Phil Jones - approaching the crossroads of his career?

A lot has been said about Phil Jones. He has gone from the top of the world, to down in the dumps. The Englishman made his big break, at 17, against the formidable Didier Drogba. At that stage, Drogba was at the height of his powers yet Jones didn’t look at all fussed. Not many centre backs in world football can say this, but Jones bullied the Ivorian and was duly proclaimed the new John Terry.

It wasn’t for his conquests with his best friend’s ex, or trouble with alleged racism, it was for his steel and maturity beyond his tender years. This talent did not go unnoticed, but it wasn’t just Jones’ talent that caught a certain Scottish manager’s eyes. It was Jones’ drive and will to succeed that led Sir Alex Ferguson to stump up £16.5m on the teenager. That moment was Jones berating his Blackburn teammates during their 7-1 drubbing at OT. Sir Alex saw a winner, and it could have been set in stone that he would be a Manchester United player. So where has his career gone since his big break?

Jones was always destined for greater things, and everyone, including Blackburn, knew that Ewood Park wasn’t the place to achieve those dreams. With the English elite after his signature, it seemed as though Liverpool were in pole position to snap him up only for Manchester United to swoop in and get their man. 

Before Jones could link up with United, he had the small matter of the U21 European championships to look forward to and he did not disappoint, unlike another high profile youngster (Jordan Henderson). Alongside Chris Smalling, Jones forged a great partnership. The tournament didn’t end on a good note as England was knocked out in the semi-finals, but the pundits were in awe of United’s two centre backs. So with Jones’ great performances, the excitement grew over his competitive debut.

Jones made his much anticipated first appearance against Tottenham and showed glimpses of his talent and drive. One moment in particular stands out for me, and that was when Jones tracked back against the lightening quick Gareth Bale to make an important block. It wasn’t just his speed of recovery, but his insatiable need to get back and make that block. It was almost superhuman!

A string of impressive performances led some to compare Jones with the legendary Duncan Edwards. Very high praise indeed, as from what we hear about Duncan Edwards, we can assume that he was a once in a generation type of player. Jones could not have had a better first half to a season, even if he tried a million times. So where did it all go wrong?

The second half of the season brought a loss of form and a few injuries for the youngster, and that culminated in Jones being used as more of a utility man rather than a specialist centre back.

Jones’ loss of form was alarming and brought people to question if he was even good enough for Manchester United. It was strange as these were the same people who claimed Jones would rise right to the top.

It wasn’t the bad form that cost Jones, but his faults. His great moments covered the little errors that became more frequent during the end of December to May. So what are his problems?

What I noticed at first glance was Jones’ tendency to be caught under the ball. At centre back and full back, this is unacceptable but not a train smash. This is just a simple case of judgement that will come in time. Jones is also caught out of position too often as was found during the 3-2 loss to Blackburn at OT or when playing at fullback. He tends to want to push forward all the time. This can be put down to youthful exuberance which will work its way out once Jones matures. For a player of his class, Jones seems to get the simple passes wrong, which can lead to dangerous situations at the back.

All of the aforementioned points can be worked on, and if Jones can rid himself of these errors, he will be back to his best. I don’t believe that Jones will fade away at United; I believe that he will be part of a new generation of Manchester United greats. For me, it is not an “if”, but a “when”.

Jones has everything required to make it. He has great pace, a great engine, he is a physical beast and his reading of the game seems to be exemplary. We have seen how his reading of the game can create chances. A few of his trademark lung bursting runs have come on the back of great reading of space and movement into that space so he can receive the ball from his teammate .

Nothing is certain, as injuries can rear its ugly head, but with the attributes that Jones possesses, there is no reason why he cannot succeed. We will hopefully see Jones in full flight during the 12/13 season, possibly as a midfield general.

If you want to read more on Phil Jones, have a read of this post by Tom Pattison

Check out Phil Jones' season highlights below:

Written by RedNat91

Follow @RedNat91

Click on the button above to follow me on Twitter and/or recommend this post on Facebook.

If you would like to leave a comment on this article, please do so below. 

United at Euro 2012 - a progress report

A lot was made of the inclusion and the exclusion of certain Manchester United players. Fans were up in arms over the exclusion of certain form players such as Rio Ferdinand and Michael Carrick. So instead of focusing on those left behind, let’s take a look at those who have been flying the Manchester United flag and making progress at Euro 2012.

