He improves his positioning and everything comes together making him a world class CB, it takes a lot of time and experience to do that though. As with all our other young players we need to be patient, Smalling is a better CB without a doubt though.
Phil Jones
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His weakness in the air is a worry. I agree with ArmchairCritic, he's got a fantastic leap on him, so it's not a case of him not being able to win aerial battles because of a physical impediment. For me, his positioning is absolutely abysmal at times, and he gets caught underneath the high ball.
He's lauded for his buccaneering style, but he doesn't half need to sweep up on the basics.
And i'm the one painted as a doom monger. He's 19 years old FFS!!!Agreed.
He was out played by Ba today...
Couldn't win the header from Ameobi... Lost the foul to Ba, then scored an own goal today... Be in saying that he was decent with some nice reading of the game...
But without Vidic, I'm afraid the opposition has found a key to our weakness and it will be even more exploited which might end our season.
Couldn't win the header from Ameobi... Lost the foul to Ba, then scored an own goal today... Be in saying that he was decent with some nice reading of the game...
But without Vidic, I'm afraid the opposition has found a key to our weakness and it will be even more exploited which might end our season.
I wish Evans and Smalling would return so we could stop playing Valencia at bloody right back and Jones in central defense.
Jones is fecking class, he is not a midfielder, he is a CB. Almost all of the errors he has made have been simply naive ones, and with the game tonight, a simple communication based error with a GK who he has probably only played 2 games with as a CB maximum.
The excellence Jones has shown in pure ability, such as his tackling and ball control has been sublime, and IMO far far far outweighs any naive mistake he might have made, none of his mistakes have made me think 'he is not a natural defender'
Oh he is also just 19 years old.
The excellence Jones has shown in pure ability, such as his tackling and ball control has been sublime, and IMO far far far outweighs any naive mistake he might have made, none of his mistakes have made me think 'he is not a natural defender'
Oh he is also just 19 years old.
Word, wr8.
Jones in the few games he has played at centre-back has made as many mistakes as Evans has in his whole career here and lets not forget he was the same age coming into the first team.
Maybe people will start to appreciate Evans a little more now.
Right-back.
Don't know about that, Evans has had a good season, but he was a complete spastic last season. He also made that monumental error in the Derby.
Phil Jones will be a great player for United.
He's only 19, and has been played all over the place.
He's only 19, and has been played all over the place.
Where does this Jones is a CB opinion come from. Struggles to win a header and very naive. A lot of assumptions are being made about his future but none of them are based on actual performances.
Better as a defensive midfielder for me. Too much in the John Terry mold of cool looking last ditch challenges as opposed to relied on awareness and interception.
19
19
They are totally based on his performances. Have you seen the last ditch tackles he makes? Have you noticed the excellent decision making when it comes to tackling? The speed and accuracy of his tackling? The fact that he is a unit?
Every player in the world will make naive mistakes at 19 years old. His natural ability has shined through so much compared to the odd mistakes he makes. His mistakes are clearly naive ones, and not the type of mistake that makes you think he is totally out of position/his comfort zone.
I think he has probably made the same number of mistakes in midfield as he has in defence, but it's noticed a lot more in defence.
Football fans are mental.
This 19 year old lad has been talked up as the new Duncan Edwards and now he can't even play his preferred position. And his first season at the club is barely at the half-way point.
Mental.
He's obviously a work in progress. Patience.
This 19 year old lad has been talked up as the new Duncan Edwards and now he can't even play his preferred position. And his first season at the club is barely at the half-way point.
Mental.
He's obviously a work in progress. Patience.
He needs to stop doing those bull impressions, charging headfirst into players. Didn't really think he had that bad of a game but I'd prefer to see him in another position in the future.
When he scored that own goal, I was told by somebody he was shite
Class centre-backs do not make "naive errors".
Much like De Gea but it doesn't stop 75% of the folk on this site.
Rio wasn't world class at 19.
Mate, at 19 years old, EVERY player will make naive mistakes.
Of course they do. When they're fecking 19.
Get of his back. He is a brilliant talent and we are fortunate to have him. Future United captain for me.
He was alright tonight.
Unfair to pick at any of the defensive players
Unfair to pick at any of the defensive players
At the moment, he does look a better CM than CB. I'm sure he'll become a fine CB over the years though.
Anyone who says anything bad about Jones from here on in is................... GAY!
Go on I dare you!
Go on I dare you!
What?? Rio was known for his lack of concentration and errors early in his career, and even when he first came to us. Eventually his game matured, he cut them out and became the best CB in the world.
Jones is only 19 years old, give him a chance.
Jone's fck are not the real problem at the moment.
Naive ? How many defenders in this world would have shoved Ameobi and won the header for the first goal ? Maybe Vidic but even saying so, Ba did extremely well with the shot it was a superb goal...
For the 2nd goal Ba was going through on goal, Ba had a bit more pace and a headstart... Jones took the yellow but then Cabye just hits the ball so cleanly... It was just a beautiful goal, you don't stop those...
For the third goal, he looked tired... His fault but I mean, these do happen.
For the 2nd goal Ba was going through on goal, Ba had a bit more pace and a headstart... Jones took the yellow but then Cabye just hits the ball so cleanly... It was just a beautiful goal, you don't stop those...
For the third goal, he looked tired... His fault but I mean, these do happen.
Or any other age for that matter.
I think right now he's just better suited to right back where his relative lack of defensive awareness isn't that horribly exposed. He's been far better there than at CB for us.
this
To put something in perspective. I think Jones is not quite 100% fit yet following that injury. May or may not excuse that mistake which a previous poster has highlighted was simply a communication error - but actually it was more than that. The ball had to be cleared in the air.
The abilities you've just described are equally suited to defensive midfield, but in that position his obvious weaknesses with positioning aren't as influential, or the fact that he's pretty short for a centre back. He'd be a great closing down, tackling midfielder, in my opinion.
Midfield also allows him to get forward too, anyone notice in the second half when ge tried to burst forward but lost it? We were open to the counter but managed to win the ball back, in midfield he can break forward without leaving us open.
Christ, his positioning is his problem. Totally to be expected from 19 year-old. Everything else in bang on.
Why is it that some players cannot be discussed without the anti criticism brigade coming out in full force? We just got stuffed 3-0 by Newcastle and it was a horrible performance all round, which Jones happened to be a part of. He is 19 yes, everybody knows that.
i like him in midfield, everybody says he's a proper centerback, but i havent seen anything to suggest he is. i know he is 19 but he's already a fairly accomplished midfielder and i don't see why we shouldn't just hone his skills there.
He wasn't, but he looked every bit like he was going to be world class in his later years there..
Jones is showing signs of being world class in future, but in midfield. I have seen nothing from him at CB to indicate he will be world class there. There's no shame in being a better midfielder than a CB
Can't believe people are sticking the boot into Jones tonight after watching the likes of Rooney, Berbatov, Nani, Park, Carrick, Giggs (yes there were good glimpses), Hernandez, Wellbeck and Anderson play absolutely shite.
The forwards/midfielders were the problem tonight, not the back 5.
The forwards/midfielders were the problem tonight, not the back 5.