He has zero composure. Zero. And he's not going to make it at OT. I'm pretty sure LVG will have him shipped out pretty sharpish and rightly so.
Phil Jones
- Thread starter Baby Faced Assassin
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He will be absolutely fine and will make it at United. Same as Smalling will.
he put in a great shift today he totally deleted their left side but still a bit out of depth forward(even tho he was better forward than Shaw IMO). He will benefit from playing no matter at what position but hopefully he will be given chance to shine at CB soon, because as long as hes played out of position hes not getting to the highest level at CB. Now hes still very young and has got time but we need to set a CB duo immidiately, jones as well could play as a wide centre back at 3-5-2..
It's time to stop this shoehorning. Play him where he should play or don't select him - there is absolutely no need anymore. With Vidic and Ferdinand gone I'm sure he's due a few extra games at the heart of the defence for us...unless the new manager completely dislikes him.
Smalling's got a chance I'll grant you that. Jones is going nowhere at United.
I agree, it isn't easy to feel uncomfortable in the position and role you are playing and he has the composure in his passing when he does. He has shown it when he played in the midfield and at centre-back. Both him and Smalling will come good, we just need to give them a role and stick with it so they can keep improving their tactical nous of the role, grow more confident and improve the abilities that are needed in that role.
I didn't think he was bad today. He's obviously not a right back so his ability on the ball is going to look a bit suspect in that position. He surprised me a bit with his pace actually, never thought he was a quick guy but he did look pretty fast out there.
I think he'll make an excellent centre back at United in time if he's played consistently there and you also sign someone relatively experienced in that role to play next to him. He made how poor Johnson is as a defender even more obvious today.
I think he'll make an excellent centre back at United in time if he's played consistently there and you also sign someone relatively experienced in that role to play next to him. He made how poor Johnson is as a defender even more obvious today.
You think Jones won't make it based on the fact he has zero composure but think Smalling has a chance, despite having much worse composure?
Maybe I'm just too blind to see it but that SAF statement* is looking more and more over the top every day now.
*"Arguably, the way he is looking, he could be our best ever player."
*"Arguably, the way he is looking, he could be our best ever player."
I think Smalling has the potential thats the difference. Phil Jones can barely kick a ball. He's a comedy footballer who is only ever one step away from an absolute brainfart. He won't make it.
He had a fine game today, what are you on about.
He was piss poor in a meaningless game what are you on about?Quoted.
What happened? Couldn't watch the game. How did Jones and Smalling do?
Gone next season. Quote this please.
They did better than Jagielka and Johnson.
Smalling grew into it. Jones continues to play like he has a growth in his brain pressing on something.
My pleasure!Gone next season. Quote this please.
I also think Smalling has potential, he could be a very solid defender. Composure wise though he's one of the worst I've ever seen, constantly looks petrified whenever he receives the ball at his feet, so using that as a stick to beat Jones but then saying Smalling can make it seems rather harsh.
You're being incredibly scathing here. A comedy footballer, really? He clearly has potential, I honestly don't see why you dislike him so much. He has all the attributes to make it as a central defender. Yes, he's very raw as of now but it hasn't helped that he's been pushed around in to numerous different positions, meaning his development hasn't gone as smoothly as it should have done.
He was good today, by the way. Defensively he was very solid and as I've said, you can't expect him to light the game up attacking wise because he's not a natural fullback, yet alone an attacking one ala Dani Alves. He was a marked improvement on Glen 'Defending? What's that?' Johnson.
I've always admired Jones at United. I remember him against Madrid in the Champions League shutting Ronaldo out of the game in a man marking role. He clearly has the talent but right now not the direction, because he's always so unsure of where he's going to be played. Hopefully for United a manager like Van Gaal will know what to do with him and give him a fixed position.
He's an 18-yard-box defender. He was when we bought him, and partly due to the way he's been managed since arriving here, he still is.
There's very little (if anything) he's doing now that he couldn't have done the very day we bought him.
And in fact, that fearlessness he had (especially with the ball at his foot) is gone. He looks scared to touch the ball half the time.
There's obviously still hope as he's still pretty young and a good defender, but I'm not sure whether either him or Smalling will ever get anywhere near prime Vidic or Ferdinand's level, which they looked like they may do when they first arrived.
A huge season for both coming up.
There's very little (if anything) he's doing now that he couldn't have done the very day we bought him.
And in fact, that fearlessness he had (especially with the ball at his foot) is gone. He looks scared to touch the ball half the time.
There's obviously still hope as he's still pretty young and a good defender, but I'm not sure whether either him or Smalling will ever get anywhere near prime Vidic or Ferdinand's level, which they looked like they may do when they first arrived.
A huge season for both coming up.
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Thank you.
After a very good 1st season here, it was only downhill for him.
He has great qualities, but he plays like a headless chicken half of the time. He has a defending style similar to David Luiz, all over the place. If he can get that under control and add some discipline to his game, I think he can be very good.
