surf
Full Member
They have done well. Not totally convincing though and I think they could easily be pushed out by Bailly and Smalling before the end of the season.
Has Mourinho ever really had an issue with injuries? I think this all comes down to proper management and understanding rest and recovery.Commentator mentioned Jones is on one hell of a run, longest run of consecutive games for a while, or perhaps longest run he's ever had with Utd? What kind of witchcraft is at work here?
Anyway, tempted to drop Jones so he can have rest and replace with Smalling in order for Jones to then play vs West Ham.
As for Bailly, only use if other 3 not available and then has to play with Jones after he comes back from duty, assuming he's not out for the season due to playing for so long
bullshit, we don't suffer from that at all, we have never created more chances past four, five years, even the later stages of Ferguson era we havent created chances much but always managed to score... clean sheets are also important and we'd be on a good deffensive record hadnt Borini hit his best goal of his lifeThey suck at build up play, Bailly in as soon as possible please.
In the pecking order, probably. Especially when we also consider Mourinho's comments Re: Smalling and Shaw not playing with injuries.Have they both surpassed Smalling in the pecking order?
Bailly and Smalling would not be an experiment. They both started off as a first choice partnership. Unfortunately, or fortunately this gave a chance to the current pair. Not long ago Jones and Rojo were seen as surplus to requirements due to Jones' injury record and Rojo not deemed good enough for United. I still think they've not been tested against the best forwards bar the Spurs game.Don't change a thing. Rojo-Jones is out starting CB partnership right now. They are effective and Bailly isn't even in the picture as he's off to the AFCON next week, so between his injury and international schedule, we may not see him play too much more the rest of this year. By the time he returns, Rojo and Jones may be so solidly entrenched that it would be far more disruptive to not play them than experiment with the likes of Bailly and Smalling.
They didn't. It was Bailly and Blind in the beginning of the season, then Bailly and Smalling for a couple of matches until Bailly got injured.Bailly and Smalling would not be an experiment. They both started off as a first choice partnership. Unfortunately, or fortunately this gave a chance to the current pair. Not long ago Jones and Rojo were seen as surplus to requirements due to Jones' injury record and Rojo not deemed good enough for United. I still think they've not been tested against the best forwards bar the Spurs game.
My bad. I think this was due to Smalling being injured in pre-season training.They didn't. It was Bailly and Blind in the beginning of the season, then Bailly and Smalling for a couple of matches until Bailly got injured.
Rojo has been better than Jones so far, and with Bailly being more suited to play in the right side of defense, I think that Jones rather than Rojo might lose his place to Bailly.Bailly will eventually take Rojo's place, no doubt.
Jones however I've always considered more talented than Smalling but his injuries and rashness have continuously fecked up his progression. I see no reason why he can't keep Smalling out of the team if he sorts those out.
They've definitely been tested - Sanchez, Lukaku, Giroud, Kane et al. The only good strikers they haven't yet faced is Costa and Aguero, and lets face it, those were early fixtures where Jose didn't really have a clue as to which lineup was our best and we were using odd combinations like Rojo and Blind, behind yet more experimentation in midfield..Bailly and Smalling would not be an experiment. They both started off as a first choice partnership. Unfortunately, or fortunately this gave a chance to the current pair. Not long ago Jones and Rojo were seen as surplus to requirements due to Jones' injury record and Rojo not deemed good enough for United. I still think they've not been tested against the best forwards bar the Spurs game.
It might be so, but he was on bench for 3-4 matches or so, despite him being fit. To be fair, Blind and Bailly did really well up to City's match which might have tied Mourinho's hands on changing the defense.My bad. I think this was due to Smalling being injured in pre-season training.
I think this is a bit misleading (although true). Take yesterday's match, put Beckenbauer and Baresi in defense and Borini still scores. On Everton's match it was Fellaini doing a fool of himself that resulted in the pen, maybe in Arsenal's case Jones might have done a bit better but for the most part, they haven't done mistakes and the goals that we conceded would have been goals even if there were other defenders there.As good as they've been we still end up getting scored on every game. I still firmly believe Bailly is our best central defender currently, I'd like to see him and Rojo together. Jones putting together his longest run of consecutive games seems way too good to be true anyway, I can't imagine he can go much longer without getting injured.
Our first goal yesterday, Rojo was the one who drove the ball all the way to ZlatanThey suck at build up play, Bailly in as soon as possible please.
