Phil Jones in midfield revisited

Brwned said:
I know Everton, Liverpool and Spurs fans who all think he's "a bit average".
Click to expand...

Yup

I am always bemused by the City fans Aguero song that mocks us for only being able to sign players of Jones quality whilst they go after guys like Aguero. I am confident that Jones will prove to be a more important player for United over the course of his career than Aguero will for City.

I would like to see him and Smalling as a centre back pairing in this weekends game against Reading. Jones has played a lot of games recently but he doesn't need to play against QPR in the next Premier League game. I am really keen to see the future England centre back pairing in action again.
 
#Carl said:
Play there more? What use would he be in our midfield in about 95% of matches?
Click to expand...

I wouldnt want him to play in 95% of our matches in midfield at the moment - probably about 20%.

Cina said:
Hence I said we need a player capable of replacing Carrick should he get injured or require a rest!

No point debating here if you're not going to read what I post.
Click to expand...

Jones can replace Carrick if required, as can Anderson - obviously they wont do exactly the same job but you dont always need a like for like replacement. I prefer having players who offer something different to give us flexibility to adapt to various situations.
 
Twigginater said:
I think he's a long term option. He's certainly getting his most important games there. Been fantastic there in numerous games.

I don't see why so many people want to turn a potentially class CM into a CB.
Click to expand...

That's because he isn't a potentially class CM. He'll be decent at best there, there's absolutely no way he'll become a world class midfielder, ever. In defence he had some performances that'd suggest he could become top class and that's exactly where his future lies - he's great defensively.

Of course you could play him in midfield permanently and pretend it's fine but we paid £16m+ for the guy and in midfield we'll never have a £16m worth of midfielder in him - in defence he'll be a £30m+ centre half because he has the potential to be amazing there.
 
Jimy_Hills_Chin said:
Yup

I am always bemused by the City fans Aguero song that mocks us for only being able to sign players of Jones quality whilst they go after guys like Aguero. I am confident that Jones will prove to be a more important player for United over the course of his career than Aguero will for City.

I would like to see him and Smalling as a centre back pairing in this weekends game against Reading. Jones has played a lot of games recently but he doesn't need to play against QPR in the next Premier League game. I am really keen to see the future England centre back pairing in action again.
Click to expand...

Smalling and Jones does sound a great combo but at the moment Evans is comfortably ahead of both.
 
Jimy_Hills_Chin said:
I am confident that Jones will prove to be a more important player for United over the course of his career than Aguero will for City.
Click to expand...

I agree with the sentiment, but this specific part is unlikely.

Aguero is already the most important player City have had in the last 30 years, or will do for the next 30, thanks to that goal.
 
Cina said:
He did a great job as a destroyer but not as a two man midfielder. Don't get me wrong, he played great and did his job well, but Carrick was basically left playing in midfield by himself for most of the game.

I think if we continue to us Jones like that we should be playing a three man midfield.
Click to expand...

Agree
 
Rood said:
Jones can replace Carrick if required, as can Anderson - obviously they wont do exactly the same job but you dont always need a like for like replacement. I prefer having players who offer something different to give us flexibility to adapt to various situations.
Click to expand...

Neither are anything like Carrick and thus not a viable alternative to him.

Imagine how fecked we'd have been this season if Carrick was injured.
 
Rood said:
I wouldnt want him to play in 95% of our matches in midfield at the moment - probably about 20%.



Jones can replace Carrick if required, as can Anderson - obviously they wont do exactly the same job but you dont always need a like for like replacement. I prefer having players who offer something different to give us flexibility to adapt to various situations.
Click to expand...

Where is this book your reading that is telling you these things?
 
can someone post one of those stat things of Jones yesterday?
tackles, passes completed, heat map etc
 
Phil Jones was fantastic yesterday, never gave up, and fought very hard against some of the best attackers in the world. What a young player.
 
