That's the thing I didn't have an issue with his defensive play at all. My point is just why did we play him there in a game when we needed goals? Tbh I think unless we think we need to be a bit more solid at the back or a more physical player then there's no point playing him there until he improves his attacking play because for me he takes too much away from the right hand side attack wise.
Phil Jones
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A lot of you (myself included) just assumed we were going to win and it would be a case of "how many?" but for me Jones' inclusion was a nod to what Swansea have achieved this season.
First and foremost we had to win the game remember.
First and foremost we had to win the game remember.
Nah, I was fine with him starting. Point is, once we went up 2-0 at the end of the first half, we might as well have gone all out in the next 45 minutes. That's my point at least.
That's fair enough, but we've played others like rafael and valencia in far tougher games then that one but as Stretch said as well once we were clearly dominating we could have made the change if we wanted to.
One of the most strange/annoying things on here is "opinions inertia". When a player is on a good run of form he has to play REALLY shit to be criticised and the converse is true coming off a bad run.
Phil Jones has actually played well enough in the last two games. When he was playing well earlier in the season nobody criticised his ability going forwards. Instead, we all raved about his barn-storming runs and dangerous crosses. Now he's some sort of mindless clogger who can't cross a ball to save his life? Bizarre.
Phil Jones has actually played well enough in the last two games. When he was playing well earlier in the season nobody criticised his ability going forwards. Instead, we all raved about his barn-storming runs and dangerous crosses. Now he's some sort of mindless clogger who can't cross a ball to save his life? Bizarre.
Pogue, I think it's just because bad crosses are, amusingly enough, very memorable! I also recall yesterday Rooney and Valencia swinging in crosses that might have been conversion attempts.
Anyway, Jones is certainly not culpable for drawing against Everton and losing to City.
That happens to a lot of young players. Similar thing has happened with Cleverley, who can have an average spell but he might do once pass which will be raved about, Carrick on the other hand did a great first time ball to Rooney yest but I've not seen much about that, if it had been Clev it'd be talked about as exactly what we're missing from the team etc.
Even when Jones was doing his bursting runs I said he lacked a purpose to them. I like him and think he'll be a top player, personally I think some of the roles asked of him this season he's either not been ready for or suited to and as a result he's taken some stick. Either way though going back to his earlier attacking play we haven't seen that in a while. He seems to stay behind the winger now rather then get beyond him, which means that it's valencia passing the ball for Jones to cross rather than the other way round, and his supply has been poor there for a while, and I think in a game when we needed goals, however low a chances of getting enough were, he was a poor choice to start there, and in general whilst he plays like this, we lose a lot of threat from that right hand side. It's not his fault cause until this season he's not really gonna have played there much, which is why I questioned the decision, in a similar way to why Park played behind Rooney against city.
Even when Jones was doing his bursting runs I said he lacked a purpose to them. I like him and think he'll be a top player, personally I think some of the roles asked of him this season he's either not been ready for or suited to and as a result he's taken some stick. Either way though going back to his earlier attacking play we haven't seen that in a while. He seems to stay behind the winger now rather then get beyond him, which means that it's valencia passing the ball for Jones to cross rather than the other way round, and his supply has been poor there for a while, and I think in a game when we needed goals, however low a chances of getting enough were, he was a poor choice to start there, and in general whilst he plays like this, we lose a lot of threat from that right hand side. It's not his fault cause until this season he's not really gonna have played there much, which is why I questioned the decision, in a similar way to why Park played behind Rooney against city.
Always rated his crossing...
Those of you who are down on this lad should be ashamed of yourself. He is just a kid ffs.
Amazing performance from the boy today. He did not deserve to lose the title. 
Did very well today.
I read something about him taking the results badly at the end?
I agree, it's genuinely pathetic. Some of our fans are so fecking fickle.
He is a winner and our future star in the making. Proud of him today and great cross for the goal
Is it true that him and DDG were in tears at the end of the game?
His best game in ages.
