We need to talk about Jonny Evans

[Blue ROI]

He was almost imperious for the first 16 months or so but he's struggled a bit since the Man City downturn last Christmas.

 

It's not dissimilar to the calls made for Morgan in early 2017. Roughly the same age too. I would still rate Evans highly but his slump is a slight concern.

 

If Soyuncu comes back in soon it's him and The Foff as first choice from then on you'd imagine.

Edited 23 November 2020 by Blue ROI

[Leicester_Loyal]

He needs a rest, I'd probably leave him on the bench for Braga then bring him back in for Fulham.

[s11nny]

Completely agree with the OP. To add to that I feel like he always dithers around on the ball for too long which slows down our play and tempo. I feel bad to point out his negatives because I think overall he’s been a great signing for us but when Cags is back I think he needs to spend some time on the bench.

[CosbehFox]

Still scratching my head at people's total ignorance of his injury issues. Leicester and Northern Ireland have played him when they probably shouldn't in the last two months. 

[Dahnsouff]

2 hours ago, s11nny said:

Completely agree with the OP. To add to that I feel like he always dithers around on the ball for too long which slows down our play and tempo. I feel bad to point out his negatives because I think overall he’s been a great signing for us but when Cags is back I think he needs to spend some time on the bench.

Need to be careful with pairing Caglar and Fofana together, both are impetuous, as someone pointed out earlier. Jonny's experience and composure may be worth more in certain occasions than those two's youthful marauding exuberance (Yay me, way to sound old)

[H.a.r.r.y]

I can't tell if he's good or not 

[Hales]

Johnny is brilliant but recently has been off. Maybe that's injuries or just lack of form I'm not sure. He will come good but maybe does need a rest thursday. 

Edited 23 November 2020 by Hales

[fuchsntf]

17 hours ago, Facecloth said:

Now this isn't a reaction to the OG, I've been saying this for a while, but it just get brushed under the carpet. He's been extremely poor for months, like pre first lockdown. 

 

At first I clocked his poor distribution, which was putting us under pressure each game. Not just a few wayward passes to knowhere, but playing the ball straight the opposition midfielders. A cleanly struck ball, but just to the wrong player. Overtime he's then been making more and more defensive errors, getting caught for pace, being out of position, losing his man. He's been a liability for Northern Ireland recently too. I know he's carried a knock recently, but its been going on way before that.

 

People love to talk about him as Rolls Royce defender, but he's more like a clapped out Reliant Robin of late. Massive improvement needed or imo that contract that's running down can run down.

You just carry on talking  about him...So long as Brendan trusts in him, I'll be happy to back our Jonny...

 

 

[Strokes]

He put it in his own net, and then had a crap game
And Evans knows he’s miserable now

In his life
Oh, why does he give valuable time
To people who don't care if he’s good or crap?

[sacreblueits442]

18 hours ago, Webbo said:

He's saved us far more points than he's cost us. ridiculous over reaction.

...totally acceptable to take a look at his contributions to our backline!!!

How many topics have drifted from the main topic to discussing a player and his shortfalls.The amount of column inches which FT has devoted to Demarai Gray surpasses more than 5 pages of discussion.

  Felt watching Evans that he is the lynchpin of the team never mind the defence and he is the last bastion of common sense and organisation. The player of the season for me last season and if he is carrying an injury it may be is trying to get us to a point where he can be sorted out,waiting for Soyuncus' return.

  The fact that he has not resolved his contract worries me and could well be issues that we are not aware of.

[Trav Le Bleu]

He played a blinder against Man City. It's not EVERY game.

[Trav Le Bleu]

3 hours ago, Dahnsouff said:

Need to be careful with pairing Caglar and Fofana together, both are impetuous, as someone pointed out earlier. Jonny's experience and composure may be worth more in certain occasions than those two's youthful marauding exuberance (Yay me, way to sound old)

Collect your pension on the way out.

