Of course he had it, it's always been there. He was turning out match winning performances for Brondby and Denmark before he signed for United. He was instrumental in Brondby winning four titles in five years before reaching the UEFA Cup Semis in 1991.
Ferguson bought him to Old Trafford because he was a match-winner, an intimidating presence with superb natural ability who can organise a defense. He was terrific in his first season and didn't look back. That first season climaxed with him virtually winning the Euro's for Denmark, intimidating Van Basten in the semis while saving from a penalty, then producing world-class saves in the final to deny a world-class German strikeforce.
A lot of Schmeichel's aura came admittedly from his imposing physique, but he has always coupled that with a ferocious intensity and this made him the best goalkeeper in the world.
Those characteristics do not consitute "aura" though. You could say these same things about a shitload of good defenders.
An aura is something not defined by what you mention. It is something that is not visible as such....more an atmosphere or vibe that a player generates. Think of Roy Keane, Cantona or Schmeichel, they had an aura on the pitch......they intimidated opponents....often into submission.
Jonny Evans simply does not have this......and never will either. It isn't something you can really "attain."
Pre-injury Vidic certainly had it. A face that looks like it collided with an eighteen-wheeler and came off better than the lorry doesn't hurt in that respect, of course!
I don't think Evans has it. But I also think he's an excellent defender, and that a lot of the great defenders haven't had it either. Ferdinand never did, and he's not a bad target to be aiming for!
Because I'm really really bored and don't want to study
(these are just starts obviously)
[
B] 07/08
Coventry City (CC), Simpson - Evans - Pique - Bardsley (Lost 2-0) Roma (CL), O Shea - Evans - Pique - Simpson (Drew 1-1)
08/09
Queens Park Rangers (CC), O Shea - Evans - Neville - Rafael (Won 1-0)
Blackburn Rovers (CC), O Shea - Evans - Neville - Rafael (Won 5-3)
Derby Country (CC), O Shea - Evans - Neville - Rafael (Won 4-2)
Aston Villa (PL), Evra - O Shea - Evans - Neville (Won 3-2)
09/10
Birmingham City (PL), Evra - O Shea - Evans - Fabio (Won 1-0) Burnley (PL), Evra - Evans - O Shea - Brown (Lost 1-0)
Wolves (CC), Fabio - Brown - Evans - Neville (Won 1-0)
Barnsley (CC), Fabio - Brown - Evans - Neville (Won 2-0)
Blackburn Rovers (PL), Evra - Brown - Evans - O Shea (Won 2-0)
CSKA Moscow (CL), Fabio - Brown - Evans - Neville (Drew 3-3) Chelsea (PL), Evra - Brown - Evans - O Shea (Lost 1-0)
Leeds (FA Cup), Fabio - Brown - Evans - Neville (Lost 1-0)
Birmingham City (PL), Evra - Brown - Evans - Rafael (Drew 1-1) Burnley (PL), Evra - Brown - Evans - Neville (Won 3-0) Man City (CC), Evra - Brown - Evans - Rafael (Lost 2-1) Arsenal (PL), Evra - Brown - Evans - Rafael (Won 3-1)
Portsmouth (PL), Evra - Brown - Evans - Neville (Won 5-0)
Aston Villa (PL), Evra - Brown - Evans - Rafael (Drew 1-1) Everton (PL), Evra - Brown - Evans - Neville (Lost 3-1)
10/11 Wolves (CC), Fabio - Smalling - Evans - Brown (Won 3-2)
Rangers (CL), Fabio - Smalling - Evans - O Shea (Won 1-0) West Ham (CC), Fabio - Smalling - Evans - O Shea (Lost 4-0) Southampton (FA Cup), Fabio - Smalling - Evans - O Shea (Won 2-1) Bolton (PL), Evra - Smalling - Evans - Brown (Won 1-0)
Schalke (CL), O Shea - Smalling - Evans - Rafael (Won 4-1)
11/12 Spurs (PL), Evra - Evans - Jones - Smalling (Won 3-0)
Arsenal (PL), Evra - Evans - Jones - Smalling (Won 8-2)
Benefica (CL), Evra - Smalling - Evans - Fabio (Drew 1-1) Chelsea (PL), Evra - Evans - Jones - Smalling (Won 3-1)
Norwich (PL), Evra - Evans - Jones - Valencia (Won 2-0) Crystal Palace (CC), Fabio - Evans - Smalling - Rafael (Lost 2-1) Fulham (PL), Evra - Evans - Jones - Smalling (Won 5-0)
Wigan (PL), Evra - Carrick - Evans - Valencia (Won 5-0)
Arsenal (PL), Evra - Evans - Jones - Smalling (Won 2-1) Liverpool (FA Cup), Evra - Smalling - Evans - Rafael (Lost 2-1)
Athletic Bilbao (EL), Evra - Smalling - Evans - Rafael (Lost 3-2)
Thanks for throwing that together, interesting stuff.
It adds up to 23W 6D 10L, for 1.9 ppg. 46 conceded in 39 games or 1.18 goals per game.
Not bad at all considering these are games without Rio or Vidic. Those two players would also concede more goals in games without each other, or Evans, to work with. Not many defenders of the same age would have done better without a first choice CB next to them.
I'm hoping you put the back 4 in order with the CBs in the middle, since you went to the trouble to list them with -'s. If so, then Evans played with Neville at CB several times and also without first choice full backs in quite a few games, so leaking a few goals is understandable.
