Phil Jones is the best centre back at the club.

[amolbhatia50k]

This is true. There was a period early in his Uñited career when he was excellent. Alas, he has deteriorated with time.

He was quite the talent in his early years with us. He used to go on these brilliant marauding runs out from the CB position which you don't even see today's ball playing CBs do. It's true that purely as a defender he was never as gifted as, say, Vidic or even Smalling - heading wasn't great for example - but he made up for it by being good on the ball and relentless in his effort and bravery.

But injuries (and a lack of composure) really did ruin all of that and it's sad that he's become a parody now. Lurking in the backroom shadows at Manchester United in a time of such turmoil does that. Had he left 3-4 years ago he'd be viewed in better light as he did have some good seasons at the club.

 

[tombombadil]

He was quite the talent in his early years with us. He used to go on these brilliant marauding runs out from the CB position which you don't even see today's ball playing CBs do. It's true that purely as a defender he was never as gifted as, say, Vidic or even Smalling - heading wasn't great for example - but he made up for it by being good on the ball and relentless in his effort and bravery.

But injuries (and a lack of composure) really did ruin all of that and it's sad that he's become a parody now. Lurking in the backroom shadows at Manchester United in a time of such turmoil does that. Had he left 3-4 years ago he'd be viewed in better light as he did have some good seasons at the club.

Yeah I think that best describes his weakness. Personally, I think he is the type of player who needs a run of games to play into form. But with his persistent injuries, that is impossible.

It's sad, because he was really good at times.

 

[MadDogg]

It's a shame Jones has become a comedy figure over time, people forget he was actually an outstanding young player. He reached a higher level than any of our current CBs have so far

fecked by injuries unfortunately

I was going to say Smalling comfortably hit the highest peak (and the highest average for that matter), but then remembered he's not our player anymore. I shouldn't feel sad but then I look at our current options...

 

[stevoc]

For all the derision directed at Phil Jones for his gurning etc., for all the flak he receives for how injury prone he is as a man who could injure himself tripping over a blade of grass and all the criticism about how he's regressed as a player who is now almost certainly worse than the 19 year old signed in 2011 only capable of decent perfromances a few times a season (when fit).

For all that i will say this about Phil Jones he's a player who has been at Manchester United for the last 9 years.

 

[MoskvaRed]

We did at least get a couple of good seasons out of Phil before injuries started to wreck him. It is unbelievable that he is still here for season no.10 but unfortunately it’s not a complete outlier - Rojo is in his 7th season at United somehow, while Bailly is now into his 5th despite being way ahead on the Jones development curve in terms of constant injuries, recklessness and mistakes.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

love the way he has time to use his monocle

I thought he was giving a quick salute to the OG ground-header, Nemanja Vidic.

 

[Chief123]

fergie did what he wanted for sure

he wasn’t bad in that game? I just watched. He was class! Bullying real.

Yeah he actually did pretty well as he was told to help down Madrid’s left hand side to stop Ronaldo.

 

[Rood]

Some truth in that

But very generous of you to ignore huge patches of poor form, reckless play, comedy errors etc.

Im not ignoring it as its undeniable - but its almost entirely down to injuries and never getting a run of games

Its only due to sheer natural talent that his broken body still managed some decent performances in recent years - he was actually in the England squad as recently as Russia 2018

I was going to say Smalling comfortably hit the highest peak (and the highest average for that matter), but then remembered he's not our player anymore. I shouldn't feel sad but then I look at our current options...

Arguable on the peak - Jones was an England regular at one point whereas Smalling never was. I agree on the average but thats mostly due to Smalling staying fit for longer eventhough he had his own injury issues

 

[luke511]

I like the way the background music is lifting this up just like a highlight video of a south american 16 year old before signing for Real Madrid or Barcelona

The music's the funniest part about it

 

[simplyared]

He must be good SAF signed him

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Anyone knows what is going on with his injuries? Will he be back soon?

 

[Skills]

He's a better defender than Bailly, Lindelof and even Maguire. Can't stay fit at all though.

 

[arthurka]

His falling aside, but once he got down you can't react better then that. It is both dreadful and exceptional defending in space of few seconds.

Which kind of sums him up.

Agree.. haven't seen anything that sums anything up better than this.

 

[Skills]

LVG was totally mad.

Were his corners even bad? It's just mental you'd have your CB taking them though

 

[Mibabalou]

Still remember Jones being played as an attacking midfielder vs someone. Ferguson was the man.

Did this really happen?

I remember playing as a CM a few times but never as a 10?

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Were his corners even bad? It's just mental you'd have your CB taking them though

I remember Di Maria taking them and being totally shit at the time.
Mata too and not doing too well either.
Not sure why Rooney didn't take them, but maybe he wanted him in the box more than Jones?