Let's see what LVG can make of him... For now Evans is our best CB and he's not setting teh world on fire ether, tbh.
He has great qualities, but he plays like a headless chicken half of the time. He has a defending style similar to David Luiz, all over the place. If he can get that under control and add some discipline to his game, I think he can be very good.
Let's see what LVG can make of him... For now Evans is our best CB and he's not setting teh world on fire ether, tbh.
People are again overreacting enormously on here (shock). Jones isnt a RB, he is a CB. That said, his ability to perform as a defensive RB is invaluable in a squad such as ours in some situations.
Going forward he didnt offer a huge amount, but anyone expecting that of him obviously doesnt know their arse from their elbow. He put in a hell of a shift and doesnt deserve the crap some people are giving him from today - especially when he has only just recovered from injury and hasnt played in a while.
Going forward he didnt offer a huge amount, but anyone expecting that of him obviously doesnt know their arse from their elbow. He put in a hell of a shift and doesnt deserve the crap some people are giving him from today - especially when he has only just recovered from injury and hasnt played in a while.
Well argued but ironically much of your observations re Jones are mine re Smalling. And for my money Smalling looks to have the potential to make a step up under LVG whereas Jones doesn't. I just see Smalling as a more naturally gifted and intelligent footballer who could thrive under the new manager. Jones is alarmingly lacking in football intelligence to a degree that in my opinion places him on a par with the likes of Cahill. I think that could be Jones' level, a decent PL player but not good enough for us, and he hasn't even reached that yet. I hope otherwise because he strikes me as fiercely loyal and has a heart as big as a lion but he doesn't look good enough.
He's being slagged off because of his versatility and it's pretty harsh. I'm sure the likes of Cannavaro, Vidic, Adams, Terry et al would all be shit at full back too.
Yes, Jones is a pretty shit RB but that doesn't mean he's a shit CB and shouldn't be written off on the back of it.
Yes, Jones is a pretty shit RB but that doesn't mean he's a shit CB and shouldn't be written off on the back of it.
Jones has far more potential than Smalling IMO - he's been noted as a massive talent by several different managers (Fergie, Capello etc), it is only injuries and being shifted around as a utility player that is holding him back.
He wasn't even that bad at RB last night either - certainly more sound defensively than Johnson
He wasn't even that bad at RB last night either - certainly more sound defensively than Johnson
I'm wondering as to what makes you think Jones lacks football intelligence. He's been very good at man-marking players and has a good sense of what happens around him. His reading of the game has improved from the past seasons, and his anticipation has consequently improved as well. His only issue is that his decision-making isn't that of a mature player, and that maturity can only be accomplished if he plays regularly as a central defender.
On the ball, he's not as good as Evans, but by playing in central midfield since the age of 19, he has decent passing and ball control. Plus, he is excellent at shutting down dangerous players and making them ineffective.
He has more potential than Evans and Smalling (though not by much when compared to Smalling). He just needs to mature and control his aggression and temptations.
No he doesn't
He has atrocious ball control and passing.You will struggle to find anyone, anywhere, outside of this place who thinks that Jones is progressing in any way. His positional sense is piss poor in particular as is his spatial awareness which is why you constantly see him making desperately clumsy and awkward challenges. The man is a walking panic attack. He is supremely average.
Saying all this hopefully I'll be made to eat my words. But I think this coming season will be his last at OT unless LVG drags something out of him.
The clumsy and awkward challenges are more down to Jones' immaturity and bad decision making. He thinks more with his heart than his head, which is why you see him make those challenges. Otherwise, as a defender, he's a very good man marker, his positional sense as improved (not saying it's the best, just improved) and constantly improving, and his spatial awareness is also getting better (again, not the best but improving).No he doesn't
You will struggle to find anyone, anywhere, outside of this place who thinks that Jones is progressing in any way. His positional sense is piss poor in particular as is his spatial awareness which is why you constantly see him making desperately clumsy and awkward challenges. The man is a walking panic attack. He is supremely average.
Saying all this hopefully I'll be made to eat my words. But I think this coming season will be his last at OT unless LVG drags something out of him.
You may not see progress in his game, but I do whenever he plays as a defender. I just hope he plays more games as a defender; otherwise, he won't cut out his immaturity and bad decision making.
Jones is the guy in the middle.
Looks like a total gimp. I bet he left that nightclub injured.
That hat couldn't sit any higher on his head, it's like he's wearing Welbeck's hair.
Nice to see that he is already showing support for our new manager with that shirt.
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Far, far too rash in challenges and lacks the decision making needed to be a CB for a club challenging for trophies.
Yeah, but he has a nice cap IMO.
We're just taking the piss out of how he looks here. Listen to you talking about football, pffft.
Come on man, first let the boy grow. He'll learn. Anyway, he's too young to be a Chief Bouncer.
Sorry Phil, but he looks like he would live in a trailer park the US there
Jones is the guy in the middle.