He does a job in midfield but offensively he doesn't have the foggiest.
Phil Jones
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CB or RB. It's ridiculous to not pick Kagawa or Cleverly in favour of Jones.
If you want metal in MF buy it, Jones is a CB.
If you want metal in MF buy it, Jones is a CB.
Wasnt the worst midfield performance I have seen, however, despite the positives, I'm not sure it's worth it playing him in midfield. His positioning can leave us pretty leaky. His recovery pace makes up for a lot of his mistakes.
Phil Jones is fortunate to play in a team where midfield isn't viewed as the highest priority. SAF will continue to play him there due to his enthusiasm. We can do so much better though. I like the lad a lot. I just do not see the necessity with playing him in midfield. I wouldn't be surprised to see him start against Chelsea *sigh*
Phil Jones is fortunate to play in a team where midfield isn't viewed as the highest priority. SAF will continue to play him there due to his enthusiasm. We can do so much better though. I like the lad a lot. I just do not see the necessity with playing him in midfield. I wouldn't be surprised to see him start against Chelsea *sigh*
Robson post alcoholic phase? as long as this is just a ploy to make him a better defender, I'm not too fussed but I do feel in a 3 man midfield, and give him the role to just sit.. he'd be fine. Its when you release the shackles that he loses discipline and comes across clueless.
Incredibly limited in his offensive abilities from CM. When Anderson came on the improvement was massive. Are our coaching staff seeing something the rest of the world is missing here?
Why won't Fergie just blood him at CB? I honestly think that he can be the best in the world in that position. Lets hope that SAF doesn't think that Jones is the solution in midfield 
I think he was decent. Don't really mind him in midfield, but perhaps not a two-man midfield away at Arsenal.
Clearly they are...
I'd rather Rooney was our long term midfield solution than Jones, if it HAD to be either of them. He's good at buzzing around and pressing when off the ball, but he's not a threat going towards the other box. It's not really part of his skillset.Why won't Fergie just blood him at CB? I honestly think that he can be the best in the world in that position. Lets hope that SAF doesn't think that Jones is the solution in midfield
I agree about him as a CB. He's just a total bruiser back there. Could be a Vidic-like monster.
Never been so torn about a player as I have with Jones. Sometimes I'm thinking "not in a million years" and other times I have the occasional "well maybe he could be like Essien or something..." sort of thought.
Whatever the attitude, Jones in 2 man midfields at this point is clearly retarded. He has nowhere near the level of composure or positional nous to be top drawer currently. I was absolutely sold on his performance the other day at centre back and think we should be doing everything possible to make sure we don't miss out on the absolutely monstrous defender that he looks like he could become.
Whatever the attitude, Jones in 2 man midfields at this point is clearly retarded. He has nowhere near the level of composure or positional nous to be top drawer currently. I was absolutely sold on his performance the other day at centre back and think we should be doing everything possible to make sure we don't miss out on the absolutely monstrous defender that he looks like he could become.
I think SAF sees him as the closest thing we've seen to Keano
He's good at winning headers in our box and throwing his big frame into blocks, but he's very limited as a CM and his future lies at CB in my view.
Jones had some great moments. think he will end up as a CB...but he is still very young...loads of potential. give him a year or two.
Please no. Keane had a lot of other things as well, which Jones lacks.
How many of us saw Keano at 20, 21? I'm sure some of you watched Keano at Forest and if you did you make a fair comparison between the two a the same age. I didn't, so I'm not prepared to pass judgment on Jones relative to Keano at this stage of their careers.
I didn't watch him at Forest, but I did follow him for most of his United career.
The thing I am trying to say is, Keane was a proper CM, who played in the center of the park throughout his career. Jones on the other hand has played at the back mostly. He is sort of a hit-and-a-miss player in the final third, which Keane was not.
Sure we have seen him running with the ball from the back a couple of times, but that doesn't really tells that he can play Keane's role in the future matches.
I agree. Jones looks like a natural CB to me. My view, however, is that we can't completely write him off as a potential CM just yet. Bt the smart money says long term Jones is a CB.
Can't blame SAF for trying, he is a long way off the finished article but he has some outstanding qualities which would be put to better use as a monster box-to-box midfielder than a CB.
A Robbo or Keano is simply a rarer and more significant thing to get your hands on than an excellent CB.
A Robbo or Keano is simply a rarer and more significant thing to get your hands on than an excellent CB.
I have mentioned before on here that when Robbo was a similar age to Jones, he was shifted around between defence and midfield before eventually settling on a midfield position and going on to become one of the greatest.
Fergie has been searching for the elusive box to box midfielder for several years - he hasnt found one but sees the right qualities in Jones to try and mould him into one. Only time will tell if he succeeds.
Fergie has been searching for the elusive box to box midfielder for several years - he hasnt found one but sees the right qualities in Jones to try and mould him into one. Only time will tell if he succeeds.
I think Jones played well yesterday. Broke up play and got himself into good positions in the box.
I suppose Jones can work on his heading into the opposition goal. If he were a little better then he would have had two goals yesterday. The press would have been raving about him.
I still much prefer him at CB though.
I still much prefer him at CB though.
Second half especially.
Jones will become our new O'Shea. Probably a bit better, but no different in terms of lockin down a position as his own.
