Phil JonesPhil Jones has revealed Manchester United have already embraced Louis Van Gaal’s tactical revolution and despite having been in charge for less than two weeks, the Dutchman has already won many admirers within the United squad, particularly thanks to his footballing philosophy. Jones impressed in United’s 7-0 mauling of Los Angeles Galaxy on Thursday and the 22-year-old has insisted he’s happy to adapt to Van Gaal’s new 3-5-2 system, if that means finally being handed an extended run is his preferred position, after spending his first three season at the club covering a variety of roles. Under Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes, Jones was played as defensive midfielder and right-back, but the former Blackburn defender is determined to make the centre-back position his own as he aims to replace Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand. “The lads have been brilliant in training. The gaffer has told us how he wants us to play and they way he wants to play this season. It’s a learning process but we’re all pulling in the right direction. “We played three at the back with Luke [Shaw] and Antonio [Valencia] as wing-backs. And it worked. It’s a learning process but we’re getting used to it. “Day by day we’re getting better and we’ll be ready for the start of the season. Like I said it’s a work in process. This is the first time I’ve played three at the back. Every manager has got his philosophy. We’re all pulling in the right direction and hopefully we’ll have a better season.” Asked whether United’s new 3-5-2 formation could prove successful, Jones insisted that the players are fully behind Van Gaal’s tactical vision: “That’s what the gaffer believes in. If he believes in that then we believe in that as well.” “Defenders are defenders. The main thing for a defender is to defend. Defend the space and defend the goal. At times you’ve got the two wing-backs helping you as well,” said the United defender when asked if switching to a three-man defence could prove complicated after years of playing with a more traditional system that included four men at the back. The 22-year-old, however, isn’t fazed by playing in a new system: “If one [defender] goes in the other two have got to come round and cover. It’s the same when you’re playing two at the back, one goes up for a header the other comes round. “Of course, as a defender you need a lot of communication. Talking to the people around you and if we get that right we’ll be good.” With Ferdinand and Vidic no longer at the club this season promises to be incredibly important for Jones and the England international is aiming to seize the opportunity: “That [replacing Ferdinand and Vidic] is ultimately what I want to be doing. Everyone is trying to impress and hopefully we can start the season off well. “We’ve lost two great defenders in Rio and Nemanja. But that’s football and we move on. We’ve got good players to replace them and hopefully we can all step up and improve that.
Posted on: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 11:27:43 +0000
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