Phil Jones

When he played against us, I just thought this was a lad who was having a game of his life but it appears it might have been just the norm.
 
He looks excellent doesn't he.... comes across very well in his interviews too, down to earth and quite mature for a 19 year old. He also seems very vocal on the pitch.

Going to be a top top player, great buy.
 
Genius buy even - amazes me now that we seemed to swoop unchallenged for him. Can't understand why Arsenal, Liverpool and even City and Chelsea didn't compete more for him.

Also amazes me how comfortable he looked given that it was his OT debut - I was sure Rio's position as 1st choice starter when fit wouldn't come under pressure this season but I'd say he's got to be slightly concerned about it, given the excellence of Smalling and Evra too...
 
I think they tried to be fair but it strikes me that he only wanted to come to Utd.

Fergie said we made enquiries last Nov but it was clear he was going nowhere in Jan, wouldn't surprise me if a deal was agreed in principal back then.

He did brilliantly last night and so far when called upon, I guess the big test would be to see how he gets on against a really top striker, see if any inexperience shows....
 
Genius buy even - amazes me now that we seemed to swoop unchallenged for him. Can't understand why Arsenal, Liverpool and even City and Chelsea didn't compete more for him.

Also amazes me how comfortable he looked given that it was his OT debut - I was sure Rio's position as 1st choice starter when fit wouldn't come under pressure this season but I'd say he's got to be slightly concerned about it, given the excellence of Smalling and Evra too...

Arsenal offered him more wages than us whilst Liverpool offered Blackburn a higher bid in order to get him signed. We hardly swooped him unchallenged.
 
Nobody has the gif of him tackling Bale ?

:(

jones8kg9.gif


Credit to Olly
 
In fact this is probably the least 'unchallenged' signing we've made in years. Most sources suggest four clubs matched the release clause. Obviously that includes us, Liverpool and Arsenal and the other is either Spurs or Man City (possibly both). Can't think of a player with so many simultaneous bids, to be honest.

All that interest makes it even sweeter that it's us who got him. He's probably the best English talent to come on the market since Rooney, and I have the same keen anticipation I had when he signed.
 
I can't wait for the Arse game to give these lads a run out against a top 4 team in the League. It'll be a challange that I'm sure Jones et al will relish. I can't really see Arsenals forwards giving us too much trouble given how the boys are playing. Every game seems to be making us stronger at the back. We've conceded 4 goals this season in three games but to be honest 3 of them were individual mistakes. This is turning into a beast of a defense.
 
That is almost as sex as the Heinze sliding tackle gif
Hope he doesnt do a Heinze
 
Redknapp admitted that Spurs were interested in him.

If Spurs are the 4th club then I'm surprised City weren't in for him and offering silly money for his wages. While he might not play every game for United he'd go straight into Liverpool, Arsenal or City's team and improve them imo. He's much better than Lescott.
 
Disagreed. On both sentences. Jones is damn well built for his age. Not the tallest, but by no way is he thin.

Plus Vidic doesnt look uncomfortable on the ball at all. He did a few years ago, not now anymore.

He has always been good on the ball. Technically speaking he can play it well with both feet, short/long.

At United though, it took him some time to be confident enough to carry the ball forward a lot.

Jones is already physically adept for the Premier League.
 
Great defending that. I think a lot of people would have tried to get closer but he defended the space well and the impression of Eboue afterwards was better then the great man himself.
 
read an interview that Fegie gave a few days back about Jones, he sais when United played Blackburn at OT when we beat them 7-1 and Berba got 5, Fergie said it was the 88th minute and Jones was still shouting at his team to keep battling on, he said it was that moment he decided to go in for him.
 
read an interview that Fegie gave a few days back about Jones, he sais when United played Blackburn at OT when we beat them 7-1 and Berba got 5, Fergie said it was the 88th minute and Jones was still shouting at his team to keep battling on, he said it was that moment he decided to go in for him.

Phil Jones could hardly have realised at the time, but he emulated Roy Keane and Eric Cantona by attempting to inject some life into his shell-shocked Blackburn Rovers team-mates as they spiralled towards a 7-1 defeat at Manchester United in November.

Many 18 year-olds would have been broken by such an emphatic defeat, but Jones’s reaction, his cajoling and encouragement of team-mates as a red tide engulfed them, did not go unnoticed by Sir Alex Ferguson and earned him his summer move to Old Trafford.

“When Blackburn lost the fifth goal, he was out giving them [team-mates] all stick,” Ferguson said. “He was just one of those players you couldn’t miss when one comes along in the game. We made enquiries in November and were hoping to get him in January but we were prepared to wait. He is an absolutely fantastic young player.”

Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur: Phil Jones recalls great Old Trafford leaders with powerful display - Telegraph
 
read an interview that Fegie gave a few days back about Jones, he sais when United played Blackburn at OT when we beat them 7-1 and Berba got 5, Fergie said it was the 88th minute and Jones was still shouting at his team to keep battling on, he said it was that moment he decided to go in for him.

Interesting, he was vocal last night too.
 
Interesting, he was vocal last night too.

Evans was the most vocal. Was properly bossing the defence.
Saw him loads of time telling / pointing at Jones on what man to pick up while we were in possession further up the pitch and when they were attacking you'd see him constantly pointing telling Jones which run to track.

Quality performance from both CB's last night.
 
Probably the most underwhelmed I'd been by a signing in several years (given fee and all that of course) but already completely changed my mind. What a player!
 
It will be interesting to see who gets selected along side Rio once he comes back. And then what will be the options when Vidic comes back?
 
Probably the most underwhelmed I'd been by a signing in several years (given fee and all that of course) but already completely changed my mind. What a player!

I wasn't underwhelmed but, did ask why we needed another defender when our more pressing need looked to be CM. Fergie does know best (Captain Obvious will be here all week).

I hope he doesn't become future England captain - media will be looking to build him and then tear him down.