Has Phil Jagielka peaked?

[Steve0]

Never thought he was great tbh. Good guy and good voice in the dressing room but not a top quality centre back. People love him for his last ditch save the day tackles but tbh the only reason he has to make them is because his positioning is poor in the first place. Whenever jags goes out injured we do perfectly fine without him. If distin goes out injured tho (as he was in the anfield derby) we're a mess at the back. I know that's only one example but there's plenty more I just can't think of right now. Even the year or so that jags was out injured and distin and heitinga were our centre backs, we were rock solid and heitinga got player of the season ffs. Paired with jags tho and heitinga was all over the place. Distin is prone to the odd goof but tbh he's our best centre back without anyone realising it. Certainly can't say the same about jags who I like as a guy but don't rate highly as a centre back

Looking on Soccerbase it seems we miss Jagielka more than Distin. Ascribing the Anfield fiasco entirely to Distin's absence is a little bit desperate.

 

[kev101]

Has anybody been talking about Baines, and how ineffectual he is if he's not being used in attack?
For large parts of last season and at this world cup, he's obviously been told to stay back a lot more, well I don't think he's the best defender in the world, so, apart from set pieces, what's the point of him if he's not bombing on down the wing.
I'm not suggesting we sell btw, Jags either for that matter.

 

[Fat Stan]

Looking on Soccerbase it seems we miss Jagielka more than Distin. Ascribing the Anfield fiasco entirely to Distin's absence is a little bit desperate.

Yeah fair enough, obviously u can't attribute the entire anfield fiasco on distin's absence BUT I do feel his absence is felt more than jags in general. I haven't seen these soccerbase stats but it's only in the last 3 years distin has become the boss that he has been lately. If those stats take into account results before this time period then I wudnt be surprised. In any case, I stand by distin being a better CB than Jags. He just has more in his locker despite his age

 

[Ruairi77]

I'd say we'll se 3 centrebacks with attacking wing backs a lot more this season. Jags/Stones/Distin.

 

[steken1]

Jagielka's peak was pre-cruciate. Still a good player now but he was superb that season and hasn't been too close to that level since TBH. Still a good player though.