The Manchester United Thread X

Between Evans, Smalling + Jones i don't think we have players good enough to be a concrete pairing for many years ala Vidic + Rio. Hence why i'd love to buy a starter like Hummels.

Evans has been our best CB this season but he hasm't been as good as he was the second half of last and has been, frankly, weak in the air. He makes himself look better because he is probably the best of our CBs on the ball atm.

Smalling is still my favourite in terms of potential defensive talent and is the only one of the three i can see reaching world class. In two years when Smalling is 25 (like Evans is now) if we compared the ability and Smalling had had a decent amount of games, i have no doubt he'll be better.

Jones still confuses me as to what he is and i still see him as an expensive turn-into-O'Shea player. Good at RB atm but we have better. Good at CB but we have better. Things can change though.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 447

Louis.

Generally agree about the CBs. Evans will be excellent with a world class CB alongside him, but he has fairly fundamental weaknesses that mean he can be exposed too easily. A world class CB can be sluggish as long as he's dominant in the air, Evans isn't and that's holding him back, even if the mental side of his game is top class. He's a bit like Rio 5 years ago but without the pace. You get the sense that the standard of our defending doesn't really depend on Evans, he'll be excellent in a good defence and poor in a weak one, instead of setting the tone for the quality of defending like the best CBs do. Still a very good player of course, I imagine him and Vidic will be a fairly regular partnership for the next couple of years.

Smalling certainly has loads of talent but he's got too many mistakes in him and that's stopping him being a first team regular. Assuming they get ironed out with experience he'll be an excellent player though, when he gets towards his late-twenties there's nothing to stop him being world class and talked about in the same breath as the best in Europe. Incredible pace, solid in the air and seems to understand the game like a man 5 years older. Can get outmuscled when isolated and is still a bit rash but hopefully that'll sort itself out as he ages.

Jones is quite a bit further back in terms of his development so we'll have to wait and see, needs time at CB but it's difficult to give him that. Looks like he'd have been best staying at Blackburn for a couple of seasons but that wasn't really an option with other clubs snooping around. The adventure that made him so exciting in his first few months at us has been largely coached out of him, and while he has still shown glimpses of talent they've been predominantly from full back. Thing with him is that he should be looking (even more than Smalling) to develop into a physically dominating CB, you can see that much just from his build, he'll be a tank in a few years. Hopefully the fitness issues are a result of gradually growing into his body. But at the moment he's still a 20 year old kid, and when you think of the top class imposing CBs across Europe today they were nowhere at 20, certainly not playing regularly at CB for a side competing for the title in a top league year in year out. We shouldn't expect Jones to be any different, but give him time and handle his development well and like Smalling he's got the potential to be up there with the very best, even if he's further away at the moment.

Reply 448

cost

5

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2259404/Danny-Welbeck-wanted-Reading-loan.html...i hope this is bs

Reply 449

SirMasterKey

Original post by cost

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2259404/Danny-Welbeck-wanted-Reading-loan.html...i hope this is bs

Why? Could be good for the lad really. I've still not been overly impressed by Welbeck this season.

However he is getting some game time for us so I imagine we'll keep him around rather than sending him off.

Reply 450

OFFICIAL: Davide Petrucci and Scott Wootton have joined Peterborough on loan.

Reply 451

samiz20891

Original post by Tommyjw

OFFICIAL: Davide Petrucci and Scott Wootton have joined Peterborough on loan.

I think this will be a great move, hopefully .Darren Ferguson will give them plenty of time. There are quite a few players on loan in the championship now with a few at Peterborough now and Leicester.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 452

doobucks

Original post by Louis.

But at the moment he's still a 20 year old kid, and when you think of the top class imposing CBs across Europe today they were nowhere at 20, certainly not playing regularly at CB for a side competing for the title in a top league year in year out. We shouldn't expect Jones to be any different, but give him time and handle his development well and like Smalling he's got the potential to be up there with the very best, even if he's further away at the moment.

Yeah, realised this. Most defenders who are top/world class are around 25-30 years old. E.g. look at fifa, name me 5 CB's under 23 who are at least 80 on the game? You could easily do that for strikers though. Defenders just take longer to develop and he has time on his side.

I don't think he should be loaned. But maybe keeping him as the second choice right back for now and converting him into a CB over time might work e.g. sergio ramos, jamie carragher. That's probably fergies plan. I haven't seen much of him since february, but he was a pretty explosive player from what I remember, but just didn't have good crossing ability as a right back.

Reply 453

Louis.

Original post by jam277

Yeah, realised this. Most defenders who are top/world class are around 25-30 years old. E.g. look at fifa, name me 5 CB's under 23 who are at least 80 on the game? You could easily do that for strikers though. Defenders just take longer to develop and he has time on his side.

I don't think he should be loaned. But maybe keeping him as the second choice right back for now and converting him into a CB over time might work e.g. sergio ramos, jamie carragher. That's probably fergies plan. I haven't seen much of him since february, but he was a pretty explosive player from what I remember, but just didn't have good crossing ability as a right back.

It's why City should be excited about Nastasic, doesn't seem to get mentioned much but the guy is 19, and playing a decent amount for them.

I think that's the plan. Offers a physical alternative to Rafael for now but as Rio slowly gets phased out he'll get increased time at CB. As a RB he's pretty sound defensively, but as with most CBs playing there I imagine he'd struggle against an agile winger, Jones has great pace but takes a while to get there, his first few steps are often sluggish. And yeah his crossing is poor but that's no surprise.

Reply 454

doobucks

Original post by Louis.

It's why City should be excited about Nastasic, doesn't seem to get mentioned much but the guy is 19, and playing a decent amount for them.

I think that's the plan. Offers a physical alternative to Rafael for now but as Rio slowly gets phased out he'll get increased time at CB. As a RB he's pretty sound defensively, but as with most CBs playing there I imagine he'd struggle against an agile winger, Jones has great pace but takes a while to get there, his first few steps are often sluggish. And yeah his crossing is poor but that's no surprise.

Yeah, no one actually looks at nastasic too much. He's been good for city this season and considering his age and his progress I won't be surprised if he becomes one of the best in his position. Weird that savic is doing well at fiorentina too who was part of the transfer. :lol:

Can't believe Nastasic is only 4 months older than me.

Another good thing about using jones there is that he's better aerially, so against the likes of stoke, west ham, everton who have big lads up top and play direct football he can be used to counter their threat. Reckon that's why smalling was used at right back over rafael against west ham in the 2-2 draw. I remember fergie saying this against marseille when he used o shea over rafael because of height and marseille being a physical side.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 455

Bebe scored in his first game for Rio Ave F.C

Reply 456