They have the potential to be better than them but their still young, i would like to see them play in the fa cup, they are 2 quality defenders that we're lucky to have considering Arsenal wanted both of them, Fergie has worked his magic with them in my opinion, he knows our 2 most important defenders probably won't be around in the next 5 years so he got some young ones in, Smalling and Jones would walk into many teams side in the premier league.
I think the future will be Smalling and Evans at centre half, with Jones playing as a holding midfield player
All superb young players. Safffa has left you a legacy for when he goes. he will probably leave you Wilshere and Bale too.
Bebe + Macheda = the next Rivaldo and Ronaldo, both have the potential to be better than both of them.
When Rio and Vidic were in their prime there wasn't a better centre back pairing in the World. I might be wrong but I don't see anything like that kind of potential in Smalling and Jones. Fergie seems to be using Jones as a bit of a spoiler at the moment but I'm not sure his future will be in midfield, like Matth I think he will end up as a centre back.
I actually feel he will end up in CM protecting the back four or could well develop as a box to box midfielder. Great engine and decent header of the ball plus useful in the tackle. But he's young and who knows?
On the otherhand King got moved into midfield role fairly early in his career and it helped him no end. I know Jones has played in midfield before but being comfortable on the ball is essential for the modern centre back and King honed those skills in midfield and it also gave him more opportunity to perfect the tackling he became so good as defensive midfielders and full backs tend to make more tackles per game. I'd also argue it helped him with his awareness and reading of the game, although I'm aware I probably sound like I'm going OTT At this stage of a player's career I don't think it hurts for him to be given different roles and at the moment he's still getting opportunities to work on his marking and tackling(which I think need a lot of work) whilst not being in such a high pressure position as centre back.
I doubt many people saw that kind of potential in Rio and Vidic when they were at Leeds and Red Star respectively. Central defenders are always difficult to judge as the best often tend to mature late. I reckon Jones may well be being turned into a replacement for Carrick. He was fantastic as a DM against Real, and once he gets a bit more experience and confidence on the ball he may be used as a Busquets or Makalele style player, which is definitely something we need right now.
Rio had long been highly rated, that's why Leeds paid £18mill for him in the first place and you paid £30mill despite Leeds being in the ****ter. Vidic I knew nothing about before he joined you so I can't really comment. I don't think the best central defenders mature late though, not even as a rough rule. All players benefit from experience but when I think of top centre backs there aren't many who come out of nowhere late in their career, most will have performed at a high level before hand.
