Chris Smalling and Phil Jones have been at Manchester United for eight and seven years respectively. However, there is not a single performance that could be pointed at and said that was a defining moment of their Old Trafford careers.
Smalling’s journey to the top has been praiseworthy, to say the least. Starting his career at non-league Maidstone United, he was snapped up by Fulham in 2008 for a few thousand pounds. He eventually joined Manchester United for around £8 million in 2010. Phil Jones, on the other hand, joined United in 2011 after a season in the Premier League, suffering relegation with Blackburn.
Chris Smalling and Phil Jones are Unfit to Wear Manchester United Colours
Phil Jones (2011-present)
Sir Alex Ferguson once described Phil Jones as having “the potential to be the greatest player in United’s history.” Sir Alex made a few debatable judgement calls during his time and this has to be up there with the biggest of them. Jones is yet to show what prompted Sir Alex to make such a bold claim.
Jones’ United career started well enough, coming on as a half-time substitute alongside Tom Cleverley in the 2012 Community Shield. He helped United come from 2-0 down to Manchester City and win the game 3-2. It could even be argued that his first ever match for the club (45 minutes, technically) is still his best ever match for the club.
At best, Jones is a ball-playing defender confident enough to make occasional forward runs into the opposition half. At worst, he possesses questionable positioning, technique, ball control, natural talent and zero consistency. When on the pitch, Jones has always been a disaster waiting to happen. Furthermore, though injuries are uncontrollable, a club needs its defenders to be consistent and ever-present. Jones has averaged 23 Premier League games a season for United since his arrival in 2011, meaning he has missed 15 games on average as a centre-back each season.
It is his sporadic 7/10 performances that keeps United fans and his managers in a false lull. They usually precede the now inevitable Phil Jones masterclasses which result in United making a mockery out of their traditionally intimidating and imposing defence.
Chris Smalling (2010-present)
When Chris Smalling arrived at Old Trafford in 2010, he was hailed as the successor to Rio Ferdinand. If anything, Smalling has turned out a lot more like Rio’s brother Anton than Rio himself.
While his first three years at the club were trophy-laden under Sir Alex, Smalling regressed exponentially in the post-Ferguson years. Many called him a future United and England captain but he has failed to show the leadership qualities seen in him by so many of United’s previous regime. Smalling has looked like a fish out of water in many games since then.
It was a testament to England’s mediocrity four years ago that, despite their dismal seasons for United, both Smalling and Jones were taken to the World Cup in Brazil.
“We were told two or three years ago Jones was going to be the new Duncan Edwards. I’ve watched United live nine, ten times this year and they (Jones and Smalling) have been none of those things. If anything, I think they have gone backwards,” said United legend, Roy Keane in May 2014.
He added: “Jones needs to toughen up. Every time I see him, he is getting carried off. He’s got to toughen up – he’s playing for Man United.”
A lot like Jones, Smalling tends to rest on one decent performance in ten games for United. In November 2014, he received two yellow cards in the space of eight minutes to cost United the derby against City. Afterwards, he embarked on a terrific run of form, earning praise from all corners. However, since then, he has never been able to produce a consistent level of defending. Smalling’s performances at times have garnered shock among United and neutral fans alike at how he has managed to stay the club for all these years.
Verdict
Smalling and Jones were meant to be the future centre-back pairing for both club and country when they linked up at United during the latter stages of the Ferguson era. But despite regular call-ups to the national team, both have left a lot to be desired. As recently as February 2018, the duo incurred the wrath of former United defender, Phil Neville. Neville berated them for a nervous showing at Newcastle in a 1-0 defeat.
United boasted the best defensive record in the Premier League at the time. But Neville said he believed that is not down to the two England defenders.
“They have got the best defensive record because they have the best goalkeeper in the world in David de Gea and (Nemanja) Matic out in front who protects them really well,” he said.
“But the last two away games (against Tottenham and Newcastle), Smalling and Jones have been a disaster.
“Against Dele Alli and Harry Kane, they got bullied. Against Newcastle did they make many mistakes, no, but they created a nervousness and a tension,” Neville added.
Chris Smalling and Phil Jones do not look like two players with a combined 15 years of Premier League experience. How they have managed 58 England caps between them still remains a mystery.
It is mind-boggling that Smalling, in two years, and Jones, in three, will soon be eligible for Manchester United testimonials. Only Sir Alex Ferguson could have won trophies with players such as these in his team.
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