He is a massive asset for Ferguson. The options he can provide are crucial over the course of a season. He can gain experience in central defence when required, at full-back he can deputise for injured or out of form players. And as seen in the last few weeks he is able to perform a specific.....completely unselfish role within the side.

He has stated he prefers life as a central defender, and long term I feel he will end up there. There are not many better defenders to learn from than Rio and Vidic. I can't see Jones as a long term fixture in central midfield, he doesn't possess the vision or technical ability to link or dictate play. When space is tight he just can't squeeze out of it, he can squeeze it for others mind as shown in the last few weeks. He is an option....and it is always encouraging to have options.
 
Plechazunga said:
Not the end, he's clearly right

Jones can't pass half as well as Carrick. Anderson has the defensive effectiveness of the Maginot line.
Click to expand...

I am not in the slightest trying to say that either can do the same job as Carrick, I already made that clear in my earlier post.

I also think Carrick is very important to the team, but I also think we can function without him if needs be.
Everton on the weekend, being case in point.
 
At the moment we've got a selection of midfielders that do elements of what we need to do in midfield, we still need someone who can do all or most of them. Jones can do a job in the middle but other than that he doesn't have the poise of a midfielder.
 
Rood said:
I am not in the slightest trying to say that either can do the same job as Carrick, I already made that clear in my earlier post.

I also think Carrick is very important to the team, but I also think we can function without him if needs be.
Everton on the weekend, being case in point.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. We can get through games without Carrick, but a big chunk of the season? I doubt we'd be winning much.
 
Plechazunga said:
Plus he's absolutely brilliant. He may not stay for them for his career, but if he does he'll surely surely continue to have a MASSIVE impact on them.
Click to expand...

I doubt that he will be with them in three years time. I believe that Jones will be an important player for us for the next 12 - 15 years. Aguero has actually been disappointing this season, his loss of goal scoring form has been one of City's main problems this season.

Evans is ahead of Smalling and Jones and rightly so, however, we are playing Reading at home in the FA Cup this weekend, plenty of players will be rested and I am very keen to see Jones in his natural position.
 
ArmchairCritic said:
At the moment we've got a selection of midfielders that do elements of what we need to do in midfield, we still need someone who can do all or most of them. Jones can do a job in the middle but other than that he doesn't have the poise of a midfielder.
Click to expand...

Yeah I think that's an important point. Look at how easily we cut through Real when we actually got the ball down and played a few passes, if we had someone else in the middle with Carrick who had the defensive knowledge as well as an understanding of playing in midfield and a comfort there, we most likely could have done even better.

I think Jones showed and has showed potential there, and undoubtedly was a significant presence defensively but I think he did affect our game on the ball.
 
Plechazunga said:
Good point about Reading

Aguero's not scored as much this season but City have been shite. Every time I've seen them he's still been pretty damn good.
Click to expand...

He always looks good because he has that powerful style and he is hard to get off the ball. My City supporting mates are disappointed with the standard of his finishing this season. For my money, he hasn't been good enough so far.
 
Plechazunga said:
Fair enough. We can get through games without Carrick, but a big chunk of the season? I doubt we'd be winning much.
Click to expand...

No idea to be honest, perhaps Jones would rise to the challenge of playing regularly there - thankfully we have not needed to find out thus far.

But that is one of the reasons I want to see more of him in midfield - to see how quickly his passing, positioning etc can develop.
 
Am I the only one who think he might not be the ideal option for us as centre back? He charged forward too often which will leave big hole in our defense. Its does not suit to our game.
 
Positives of Phil Jones in central midfield;
- His tackling, athleticism, concentration, drive and determination all help protect the defence when we don't have the ball.

Negatives;
- His lack of awareness and technique when in possession in tight spaces is a problem. This also results in him often not being confident enough to show or make an angle for a teammate under pressure with the ball in our own half of the pitch, which hurts our ability as a team to keep possession.
 
Rood said:
I wouldnt want him to play in 95% of our matches in midfield at the moment - probably about 20%.
Click to expand...

