Jonny Evans isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. Some will suggest that he’s rather too error-prone, whilst others may claim that there are a number more dynamic and capable players at the club who can play in his position. Yet, I can’t help but feel that United have a real talent on their hands here, who, if nurtured right, could well become a mainstay for years to come.
At just 21-years-old, the mistakes he made can surely be put down to the enthusiasm and inexperience that comes with youth, but it would be unfair to focus solely on the mistakes he has made so far in his Old Trafford career. He has completed a series of low-key, but encouraging performances and even a couple of ‘big’, or ‘impressive’ performances against the likes of Inter Milan and Chelsea.
United fans must surely be impressed with his reading of the game, which is remarkably good for somebody so young, with such little experience in the Premier League. If he keeps on developing at this rate, there’s no telling where he’ll end up. Could he be as important for Manchester United as Rio Ferdinand has been during his time at the club?
Whilst he has the potential to be as good as Rio, he’ll never share the former Leeds man’s pace. This lack of pace, combined with his slow turning circle may well hold Evans back, but hopefully it will in turn trigger development in other areas of his game. If he works on his positioning and the timing of his tackles, this lack of pace won’t be overly detrimental to his future.
I’d also note that Evan’s distribution from the back and his composure on the ball is very good. It’s encouraging to see such confidence in a young defender.
As with most young defenders, he needs to work on his concentration. The pressure of performing week-in and week-out in the Premier League may well be massive, but with excellent mentors at the club, Evans has a good chance of going on to big things. We know by now that he’s a talented young lad. If he applies himself properly and works hard, he will have an excellent future.
I’d even go as far as to say that out of all the young players at Manchester United, Evans has the best chance of ‘making it’.
At the moment he provides excellent cover for Rio and Vidic. In the future, however, he’s likely to offer United much, much more.
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rubbish article hes 23 has already player 50 + games for Man utd yet still not improving?? Jones + Smalling is future pairing for sure. Lack of pace, left torres on first goal and let him slip for toress’s glaring miss. 2-3 years left at united unless he improves………………….