Quite a few of those games were fairly tricky, the entire team looked poor in the 0-2 loss to Coventry in the LC in 07/08, and the team featured a very young and experienced back 4 of Simpson, Evans, Pique and Bardsley.
We conceded 7 goals in the last 3 games in 2008/9 with Evans at the back but won them all. Sharky's back 4 says he partnered Neville at CB in two of them, which certainly wasn't ideal.
in 09/10 the CSKA 3-3 draw was a wild game, I recall the defense certainly could have done better then, though Brown was with Evans at CB and by this time he's more used to playing as a RB. We went through so it didn't cost us, but it wasn't a great performance, to be sure.
n 10/11 a back 4 of Fabio, Smalling, Evans and Brown conceded 2 in a win against Wolves and a back 4 of Fabio, Smalling, Evans and O'Shea conceded 4 in a loss to West Ham in the LC. The later was certainly a disaster, a young and inexperienced Fabio didn't help.
In 11/12 the 2 conceded against Arsenal at OT hardly mattered as we scored 8. The Crystal Palace loss was pretty bad, 1-2 in the LC, and so was the 2-3 loss to Bilbao in the Europa league. To be sure the whole team played poorly in those last two. Overall it was a good year for Evans, I thought he really came on overall and especially with his headers.
To my mind that seems like a pretty reasonable number of tough games for a young CB.
Back four is in order yes - Nev played as CB in the Carling Cup in 08/09 and then a season latr when we went through that horrible injury patch'around December ish
May I ask what website you used to look all that up? I usually use soccernet for such things but getting all that info would have taken a lot of clicks. I'd have to look through every match of ours to get that info there.
The players are arranged by old school shirt number usually, so 2. Right back 3. Left back 5. Centre back 6. Centre back.
That and memory (obviously I don't remember off by heart every game that Jonny Evans played in without Rio or Vidic but I generally remember formations and personnel when prompted a bit).
Like for example that Aston Villa 3-2 game in 08/09, I'm fairly sure G Nev switched from CB to RB about halfway through.
Yeah he did, I think Fergie said post match that he was worried Neville would get raped by the Villa winger (was it Young?). Instead Neville got torn apart by Carew so he and O'Shea switched.
The players are arranged by old school shirt number usually, so 2. Right back 3. Left back 5. Centre back 6. Centre back.
That and memory (obviously I don't remember off by heart every game that Jonny Evans played in without Rio or Vidic but I generally remember formations and personnel when prompted a bit).
Like for example that Aston Villa 3-2 game in 08/09, I'm fairly sure G Nev switched from CB to RB about halfway through.
Two feet, on the spot and didnt get the ball cleanly. Yellow card would have been the best outcome, if Torres managed to stay on his feet he'd have been clear through on goal after that tackle.
He was also lucky not to put the ball in his own net.
Should have dealt with the initial
ball for the second goal, could have scored an own goal, could have got sent off, got hassled off the ball on the edge of our penalty area and even clashed with his fellow centre half when playing against 9 men.
On a positive he did make a good challenge towards the end of the game.
Agreed. A few times some of his tackles just don't look great when watching them. I could easily see if the ball gets flicked away by the striker and he misses it he could be in lots of trouble. Still had a good game for me though, particularly when you look at the amount of pressure we were under for large periods in the game.
Oh you're right, could've sworn he had a yellow and that's why if it was a foul he would've been off, but I guess it would've actually been a straight red.
Once again I discover how good it is to watch the game again after the emotions dry up. He was even better than I initially thought, as was Valencia and Carrick (although still below his usual self against Chelsea).
Just needs to cut those dangerous tackles out a little bit.
It's kinda funny because we complain that we don't have a midfielder who throws in tackles but when we have a tough tackling centre half people want him to cut out that part of his game.
I wish he would improve the timing slightly as he can border on the reckless (don't want him to hurt anyone or get sent off), but I like a defender who lets people know he's there with a cruncher or two every chance they get.
I can't see what's wrong in suggesting he should cut the dangerous and reckless ones out. Ever since his early days it was visible he's good enough to play for us, but that little flaw can harm him - see Rafael up to now.
It's kinda funny because we complain that we don't have a midfielder who throws in tackles but when we have a tough tackling centre half people want him to cut out that part of his game. ......
I can't see what's wrong in suggesting he should cut the dangerous and reckless ones out. Ever since his early days it was visible he's good enough to play for us, but that little flaw can harm him - see Rafael up to now.
I know. I acknowledged that in the part of my post you both removed. I hope he improves his timing, but I have problem with him putting in the odd heavy one in the right areas.
Oh you're right, could've sworn he had a yellow and that's why if it was a foul he would've been off, but I guess it would've actually been a straight red.
I don't think it really matters to much where the tackles happen, there is always the potential to get a red card as a result. We have seen plenty of midfielders/attackers sent of for dangerous/tough tackles in their own attacking half this season already (ie liverpool game)
I agree. Not much protection from midfield, so we had to do a lot of last-ditch defending on the edge of our box, and I felt Rio and Evans did well and also didn't give too many free-kicks away (I may be corrected on that, but it felt that way to me).
Apparently in 6 league games he hasn't conceded a foul. Found this on Sky sports site in the Martin Tyler stat bit. He does go on to mention the non-call on Suarez, Torres and apparently the possible foul on jonjo