So is he the next Duncan Edwards again now?
Looked like his early season self today, good defending as always but he attacked pretty well today too. Not as much pointless hoofing up the pitch when we're under pressure, but still some. Overall really good though.
In the same way he was overrated at the beginning, he was underrated of late
He played well today at right back so fair do's. As I said last week if we could only win on goal diff then I would have played someone else there to try and go as attacking as we could but remain solid and I stand by that. He's a very clean tackler which is good, and the yellow he got was very harsh. Just needs to work on his positional sense in the middle and going forward and like all our fullbacks, work on his crossing (though obviously he put in a peach today).
The look on his face at the end was just
Thats whats so great about youth isn't it? Him and DDG looked distraught. Without a doubt today is an important lesson for both of them. Im sure they'll never want to feel this way again.The look on his face at the end was just
He was immense today. Bring that form into next season and he will nail down the right back slot.
But do we want him there? I'm much prefer him to develop into a top class CB, where he can drive the team on more and be more of a leader. Id much prefer Rafael to be our no.1 RB and to play consistently, with Jones at CB. He has looked a bit dodgy at times at RB this season, but he is only 19. He showed at the U21 Euros that he has the ability to be a top CB.
Played great at RB today though.
I cant see him making the CB spot his own anytime soon. Not in front of Vidic, Evans, Rio or Smalling. When he has played there this season we have looked more vulnerable than we have when any of the other players mentioned where used.
For now I believe he should just concentrate on making the RB slot his own and in the future years to come move inside once he has gained more experience and ironed out some flaws.
I thought he looked as technically adept on the ball today as we've seen him. A very un-Blackburn-ish performance.
Still don't know where the hell he's going to end up playing, mind. I think we've got something potentially ridiculous in Rafael, and I just can't see him ever having the technique to play in centre mid (although today was a good sign). Centre back seems completely out of the question given that Smalling and Evans are considerably better there, and there's also the small problem from his point of view of Rio and Vidic.
Still don't know where the hell he's going to end up playing, mind. I think we've got something potentially ridiculous in Rafael, and I just can't see him ever having the technique to play in centre mid (although today was a good sign). Centre back seems completely out of the question given that Smalling and Evans are considerably better there, and there's also the small problem from his point of view of Rio and Vidic.
Video?The look on his face at the end was just
I don't think centre back is completely out of the question. Jones is 4 years younger than Evans and 2 years younger than Smalling. By rights they should be better than him at the moment, Jones has to do some catching up but he may end up doing so.
He surely has to go to Euro 2012 now that Smalling is out. Though it wouldn't bother me if he got a rest of course.
Still think Jones and Smalling will be the long term centre back pairing, with Evans an able deputy. We're probably about 3 years away from that though so can expect to see more filling in at right back and midfield for a couple of seasons.
Thought he was great today. To me, Evra, Giggs, Young and Jones were all great - the whole team played very well, and if Rooney and Jones had been a bit more lucky we would have won comfortably with three or four goals.
I'm really impressed with this guy's pace; never seen him be outpaced really, and he's so strong at 19!
I'm really impressed with this guy's pace; never seen him be outpaced really, and he's so strong at 19!
Thanks. Was that all?
He'll find it easier to make RB his own spot, with Rafael having injury problems and having seemingly having mental feck ups in the smaller games every now and than.
True. My line of thinking was that Evans was a better centre back at a similar age, and that Smalling is so good that it seems inevitable he'll nail down a spot.
It's not inconceivable that he'll improve substantially, though.
From RAWK 
Ah, if only Geoff had been even more smug on that second picture of his, that would have been quite good actuallyFrom RAWK
Btw: Jones even pulls off that face when he takes a simple throw in - really funny to watch
I wonder how much we'll see of Jones in mf next season, and whether his competency in the position will improve to the point he becomes a good option in big games.
I do worry Jones will become the new OShea.
I do worry Jones will become the new OShea.
We badly missed the old O'Shea in the season just gone so that might not be a bad thing.