This "Jones’ best position" business

[leeslover]

I’ve not seen him enough to know what it might be – I can’t help wondering if he’s one of the many people who end up playing wide purely because he’s got a left foot, when if he was right footed he’s be through the middle – but – when did you ever hear of a young attack minded wide player who wants to be full back when his manager wants to play him on the wing? Most overlapping full backs are converted wingers who have probably kicked and screamed over years that they shouldn’t be stuck back in defence. Fair enough old school full backs who rarely cross the line, their position can be more obvious, but I don’t get it with Jones. He clearly wants to be playing down the other end of the pitch, so why not start from round about there and not leave a gaping hole all the time? Especially if he isn’t all that great at things like, erm, defending at full back.

[dfOAFC]

I’ve not seen him enough to know what it might be – I can’t help wondering if he’s one of the many people who end up playing wide purely because he’s got a left foot, when if he was right footed he’s be through the middle – but – when did you ever hear of a young attack minded wide player who wants to be full back when his manager wants to play him on the wing? Most overlapping full backs are converted wingers who have probably kicked and screamed over years that they shouldn’t be stuck back in defence. Fair enough old school full backs who rarely cross the line, their position can be more obvious, but I don’t get it with Jones. He clearly wants to be playing down the other end of the pitch, so why not start from round about there and not leave a gaping hole all the time? Especially if he isn’t all that great at things like, erm, defending at full back.

 

i've only seen him against Hereford and Leicester but, strangely, for me he seems to be better going forward from left back than he does from left wing (???)

 

he's undoubtedly a more gifted layer than Lomax but the best players don't necessarily make the best team. as unsteady as he can look, we don't seem to lose many with Lomax there.

 

so his best position for me is on the bench. he'd certainly make an impact if needed. but there may be an agreement with Wolves that he starts every game.

[jsslatic]

He's looked alright at the back for me...I like the option of him and Tayls overlapping eachother and against Hereford and Leicester they seemed to be playing well together and forming a good partnership. Wasn't at Bristol, but at Swindon nobody played well, although I wouldn't say Jones was 'done' at all, he was OKish...we struggled a lot more at RB where Eards was getting done by McNamee way too often.

 

The idea of moving Jones to LW is just people pressing the panic button and claiming the whole team needs to be revamped. A load of rubbish. Maher in for the uncharacteristically off colour Allott to stop us getting overrun in the middle, Lomax back in at RB and Lewi back alongside Hughes and we'll be fine in my book. Jones has done nothing wrong and an attacking full back is what we've been crying out for since Berty left in January.

[RoytonBlueLad]

He does look better attacking from deep as a full back.

 

Just needs to remember to go back there when the oppo have the ball

 

Sure he will have heard whoever it was on Saturday during the game shouting with a booming voice "JONES, YOU'RE A LEFT BACK and "OY JONES! LEFT BACK!".

[oafckev]

I see Jones as a Left winger rather than a Left back. Too many times on Saturday he was out of position yet he insists he's a left back? Taylor was back more times than him and watching back the highlights versus Leicester he'd lost his man quite a few times then. He's got quality written all over him but It's only good to have an attacking player if he's got the stamina to get back to his original position.

[Hometownclub]

He looks to me way better going forward than he does at the back, defensively he seems to regularly get caught out of position and he allows crosses to come over far to easily from his side, he's also a big lad but doesn't seem to win much in the air either.

 

For those reasons I'd have him further forward on the left side and Taylor over on the right with Lomax behind Jones at LB (doing some proper defending) and allowing Jones to get forward and wide as necessary.

[leeslover]

I haven’t seen him at left wing but I can well believe that he attacks better from deep, but it would be piss poor if he couldn’t do something with the defence all over Taylor, and also with Davies hugging that touchline as he was vs Hereford. It’s just at what cost... I suppose if it were fantasy football you might want him on the left of a back or midfield 5. That’s looked our best “on paper” option quite a few times in recent years but it could well turn out tubbish if we were to give it a go for real.

[BigfinLatic]

I’ve not seen him enough to know what it might be – I can’t help wondering if he’s one of the many people who end up playing wide purely because he’s got a left foot, when if he was right footed he’s be through the middle – but – when did you ever hear of a young attack minded wide player who wants to be full back when his manager wants to play him on the wing? Most overlapping full backs are converted wingers who have probably kicked and screamed over years that they shouldn’t be stuck back in defence. Fair enough old school full backs who rarely cross the line, their position can be more obvious, but I don’t get it with Jones. He clearly wants to be playing down the other end of the pitch, so why not start from round about there and not leave a gaping hole all the time? Especially if he isn’t all that great at things like, erm, defending at full back.

 

I think the reason he wants to play there is he wants the ball... he doesnt strike me as the type of player who would be contented getting his boots white and waiting for the ball which many wingers have to do - especially at a decent level...

 

I'd imagine McCarthy has been spending lots of time with the lad trying to get him to be patient, and bide his time for his opportunities when you get the ball as a wide player - however, you get far more of the ball at full-back, i'd imagine he is a confident lad who think he can win the game from there - which, against hereford he did... however in subsequent games he has been caught out.

 

I think there is a place in the side for him, with both him and taylor on the wings - shez can even shove him on the right as I know he likes that appoach... he looks like a great attacking prospect... but as defender against against even a decent league 1 side he looks pretty shaky...

[BP1960]

I've only seen him against Hereford and Leicester but, strangely, for me he seems to be better going forward from left back than he does from left wing (???)