 

[Andycoleno9]

Yeah, you are wrong

 

[Halftrack]

Were his corners even bad? It's just mental you'd have your CB taking them though

Jones not particularly dominant in the air, so no use having him the box. Other players lacking aerially are probably better at finishing with their feet than him, so can't have Jones in the box at the cost of any of them either. That just leaves taking the corner. Perfectly sound reasoning.

 

[Idxomer]

Were his corners even bad? It's just mental you'd have your CB taking them though

I think he only took them a couple of times against lower opposition in one of the cups, it was still funny but not really a recurring event.

 

[MoskvaRed]

He's a better defender than Bailly, Lindelof and even Maguire. Can't stay fit at all though.

He was better but now I doubt it. In terms of body shape, he barely looks like a footballer anymore and, maybe not altogether coincidentally, he has lost pace and his balance is atrocious.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Jones not particularly dominant in the air, so no use having him the box. Other players lacking aerially are probably better at finishing with their feet than him, so can't have Jones in the box at the cost of any of them either. That just leaves taking the corner. Perfectly sound reasoning.

He is better in the air than Mata and Di Maria.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

He was better but now I doubt it. In terms of body shape, he barely looks like a footballer anymore and, maybe not altogether coincidentally, he has lost pace and his balance is atrocious.

He looked alright in the cup against Tranmere. Was that the last game he played? I guess that was easy enough for him.

 

[balaks]

love the way he has time to use his monocle

 

[Andycoleno9]

Jones is a defender who:
1) has really bad positioning
2) plays in panic mod
3) is clumsy
4) is bad with the ball
5) is not that good in air
6) goes too often in last ditch tackles (because of bad positioning)
7) lacks concentration and composure

How someone can claim that he is good defender?

 

[Interval]

If you randomly pick our defenders for each match a hundred times over, Jones may not even come out the worst of our current CBs. And that's a travesty.

He should've moved on long ago to resurrect his career like Evans. But whatever happens - thank you Phil for atleast helping us, at some point, believe that a new and exciting future beckons. Ans of course, the faces.

 

[JJ12]

We are shit

 

[shamans]

I think he only took them a couple of times against lower opposition in one of the cups, it was still funny but not really a recurring event.

No it was the whole game against QPR I was there live

 

[wolvored]

[Fabrizio Romano] Phil Jones has told Manchester United that he wants to leave. He would make use of the clause in his contract that allows him to terminate his contract unilaterally at the end of each season. Yu-Gi-Oh!

.

I hope this is true. Please be true

 

[Vidyoyo]

You joke but if he stays fit he could be in our first-choice centre back pairing for the next 30 years.

 

[wolvored]

Makes you sad?

Every pass was backwards bar one, out to the right wing sideways, two dribbles that he ran into the first defender and a shot blocked, which he got injured doing so.

That's why he was sad. It didn't amount to anything

 

[spiriticon]

I feel for his injuries but our boy Philly J was given so many chances to impress over the last 5 years and yet, inexplicably, he proves himself to be the most calamitous of all our defenders every time he gets said chance.

I mean really. If you can't push yourself to greater levels than the dizzying heights of Bailly and Lindelof, there is not much career there that can be saved.

 

[djdhrubs]

I know this is a huge joke but in terms of ability, he is the best centre back at the club. When he’s been fully fit, which let’s face it is beyond rare, and had a run, he’s shown his quality. He would’ve been absolutely fantastic for us if he wasn’t a crock. His injuries completely ruined his career and the fact he’s currently still on a long term contract is farcical.

Unlike others, I don’t talk bad of him because he’s always given 100% and he had the potential to be an amazing player. I simply pity him for his injury record and pity us fans that we have club management that keeps giving him new contracts.

I remember watching his first few matches for the club and he looked immense, really good pace and power, not bad on the ball, seemed a mentally tough character, sort of reminded me of Jaap Stam. Didn't take long for him to become a figure of fun. Real shame how it turned out for him.

 

[Lay]

He would only improve Fulham and even that’s a push. I would probably improve Fulham though

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Whatever happened to the new Duncan Edwards? Now he's not even the best centre half in his own family

 

[Class of 63]

Were his corners even bad? It's just mental you'd have your CB taking them though

Just because you haven't seen it before doesn't mean it's mental, we had Martin Buchan(one of our very best)taking them in the 70's with his weaker left-foot.

Don't recall anybody saying this is mental Man, what's the Manager(The Doc)thinking.

 

[Class of 63]

Mock all you will peeps, but pound for pound he's been the best centre-half at the club for the best part of a decade, it's just a shame he's never had a run of games to prove it for a variety of reasons.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

I know this thread is meant to be a joke but, in reality, he's no worse than our other central defenders when fit

 

[Squirt]

And he's still only 22!