Phil Jones - Jack of All Trades or Master of One?
A derby defeat to Manchester United's ‘noisy neighbours’ is always hard to take. One positive thing did come out of the defeat to Manchester City though near the end if the season for the Champions though. What was that? Phil Jones.
Phil Jones arrived at Manchester United for £16 million from Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 2011. A purchase some thought was for the future. Ferguson begged to differ. Ferguson regarded him as a player for the present. He made 41 appearances for the first team, 29 of them in the Premier League.
By mid-October in his first season at Old Trafford, Jones had already occupied three different positions for the Reds; Right back, central defensive midfielder and centre back. He started off his first season brightly - as would be expected of a man foreseen to be a future England captain. By May he had lost his form and lost his confidence.
Playing three different positions throughout the season was never going to be easy and it took its toll on the Preston born ‘defender’.
Which is his best position? A question with an easy, yet difficult answer...
Right back: This idea can be thrown away, Jones cannot compete with the more attacking, lively, faster right-back that is Rafael da Silva.
So, centre-back or defensive midfielder?
A difficult question, one for me to delve into...
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths:
Brave – Usually the bravest player on the pitch. Will go in for a header if a boots hanging up there if it means keeping a clean-sheet.
Brilliant tackler – One of the best tacklers in the league. Timing most of his tackles to perfection with a success rate of around 85%.
Extremely versatile - Being fast and powerful gives him an edge over the smaller attackers.
Concentration - Doesn't let his head go towards the end of a match. Stays concentrated. That is what separates him from the other young defenders.
Ball interception - Reads the game well and is almost always the first player to a loose ball.
Tall and Powerful - Has that look of a Ferdinand or a Vidic that suggests he is the one in control.
Fitness - His stamina allows him to play anywhere on the field and always track back.
Weaknesses:
Mediocre passer - Compared to other midfielders in the league, Jones' successful pass rate isn't up to standards. His successful pass rate was around 78% in one of his better games (against Real Madrid).
Gets caught out of position - As a player who is frequently playing in different positions, Jones sometimes strays away from where he should be, like a mouse looking for cheese. He has a hunger for the ball, sometimes too much hunger. He drifts towards the ball and out of position, letting some silly mistakes happen, like his own goal against Newcastle.
Occasionally too brave - Injuries are a daunting prospect for the young players of today. Being as brave as Jones is could lead to weeks on the side-lines as it has already proved.
Distribution - When his passes are accurate, his attacking mind set isn't right. Compared with players like Scholes, Carrick or Cleverley, he occasionally he gets scared of committing himself to a pass and plays it back for an experienced defender like Rio Ferdinand to deal with.
Jack of all trades or Master of One?
Taking a look at his weaknesses shows where he is destined to play. Centre Back. He has all the right attributes for that role and has weaknesses that would mean him struggling in a full-time role as a Defensive Midfielder.
However, I do not see him replacing the ever ageing Nemanja Vidic or Rio Ferdinand. I see him taking up a new role that has rarely been filled at the Theatre of Dreams.
For me, he is the defender that will attack out from the back, instead of passing out of the back like a ball-playing defender like Rio Ferdinand. A mixture of the strong, power house that is Yaya Toure and the calm Sergio Busquets. A position he will revel in. His own position.
Thank you for reading.
Written by Harry Robinson - Follow me on Twitter @PrestonPele.
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