 

You have hit the nail on the head there.

 

Jones likes to run with the ball, playing at full back he has more yardage to do this than on the wing.

Problem, his defending is poor and he waits for the ball to come to his feet on the wing from a standing start -which makes him less effective there.

Answer, play him as an attacking midfielder with instructions to run directly at central defenders, similar to the Whitaker role.

IMO Jones is more powerful than Whitaker and would take some stopping in full stride.

I saw such a switch made with Ken Knighton many years ago - and it was a revelation.

Edited October 27, 2008 by BP1960

[boundaryblue80]

The idea of moving Jones to LW is just people pressing the panic button and claiming the whole team needs to be revamped. A load of rubbish.

Nope, sorry, decent post but can't agree with that line one bit. Seen all his games so far. Seen how far off he defends from players (pointed this out from day one until now.) Seen how badly he takes up positions at set-pieces...how few headers he's gone in for and won especially in back post areas. Also seen his attacking ability which is close to outstanding...apart from when he severely overhits the odd cross that is akin to some of the shots Jermaine Johnson used to take. All adds up to one thing...he is a LW.

 

The lad has had 4 games for me to view him...nothing panicky at all that in my view, Lomax has done well at LB and was part of the team that started firing us to the top of the league, whereas Jones doesn't look anything like a LB to me. And isn't part of needing the whole team revamped IMO...just him putting on the bench, or using at LW and Taylor on the RW with Kelvin back where he was...when we were defending properly during August and September.

Edited October 27, 2008 by boundaryblue80

[jsslatic]

Nope, sorry, decent post but can't agree with that line one bit. Seen all his games so far. Seen how far off he defends from players (pointed this out from day one until now.) Seen how badly he takes up positions at set-pieces...how few headers he's gone in for and won especially in back post areas. Also seen his attacking ability which is close to outstanding...apart from when he severely overhits the odd cross that is akin to some of the shots Jermaine Johnson used to take. All adds up to one thing...he is a LW.

 

The lad has had 4 games for me to view him...nothing panicky at all that in my view, Lomax has done well at LB and was part of the team that started firing us to the top of the league, whereas Jones doesn't look anything like a LB to me. And isn't part of needing the whole team revamped IMO...just him putting on the bench, or using at LW and Taylor on the RW with Kelvin back where he was...when we were defending properly during August and September.

 

I'm not saying Jones is a superb defender. The crux of my point was that I like the option of Tayls and Jones overlapping, and it seemed they've formed a pretty good partnership. To me, the benefits we get from having a genuine overlapping and attacking left back who perhaps isn't the best defensively, outweigh having a more solid LB who doesn't go past the half way line. Some/many would disagree and argue that a defender's job is defending, and that's fair enough...it's a perfectly valid and sensible argument! I just prefer watching us going forward and scoring goals, I guess it's an adaptation of the 'if they score 3, we'll score 4' manner. It's risky but it's what I personally like to see...and it's not like Jones is incapable of defending...

 

I think Jones being moved would be a bit of a panic move...rather needless to me...to me the main problems are the fact we're getting overrun down the middle and Lewi's rivals haven't proven themselves of being worthy of displacing him. Throw into the mixer the fact that however good Eards is, Kelvin's playing well/better and deserves his place at RB, and they're my three changes for tomorrow night.

Edited October 27, 2008 by jsslatic

[boundaryblue80]

I'm not saying Jones is a superb defender. The crux of my point was that I like the option of Tayls and Jones overlapping, and it seemed they've formed a pretty good partnership. To me, the benefits we get from having a genuine overlapping and attacking left back who perhaps isn't the best defensively, outweigh having a more solid LB who doesn't go past the half way line. Some/many would disagree and argue that a defender's job is defending, and that's fair enough...it's a perfectly valid and sensible argument! I just prefer watching us going forward and scoring goals, I guess it's an adaptation of the 'if they score 3, we'll score 4' manner. It's risky but it's what I personally like to see...and it's not like Jones is incapable of defending...

 

I think Jones being moved would be a bit of a panic move...rather needless to me...to me the main problems are the fact we're getting overrun down the middle and Lewi's rivals haven't proven themselves of being worthy of displacing him. Throw into the mixer the fact that however good Eards is, Kelvin's playing well/better and deserves his place at RB, and they're my three changes for tomorrow night.

I agree with the way you'd like your left side to be. I've always wanted that from my sides...overlapping fullbacks etc. But Taylor hasn't filled in and in the last 2 games, Jones has barely crossed the halfway line. Possibly under orders not to and has been defensively suspect when seemingly concentrating more on staying back a bit. Add to that, Taylor doesn't seem to be as threatening when getting to the byline as he was when he was cutting inside...not on the left anyway. Probably would be different on the right, crossing with his right and hence why it would make more sense to me to go Taylor RW, Jones LW and Lomax LB. Whatever happens though, our defensive issues need solving and Jones is part of that problem.

 

Oh and regarding Lewis...agree 100%. Personally, I think Shez got it all wrong with him...yes, Lewis needed a rest and against a very poo Cheltenham side would've been perfect...ready for him to go back in vs Stockport. Alas, he's now stuck on the bench behind Davies who has failed to impress me at all this season. Hopefully, Lewis will be a nice surprise return tomorrow coz I feel it's only a matter of time before he fires...whereas I'm not sure about Davies (not saying cast Davies aside but he's had his chance now IMO and looked less impressive in it that Lewis was.)

Edited October 27, 2008 by boundaryblue80