But you said you'd like him to play more. In which matches would you like to see him in because we seem to have done better than alright without him (or anyone like him) in midfield against the best teams in the league this season.

He's a handy player to have when a game or situation requires someone with his attributes but that's it.
 
Jones is a defender made to play in centre midfield.

His task yesterday was to basically spoil Madrid's game plan with his rambo-esque style. He's not creative enough to be a midfielder long term.
 
Sultan said:
Jones is a defender made to play in centre midfield.

His task yesterday was to basically spoil Madrid's game plan with his rambo-esque style. He's not creative enough to be a midfielder long term.
Click to expand...

He could become more of a box to box runner than a creative ball player.
 
#Carl said:
But you said you'd like him to play more. In which matches would you like to see him in because we seem to have done better than alright without him (or anyone like him) in midfield against the best teams in the league this season.

He's a handy player to have when a game or situation requires someone with his attributes but that's it.
Click to expand...

I dont care which matches, I just want to see more of him in that position to see how he can adapt to it.
TBF his injuries have limited his availability but I am certain that Fergie would have played him more often in midfield if he had the choice.

An interesting fact to note, at a similar age to Jones, Bryan Robson was shifted around between centre back, full back and centre mid for a couple of years before eventually becoming one of the greatest English midfielders of all time.
 
Rood said:
I dont care which matches, I just want to see more of him in that position to see how he can adapt to it.
TBF his injuries have limited his availability but I am certain that Fergie would have played him more often in midfield if he had the choice.

An interesting fact to note, at a similar age to Jones, Bryan Robson was shifted around between centre back, full back and centre mid for a couple of years before eventually becoming one of the greatest English midfielders of all time.
Click to expand...

The Bryan Robson reference isn't helpful. Phil may have the same drive but they're entirely different types of player. As has been stated repeatedly in here, he really doesn't have the awareness of what's around him to be a long-term option in cenre-midfield. He did a great job on Wednesday night and has often done when we need a defensive back-up there. He'll be an outstanding centre-half.
 
Rood said:
I dont care which matches, I just want to see more of him in that position to see how he can adapt to it.
TBF his injuries have limited his availability but I am certain that Fergie would have played him more often in midfield if he had the choice.

An interesting fact to note, at a similar age to Jones, Bryan Robson was shifted around between centre back, full back and centre mid for a couple of years before eventually becoming one of the greatest English midfielders of all time.
Click to expand...

Robson? Are you kidding me?

Stop digging more holes for yourself.
 
:lol:
I thought it was an interesting fact about Bryan Robson's early career in comparison to Jones - not sure why it gets that reaction, you can take from it whatever you want!
 
The implication with your Robson comment was obvious. That's why it got that reaction.
 
He's a very ordinary midfielder. He's all legs and running and not much else. In games like these where we need someone to do a specific job rather than actually have a good overall game, then he's alright in midfield otherwise not.
 
Rood said:
:lol:
I thought it was an interesting fact about Bryan Robson's early career in comparison to Jones - not sure why it gets that reaction, you can take from it whatever you want!
Click to expand...

Cause Robson was one of the greatest midfielders we and the English game have ever had, and you're comparing a twenty year old defender to him.

It's daft.
 
amolbhatia100 said:
He's a very ordinary midfielder. He's all legs and running and not much else. In games like these where we need someone to do a specific job rather than actually have a good overall game, then he's alright in midfield otherwise not.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say he is an ordinary midfielder in any way? An ordinary midfielder you would expect to rely on his passing/ vision/ reading of the game... Phil doesn't he is a defender who can adapt, however I believe he may not become a half bad box to box like player, kind of in the mould of a Yaya Toure without the deadly shooting, the energy, the work rate and he has some speed to him, his passing is getting better also. In fact a more apt reference on how I see his style in midfield possibly turning into, the same as I thought for Ando before he joined us ...
 
Anybody else think he might be a little short to be a really top class central defender?

He's an inch or three shorter than our other centre backs and I think that could hinder him a little.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.