The new concern over Phil Jones' fitness in advance of next week's critical Champions League link with Real Madrid displays a shift in the former Blackburn Rovers' player's importance to Sir Alex Ferguson. In Madrid, he played the dual function of adding an additional layer of security to the United defense and supporting an already extended midfield. If he does miss Tuesday's game, Ferguson may need to change his techniques, as it is doubtful he's other people at his disposal who could do the exact same work. Johnson was much praised when he attained Old Trafford from Ewood Park in the summer of 2011, with some tipping him to be a potential England captain and the others likening him to popular United star of the '50s, Duncan Edwards. Truly the A16 million price tag indicated that Manchester United had big plans for the 19-year-old. The Preston born player is becoming an player at centre-back, right-back and in the center of midfield. But Jones' first period at Old Trafford was some thing of a mixed bag. Ferguson closed Jones after a number of impressive display at the heart of the Blackburn defence and in his first full start for his new club, he partnered Jonny Evans in the centre of defence in a 3-0 conquer Spurs. But, as the year advanced, Jones found himself sent out to the right-back slot, and sometimes even used as a box-to-box midfielder. Jackson never truly nailed down one place and was often used to put holes within an injury depleted United area. While over all Jones' first season at Old Trafford was a success, he was yet to establish an evident design or position within the United team. Parallels could possibly be driven with either Phil Neville or John O'Shea. Both Neville and O'Shea were significantly heralded in their early United career, and both went on to get a number of medals and many international caps, but their frequent redeployment on the area intended it's possible neither player knew their full potential. The fear is that Jones falls in to the same trapa'shuttled from position to position weekly, failing woefully to identify herself as a first-team standard. Perhaps an improved case for Jones to check out could be that of former United chief Roy Keane. In Keane's early United days he, too, enjoyed in the centre of support and at right-back before eventually establishing himself as you of the best key midfielders in the world. While Jones might not be as ferocious as Keane, he is no less in potential and current exhibits in center of the park against Spurs and Real Madrid, helping United to cope with Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, displayed his features in that place. The now 22-year-old is definitely an excessively gifted person, but his versatility might be his downfall.
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