[NaijaFox]

11 hours ago, s11nny said:

Completely agree with the OP. To add to that I feel like he always dithers around on the ball for too long which slows down our play and tempo. I feel bad to point out his negatives because I think overall he’s been a great signing for us but when Cags is back I think he needs to spend some time on the bench.

This!

[UHDrive]

It isn't exactly great when hes supposedly in talks for a new contract...

[justfoxes]

He has his good days and damn awful days, if only we had the Johnny Evans of at least 10 years ago the one that was amazing game in game out!

 

I love Johnny the way he plays for us but sometimes you think Fuch that’s a hospital tackle or he’s lost his pace so hacks down the opponent either way he’d be an amazing defensive coach with Big Wes when they hang up their boots !

[Ross 'LCFC' Turner]

Its clear to see he's not 100%, he's probably playing with injections in his back to get us through.  

[Nick]

 

He's not 100% obviously - but I don't think he's mentally fit for some reason.

 

I hope we sign him up but for me Fofana and Soy are our two starters in a four with Ric and Tim outside them both.

 

He's gonna be the experienced rock we bring on to see out PL games and put a shift in for Cups and Europa etc. in the future years.

[Babylon]

He's been chucked in the team without a preseason, if we had any other realistic options he probably wouldn't have played so soon. 

[Big Dave]

I watched some of the Northern Ireland game a few days ago - he looked quite poor and unfit in that match.

Maybe age is catching up with him a bit now?

[HighPeakFox]

I think a few have speculated that we'll be in for Tarkowski next summer - that would take some pressure off Evans.

[turtmcfly]

On 23/11/2020 at 13:38, Dahnsouff said:

Need to be careful with pairing Caglar and Fofana together, both are impetuous, as someone pointed out earlier. Jonny's experience and composure may be worth more in certain occasions than those two's youthful marauding exuberance (Yay me, way to sound old)

 

This does somewhat ignore the potential benefits of their youthful marauding exuberance. And if 'better distribution' is exuberance, bring it on.

[Dahnsouff]

Just now, turtmcfly said:

This does somewhat ignore the potential benefits of their youthful marauding exuberance. And if 'better distribution' is exuberance, bring it on.

Oh, for sure. It is a balancing act, there is no correct binary choice that is valid for every occasion.

 

Do not get me wrong, Fofana is absolutely sensational, and his going wayward was largely irrelevant to the result against Liverpool, but in a tighter game it could have been costly. Then again, there is no doubt that Jonny had a game to forget of a whole other level. 

[Fox92]

21 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

He played a blinder against Man City. It's not EVERY game.

Thankfully, at last, someone said it!

 

57 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

I think a few have speculated that we'll be in for Tarkowski next summer - that would take some pressure off Evans.

Bloody hell I really hope not.

[turtmcfly]

12 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

Oh, for sure. It is a balancing act, there is no correct binary choice that is valid for every occasion.

 

Do not get me wrong, Fofana is absolutely sensational, and his going wayward was largely irrelevant to the result against Liverpool, but in a tighter game it could have been costly. Then again, there is no doubt that Jonny had a game to forget of a whole other level. 

 

It also doesn't do too much to help the argument that having Evans in there with him stops him going wayward in the first place!

 

The other side of the pro argument is that they're both better equipped to recover from each others brain farts than Evans is.

 

 

[Dahnsouff]

5 minutes ago, turtmcfly said:

 

It also doesn't do too much to help the argument that having Evans in there with him stops him going wayward in the first place!

 

The other side of the pro argument is that they're both better equipped to recover from each others brain farts than Evans is.

Won`t base any judgement on one game, no matter how poor, and that applies to both Jonny and Wesley. Admittedly, Jonny's game was a bit of a shocker and he has of late not been at his best, whereas Fofana's was his first poor show, and even then still had some good parts.

 

Jonny has much more credit in the bank I would argue though.