Yeah that was fantastic. His little run into the box created just enough space for Blind to swoop in.Our first goal yesterday, Rojo was the one who drove the ball all the way to Zlatan
Borini scored after Rojo's short headed clearance fell right in his path.Take yesterday's match, put Beckenbauer and Baresi in defense and Borini still scores
Meh, the cross was flat, Rojo had pressure from Defoe and his header cleared the box.Borini scored after Rojo's short headed clearance fell right in his path.
The bit about Borini's goal is true, no defense could've stopped that really. Still though, we do end up getting scored on most games for whtever reason and I never feel comfortable when only a goal up. It's not necessarily down to just Rojo and Jones obviously but it's still something to consider.I think this is a bit misleading (although true). Take yesterday's match, put Beckenbauer and Baresi in defense and Borini still scores. On Everton's match it was Fellaini doing a fool of himself that resulted in the pen, maybe in Arsenal's case Jones might have done a bit better but for the most part, they haven't done mistakes and the goals that we conceded would have been goals even if there were other defenders there.
I agree with Bailly being our best CB, but it is not the right time to change our partnership in defense, especially with Bailly leaving for Africa Cup on nations next week or so.
On February-March when Bailly comes, we reevaluate. Until then, if they continue playing this well, they should continue playing, if not, then Smalling should take his chance, which might well be his last one.
Smalling doesn't fill me with a lot of confidence. Sometimes does monumental feckups and prone to the odd red card...It's personal reference. IMO, they have. Smalling had been mild since his beast mode early last season. Smalling's showing before his injury was not on par with recent Rojo and Jones' under Mourinho.
Agreed. And in addition to silly pens, there have been a number of "wonder goals" scored against us, including a worldy overhead kick in the Europa. In general the CB's have been solid and Jose has to get some credit for how should we are down the middle regardless of which CB's (excluding Blind) are playing.I think this is a bit misleading (although true). Take yesterday's match, put Beckenbauer and Baresi in defense and Borini still scores. On Everton's match it was Fellaini doing a fool of himself that resulted in the pen, maybe in Arsenal's case Jones might have done a bit better but for the most part, they haven't done mistakes and the goals that we conceded would have been goals even if there were other defenders there.
I agree with Bailly being our best CB, but it is not the right time to change our partnership in defense, especially with Bailly leaving for Africa Cup on nations next week or so.
On February-March when Bailly comes, we reevaluate. Until then, if they continue playing this well, they should continue playing, if not, then Smalling should take his chance, which might well be his last one.
Baresi doesn't head the ball straight to an oppo striker in tonnes of space.I think this is a bit misleading (although true). Take yesterday's match, put Beckenbauer and Baresi in defense and Borini still scores. On Everton's match it was Fellaini doing a fool of himself that resulted in the pen, maybe in Arsenal's case Jones might have done a bit better but for the most part, they haven't done mistakes and the goals that we conceded would have been goals even if there were other defenders there.
I agree with Bailly being our best CB, but it is not the right time to change our partnership in defense, especially with Bailly leaving for Africa Cup on nations next week or so.
On February-March when Bailly comes, we reevaluate. Until then, if they continue playing this well, they should continue playing, if not, then Smalling should take his chance, which might well be his last one.
So is Romero and Di Maria..Think Rojo is a little underrated here. He is a starter for Argentina after all, and has been for the last 2-3 years
Yup, Baresi never headed a ball clear under pressure that landed to an oppo player in space 20 yards out.. NEVER I tell you. And nor did Vidic, Rio, Nesta, Maldini etc etc etc.Baresi doesn't head the ball straight to an oppo striker in tonnes of space.
Romero is quality, Di Maria I will give you.So is Romero and Di Maria..
I'll give you Romero...Romero is quality, Di Maria I will give you.
So is Romero and Di Maria..
Di Maria is world class when he wants to be.Romero is quality, Di Maria I will give you.
I actually thought Carrick should have done better either to flick the ball again (after Rojo's header) or react faster to it.Borini scored after Rojo's short headed clearance fell right in his path.
True, I still remember Robben's goal that knoced us out of Champions League, it happened bacause carrick was too slow to close Robben downI actually thought Carrick should have done better either to flick the ball again (after Rojo's header) or react faster to it.
Might need to see it again but that's what I thought. I don't want to be seen as a Carrick hater given my recent posts but he does have a habit of not closing/reacting fast enough to 2nd balls