Hes not a CM. If I were Anderson Id be pissed off.
Hes not a CM. If I were Anderson Id be pissed off.
Good defender but not a midfielder for me.
You'd have spent the weekend comfort eating, so.
One thing I like about Jones in midfield is the timing of his runs into the box. That's a really hard skill to learn but seems to come naturally to him. Every time he starts in a midfield two, he looks a goal threat. Much prefer him in that position to the aimless wandering around you see when he's paired with two other CMs.
His runs are good, his awareness of space, touch and his use of the ball need a lot of work to be a really top midfielder. But he'll improve the more he plays there, obviously enough.
I really hope we don't convert him to one, his last few games have shown that he'll be a great center back, or an average midfielder. I'd prefer the former.
It's too early to make a definitive claim about either IMO. This time last season, I had major doubts about him as a central defender. He's still not the finished article but he's really improved already.
By all accounts, he's incredibly determined and hard-working. So if anyone can master a new position, he can. A similar improvement in his midfield displays and maybe, just maybe...
By all accounts, he's incredibly determined and hard-working. So if anyone can master a new position, he can. A similar improvement in his midfield displays and maybe, just maybe...
It just seems like people are so desperate for him to succeed in midfield because it's so lacking, and knowing SAF he probably won't sign anyone else this Summer.
I reckon if we were actually healthily stocked there, people would be far less inclined to entertain the idea of him playing there.
I reckon if we were actually healthily stocked there, people would be far less inclined to entertain the idea of him playing there.
Jones is a strange one, he seems to have a level of flexibility which everyone likes. I would like us to agree on where his best position is and then play him in that space. Yesterday he was good and made some impressive forward runs.
Jones is a centre back for me.
Anderson pissed off because of what? He's nowhere near been good enough to be pissed off about losing his place to anyone.
Anderson pissed off because of what? He's nowhere near been good enough to be pissed off about losing his place to anyone.
Did you see his 2 great runs into the box yesterday? Should have had at least hit the target with the first header and was unlucky with the 2nd - I know noodle was taking the piss about but it really was 'Robson-esque'
Agree on Ando, I think Cleverley has more reason to be pissed off.
His drive and enthusiasm adds a lot to our current CM options, given our obvious weakness there. It's strange because Anderson for me provides a lot of that 'thrust' we see from Jones in midfield, but is neglected. Obviously Fergie knows better etc. but still quite puzzling.
It could also be that Fergie is really keen on developing Jones and wants to give him games in midfield to enhance his development. The experience he accrues from playing in midfield might benefit him when he plays CB in hte long run? Maybe composure on the ball, awareness etc.
It could also be that Fergie is really keen on developing Jones and wants to give him games in midfield to enhance his development. The experience he accrues from playing in midfield might benefit him when he plays CB in hte long run? Maybe composure on the ball, awareness etc.
His range of passing and technique isn't there for a player in a two-man midfield, nor can he carry the ball particularly well.
He has a knack for shutting out attacks with his reading of the game, but his distribution isn't there. As a centre-back, you can get away with being a little bit more limited and occasionally hoofing it up, but ideally next to Carrick in a two, you want someone who can push on and make things happen.
Jones in a 3 knocking the ball on to Carrick/Cleverley/Rooney to do the main ball work wouldn't bother me, but if we persist with the straight 4-4-2, his place always has to be at CB for me. Looks at home there and has impressed me in pretty much every outing there this season, particularly against City.
He has a knack for shutting out attacks with his reading of the game, but his distribution isn't there. As a centre-back, you can get away with being a little bit more limited and occasionally hoofing it up, but ideally next to Carrick in a two, you want someone who can push on and make things happen.
Jones in a 3 knocking the ball on to Carrick/Cleverley/Rooney to do the main ball work wouldn't bother me, but if we persist with the straight 4-4-2, his place always has to be at CB for me. Looks at home there and has impressed me in pretty much every outing there this season, particularly against City.
What I don't get is that if we're not confident enough to trust Anderson as our midfield driving force, and understandably so, why didn't we make a move for Dembele in the summer? Personally I think Dembele is slightly overhyped, but if the staff are so insistent on having a midfield driving force I don't get why we've resorted to making the most of a centre back's physical attributes when a ready made midfielder was available last summer.
Because Dembele can't pass for toffee?
Are you on a WUM?
Nope. Although probably guilty of exaggerating to make a point.
I don't think Dembele is very good at passing the ball, put it that way. He would be an upgrade on Anderson - with a lot of similar qualities - but that in itself is not a reason to sign him.
Agree with you there Pogue, I think he's a decent passer of the ball but no more than that. I was talking purely in the sense of him being a driving force. If we're looking to play with one against the top teams, I'd much rather have Dembele who can be trusted to complete a match as opposed to a 60 minute Ando showing or a game of Jones there, who technically looks out of his depth at times.
Obviously we shouldn't be looking to sign anybody who is an upgrade on Anderson, but with Dembele being a ready-made midfield replacement going relatively on the cheap, it seems a bit foolish to let him slip.
I don't think that he is a particularly adventurous passer of the ball but he certainly looks after possession well. I think that he is probably worth what Tottenham paid for him, no more though. He would be useful for us but I am not ruing missing out on him.