Phil Jones: With Chris Smalling we can be the dynamic duo
Rio Ferdinand has urged Uniteds youngsters to continue the Reds trophy glut of recent years Phil Jones believes his England under-21 experience with Chris Smalling means they are ready to answer Uniteds defensive emergency call.
Injuries to Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand in the opening match of the campaign against West Brom have opened up vacancies in Sir Alex Fergusons back four for the next few matches at least.
A combination of new 16.5m signing Jones, Smalling and Jonny Evans will be fighting for the places up for grabs.
Jones and Smalling filled the centre-half positions for England in this summers Under-21 European Championships and that background could give the pairing a leg up when Fergies picks his side to face Tottenham at Old Trafford on Monday night.
That will only help, said Jones. Weve done really well together with England and kept quite a few clean sheets.
We communicate well and read each others game, which is a good thing to have in a partnership at the back.
Rio and Nemanja are brilliant defenders. Ive always watched those two play together and tried to model my game on them and copy things they do.
If the 19-year-old gets Fergies vote against Spurs it will be his first competitive appearance for United at Old Trafford, but his only experience of playing at the stadium was a grim one.
I have only played there once - in that 7-1 hammering for Blackburn last season! he said.
I was looking forward to it beforehand.
Its a fantastic stadium with a great atmosphere and I was playing against some fantastic players.
Its even better now Im playing with them.
Uniteds new, young squad already has a Community Shield success on their CVs, but its the big trophie! s that F erdinand believes the new recruits need to experience.
Getting that smell and taste of success is something that all the young guys who have come into the squad and not won anything yet need to feel, said the 32-year-old.
They need to sense it and become a part of it. I am sure they will enjoy doing that this year.
Ferdinand has certainly feasted on triumph since he joined the Reds for 30m in 2002 from Leeds.
Memories
The 32-year-old has shared in five Premier League title wins and a Champions League.
Maybe people will look back and say this was a golden period, said Ferdinand. It is certainly up there as one of the most successful periods in the clubs history.
It is great to be part of it because the memories of not winning things are awful.
We won the league the first season I was here, then went three years on the bounce without winning it.
This place is like a morgue after losing a game. It is depressing. You dont want to walk to the shops. You are embarrassed walking anywhere.
If you want to be successful, you have to remember those feelings and hope they dont come back.
What do you think? Have your say.
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Injuries to Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand in the opening match of the campaign against West Brom have opened up vacancies in Sir Alex Fergusons back four for the next few matches at least.
A combination of new 16.5m signing Jones, Smalling and Jonny Evans will be fighting for the places up for grabs.
Jones and Smalling filled the centre-half positions for England in this summers Under-21 European Championships and that background could give the pairing a leg up when Fergies picks his side to face Tottenham at Old Trafford on Monday night.
That will only help, said Jones. Weve done really well together with England and kept quite a few clean sheets.
We communicate well and read each others game, which is a good thing to have in a partnership at the back.
Rio and Nemanja are brilliant defenders. Ive always watched those two play together and tried to model my game on them and copy things they do.
If the 19-year-old gets Fergies vote against Spurs it will be his first competitive appearance for United at Old Trafford, but his only experience of playing at the stadium was a grim one.
I have only played there once - in that 7-1 hammering for Blackburn last season! he said.
I was looking forward to it beforehand.
Its a fantastic stadium with a great atmosphere and I was playing against some fantastic players.
Its even better now Im playing with them.
Uniteds new, young squad already has a Community Shield success on their CVs, but its the big trophie! s that F erdinand believes the new recruits need to experience.
Getting that smell and taste of success is something that all the young guys who have come into the squad and not won anything yet need to feel, said the 32-year-old.
They need to sense it and become a part of it. I am sure they will enjoy doing that this year.
Ferdinand has certainly feasted on triumph since he joined the Reds for 30m in 2002 from Leeds.
Memories
The 32-year-old has shared in five Premier League title wins and a Champions League.
Maybe people will look back and say this was a golden period, said Ferdinand. It is certainly up there as one of the most successful periods in the clubs history.
It is great to be part of it because the memories of not winning things are awful.
We won the league the first season I was here, then went three years on the bounce without winning it.
This place is like a morgue after losing a game. It is depressing. You dont want to walk to the shops. You are embarrassed walking anywhere.
If you want to be successful, you have to remember those feelings and hope they dont come back.
What do you think? Have your say.
Tweet
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