fair for us to bring young defenders in and hope that the former expertise will help the latter ones develop. TBF we were very unlucky. Out of 4 young players, 3 turned out to be crocks (Rafael, Fabio and Jones).
Mourinho loves a beastly CB duo and we simply don't have one at present, so I fully expect one CB to be sold and a top-class replacement brought in.
I think Jones will be the one to go. His fitness seems to have improved so we should easily be able to get around £15m for him in the summer from a mid-table team, someone like Stoke or WBA. Rojo will be kept due to being a Left-footer and will be used a bit more sparingly, next season.
I think Jones will be the one to go. His fitness seems to have improved so we should easily be able to get around £15m for him in the summer from a mid-table team, someone like Stoke or WBA. Rojo will be kept due to being a Left-footer and will be used a bit more sparingly, next season.
Another Jones mistake cost us. Not only did he not hold the line and play the guy onside, he then found himself the wrong side of his man. Two errors and two mistakes since he came back. Simply not good enough for an elite club
People getting angry at people who are suggesting Jones needs to make way are silly. Who else then? If we are upgrading our CB (and we definitely should) then he's the obvious candidate.
Awkward username
I've heard it said from somebody who knows Jose well that he is a massive fan of Phil Jones.
I know, it's crazy. Our brilliant run of results occurred with Jones playing exceptionally well at the back, then he got a poor muscle injury and has had a couple of patchy performances as he returns to fitness, now we're reading 'Jones has to be sold this summer'.
C'mon Caf, base your opinions on the bigger picture, not the last 90-minutes you watched.
Like the last few years where he has been constantly injured?
Dont disagree about the highs and lows you seen in performance threads, but amazing season?? If this is his amazing, we need to bin him quick as possible.
The caf has decided he's shit again then? Christ
I've consistently thought it. Nothing to do with his mistakes the last two games, but that's exactly the player he is, prone to mistakes and injuries. He can have the odd few good games in a row, but then this stuff creeps back in.
Smalling is the exact same. He's playing well at the moment, but there'll be more mistakes from him soon, I don't doubt it. Basically both aren't good enough long term to be starters. Neither is Rojo. Squad members if we want to get back to where we need to be.
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