Well, the list is a short one. Anders Lindegaard, Patrice Evra, Luis Nani, Phil Jones, Ashley Young, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck all made it onto the plane to Poland & Ukraine.

Anders Lindegaard was so anonymous, that one could forget that he was actually at the euros. The Denmark keeper was merely a spectator like the rest of us. Seems like he could have to get used to it with De Gea seemingly being United’s number one.

So let’s have a look at United’s stand in captain. Evra started off the campaign quite well. His game against England included something that United fans had not seen in a while; an Evra who managed to mix his attacking duties with his defensive duties, yet never be caught out, albeit that England hardly ever threatened to overrun France. Evra was subsequently dropped for the next 2 games against Ukraine and Sweden. There was no clear explanation to this, but with France coming up against Spain, and Gael Clichy (Evra’s replacement) being prone to the odd aberration, we may see Evra flying down the wing in the quarter final.

Speaking about flying down the wing, United’s very own Luis Nani has hit the ground running. With sparkling performances against the Dutch and Danes, he has caught the eye a bit more than most. Even against a solid German defence, he provided moments of danger that others didn’t seem to create. The Portuguese wing wizard has shown something that he has lacked over the years, and that is a final product. Nani has used his box of tricks along with low crosses into the box, and pinpoint passes that have opened up defences, one of his most glamorous moments being a brilliant through ball to Cristiano Ronaldo, to secure a spot in the quarter finals. Last night's performance against the Czechs was a mixed bag to be honest but he is a key player for Portugal and will have a big say in whether they make the final or not. For me, he is one of the players to watch in this tournament.

From one to watch, to one who is watching the games go by, young Phil Jones has not placed a foot onto the field of play. Seen as a “use in case of emergency” player, it seems as though Jones may not set foot on the field of play, unless it’s an England training match. The tournament will however, be a great experience for him and he should come back to United refreshed after a mixed first season at United.

Another United youngster who was expected to warm the bench was Danny Welbeck. Many saw Andy Carroll as the first choice striker, but the lanky youngster from Longsight has made the position his own. Welbeck hasn’t set the tournament alight thus far but it’s his tireless work rate and willingness to run the channels that have helped England get to where they are. Welbeck hasn’t had much to work with, especially against France, but when most needed, he came to the fore, which was seen in the Sweden game; a great run and cross by Walcott allowed Danny to cheekily back heel England’s third and final goal into the net. This was a goal that played its part in allowing England to face up against Italy, rather than the all-conquering Spanish team. Danny didn’t do as well against Ukraine, but his almost telepathic relationship with Wayne Rooney, speed and tireless work rate should see him keep his place and possibly see the goals flow for the young striker.

Wayne Rooney has barely started his euro campaign. Similar to that of Andrei Arshavin, in euro 2008, he was suspended for the first 2 games. Rooney may not have had the same electric effect as the little Russian, but he did find the back of the net against Ukraine. Some say he looked rusty, but with Rooney on the field, England had someone who could do anything at any time. One moment in particular was his calmness to beat 2 men, and then spray the ball out wide to give impetus to an attack. It was simple but effective. If Rooney can shake off the rust and play at half the level he started the season off at, England could find their attack going from toothless to razor sharp and ready to take a bite into Italy’s defence.

One man who was meant to provide some of that bite was Ashley Young. He had been one of England’s best players in the build-up to the euros, providing assists and scoring goals. Things have not worked out so well for the former Aston Villa man. Against France, he didn’t get much of the ball, but created one of England’s most dangerous attacks only for James Milner to round the keeper, and with the goal at his mercy, miss completely. Young was just as quiet during the Sweden game, but in those 2 group games, Young showed his willingness to track back and help out his defence. A pinpoint cross from Young, against Ukraine, should have culminated in a Rooney goal, only for the striker to head the ball wide from 6 yards out. Young has threatened to show his best form, but has found his way blocked by England’s lack of possession, or defensive tactics. With an injury scare, it seems as though Young may have played his last game in the tournament, unless England can get past the Italians.

The United contingent has had an impact on the euros, and long may it continue. Hopefully, one of them will return to Carrington as a European championship winner.

By Natanael Pillay (Follow me on Twitter)

Click on the button below to follow me on Twitter and/or recommend this post on Facebook.

If you would like to leave a comment on this article, please do so below.

Follow @RedNat91


Follow @writtenoff_mufc