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Phil Jones Future | Reports: Observing United academy sessions

Skills

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He was promising but injury prone in his first few years here. I remember him shutting down CR and Bale for us in quick succession in a season. Somehow he has never grown into the CB role thereafter and his performances have actually been diminishing. But on the plus side he seems to be remaining fit for a longer time (touch wood!) so maybe he still has time.
It's worth remembering that's literally all he was tasked to do all game. He was a free man in midfield asked to man mark them.
 

kouroux

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Unlikely since he has actually been worsening in recent years. But initially he did show quite a bit of promise. Given that he hasn't even turned 27 yet, maybe 10% chance - who knows!
I hope you are right as we are stuck. May as well as hope for the best now.
 

Pogue Mahone

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He's been with us almost 8 years and there's not much he shown himself to really be good at other than lunging last ditch challenges which are generally only required because he'd fecked up in the first place.

I've never seen 'it' with him, and his injury record makes it all the more baffling how he's managed to have such a long career with us.

If this contract is in the hope of securing a transfer fee then fair enough, but I'm afraid it's going to mean him getting a testimonial which is just bonkers.
You see I’d disagree with that first paragraph. To me, pretty much all of his issues come down to his injury record. He can't stay fit and takes a while to get up to speed after he's out. He's an incredibly committed defender, so if he's not on top of his game he can look very clumsy/reckless. On the very rare occasion he's managed to put together a run of games he's looked (to me anyway) like he's got the makings of an excellent centre-back. Strong, fast, brave and decent on the ball. I know this is an unpopular opinion but meh, whatever.
 

ZenMaster Coltrane

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This is the flip side of having Carrick, McKenna, Phelan, Ollie...you get this insular thinking with regards to certain players. You also have the incompetent board. The warning was all these extensions happening before a DOF was named (if it happens at all now). You can deal with Jones if he's your 4th or 5th option who doesn't play regularly but I just don't see the club going for a top tier CB after extending Smalling and now Jones.

Club would rather bump Jones to ~100K than pay 75-90 million for a CB who they'd have to pay ~200k. They need competent ruthless removal of players. An aggressive club would have shipped Smalling, Jones, Mata, Young and the like out.
 

Annihilate Now!

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Why do loads of people on here believe that a 4 year contract = he'll definitely be here and play for us for four more years?

It's bizarre.
 

Okey

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I'm not sure what to make of this. Very confusing. No one signs up an established player to a 4+1 contract to protect his value. That's for youngsters still finding their feet. You only give such a contract to an established player you deem worthy of keeping. If that's what the board think of the Phil Jones we know now, then we must be watching different games. Only way I can possibly rationalise this is they've decided he's the squad player they're keeping. Rojo and possibly Bailly too will leave. Not that I'll shed a tear if they're replaced with proper quality. The summer will tell...
 

Morpheus 7

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I doubt Ole takes this decision, has to be Woodward. And given that he is English, better than Rojo and can fill the backup role, and has potential to improve in future, giving a new contract is quite reasonable. The contract for 4 years is a bit excessive though.
Potential to improve, is that suppose to be funny. Where has you been since Fergie left. Absolute banter footballer, he's our Lovren. Calamity Jones, sure De Gea is delighted with the news.
 

Skills

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He could've been a great player for us if he could ever have stayed fit.

He was rapid when he joined and he's lost a lot of his pace now. The main issue I've had with him is his stupid defending at times but if he ever got the game time, I'm sure he would've been able to fix that.

The current version of Jones is just decent at everything, excellent at nothing and still prone to moments of complete stupidity.
 

Bastian

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You see I’d disagree with that first paragraph. To me, pretty much all of his issues come down to his injury record. He can't stay fit and takes a while to get up to speed after he's out. He's an incredibly committed defender, so if he's not on top of his game he can look very clumsy/reckless. On the very rare occasion he's managed to put together a run of games he's looked (to me anyway) like he's got the makings of an excellent centre-back. Strong, fast, brave and decent on the ball. I know this is an unpopular opinion but meh, whatever.
I agree with you. But come to a different conclusion. Just like you say, on the very rare occasion he's managed to stay fit for a while, he looks good. But that doesn't really happen. So why the long contract. It seems daft. And a player this injury prone cannot really afford to take a while to start playing decent football.
 

Djemba-Djemba

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He's proven time and again he's simply not good enough.

And then you add in his woeful injury record.

Just an absolutely terrible decision to give him such a long contract, what the feck are we doing?

I'm expecting news of a new Valencia contract any day now.
 

Judas

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Why do loads of people on here believe that a 4 year contract = he'll definitely be here and play for us for four more years?

It's bizarre.
Because it makes him harder to shift? No ones paying a lot of money for him or matching his wages. When a player is as injury prone, old and simply not that great as Jones, it gives the player the power, and takes it away from us. He'll be in no rush to leave, and why should he be?
 

redpatron

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we can pretty much kill any rumors of signing a top cb. Two long term contracts likely with high wages leaves little room for a world class cb to come in. The money isn't an issue, but he has to compete with playing time with 4 other cbs just kills the opportunity.
 

DomesticTadpole

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Because it makes him harder to shift? No ones paying a lot of money for him or matching his wages. When a player is as injury prone, old and simply not that great as Jones, it gives the player the power, and takes it away from us. He'll be in no rush to leave, and why should he be?
He isn't old to be fair, it is us that have aged watching him.
 

GE

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:lol: What the fcuk?! Is this just a case of keeping as many English players as we can? He’s our worst defender and isn’t good enough for Manchester United, it’s bloody obvious.
 

Skills

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Why do loads of people on here believe that a 4 year contract = he'll definitely be here and play for us for four more years?

It's bizarre.
Because with his injury record and the type of salaries our players earn, its going to be difficult to shift him.
 

Skills

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we can pretty much kill any rumors of signing a top cb. Two long term contracts likely with high wages leaves little room for a world class cb to come in. The money isn't an issue, but he has to compete with playing time with 4 other cbs just kills the opportunity.
Who else has got a new long term contract?
 

Mcking

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Potential to improve, is that suppose to be funny. Where has you been since Fergie left. Absolute banter footballer, he's our Lovren. Calamity Jones, sure De Gea is delighted with the news.
His problem has always been unfortunate injuries. He is usually good when fit, and is still fairly young. There is obviously room for improvement if he gets luckier with injuries.
 

Trizy

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Who would buy Phil Jones with his relatively high wages, injury record, own goal record and face?
He's not as terrible as United fans like to make out. He'd start for any club outside the top 6.
 

Djemba-Djemba

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His problem has always been unfortunate injuries. He is usually good when fit, and is still fairly young. There is obviously room for improvement if he gets luckier with injuries.
How many years are you going to be hoping "If he can just stay fit"

He's been here 8 years, it's not going to happen.
 

Skills

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His problem has always been unfortunate injuries. He is usually good when fit, and is still fairly young. There is obviously room for improvement if he gets luckier with injuries.
Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm sure it wasn't injury or fitness that made him play like a tit in the FA cup final last season.
 

thegregster

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Fans believing the club had a 100m to spend on a CB last summer. :rolleyes:
 

izec

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I like Phil. People should calm down, he will be our 3rd or 4th choice CB along with Smalling and Bailly. Lindelöf + a new CB in the summer as starters.

I am pretty sure one of Bailly or Jones wont be too long here, depending on next season
 

Yorkeontop

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Shame they don't seem to like CBs in China. We could afford to lose Jones on a free;we bought him for cheap. He's part of the deadwood but I'm sure he'll do well for say an Everton.
 

Carlsen19

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Another laughable extension from Deadwood FC