Bad Boy auf dem Bosporus: Jermaine Jones at Beşiktaş [R]

Schalke's actually playing RB Salzburg as we speak. Jones wasn't in the starting lineup. I'm not sure if he's ready yet.

 

Has he reported to camp yet? I thought he got to report late based on WCQ duties?

 

His twitter says he is reporting today for camp:

Jermaine Jones ‏@Jermainejunior

8 Jul​

Relaxing at the pool☀!! Thursday I'm back.... Ready to kick some ⚽. http://instagram.com/p/bg-k-JKGRr/

 

yeah he's just getting back to Europe today

 

That's what I thought. He was allowed to report late, either July 11 or July 18.

 

Sounds as though Jones chose to report today (11) rather than next week (18). Still great of Schalke to give him that option.

 

Not surprised that he chose the earlier date. With Goretzka, he could loose his spot. PT won't be a given this season.

Schalke, in their first match of pre-season, lost 1-3 to RB Salzburg today. Jones wasn't involved.

 

I heard the same thing about Jones losing his spot to Hoger last season...

 

Not arguing with your post at all, but playing time should never be a given for any CL caliber club. Every player needs to constantly perform or risk being benched.

 

Jones should be able to start but Goretzka is definitely a talent even tho he's young. Schalke actually may have Germanys 3 most talented players u20 in Goretzka, Draxler, Meyer

 

Did people really say that? Anyways, Goretzka is considered as one of the biggest talents in German football currently (never heard anyone say that about Höger), and it was quite a coup for Schalke to get him ahead of other Bundesliga clubs such as Dortmund.

 

Goretzka is a future German A-National Team player. It was a great achievement for Schalke to sign this player.

 

Yeah, I remember a few comments about that last season. I know Goretzka is one of the most talented young players at his position but I can't see an 18 year old with BL1 experience getting many starts ahead of established, quality players like Jones and Neustadter.

 

I don't remember too many people saying that. Maybe Hoeger had one good game?

Definitely agree. The reality was that last year, Jones/Neustadter didn't have any competition. There were decent replacements, but none of them were natural D-mids.

Not hugely surprising. In the last 5 years, Schalke has had a better youth setup than Dortmund, and a better track record integrating young players into the first team. Draxler and Meyer are just the tip of the iceberg.

That's why I honestly and regretfully think this is Jones' last season at the Veltins-Arena, unless he's willing to accept a spot starter role and a lot less money. He should get plenty of game time this year though. He's a better designated Dmid than Neustadter at this point, so even if Goretzka lights it up or Pascal Itter breaks out as a CM, that Dmid position is still Jones'.

 

Well, despite the growing competition, I'm looking forward to watching Schalke this season. I really enjoyed watching them last season! Though I don't want to say that I'm fan yet.....

 

Check out this outrageous goal from that match for RB Salzburg:

 

WOW!!

 

Eh, don't hear about too many 18 year old starting in a box to box role for a champions league club.

I think Jones will have another good year.

 

Its honestly not that unusual, at least not for us. We've been in and out of the Champions league over the last half decade, and we've had our fair share of teenagers playing huge roles on the team at various difference points. Howedes, Matip, Papadopoulos, Draxler, Ozil, and Kolasinac were all teenagers when they became starters.

Joel Matip was 17 or 18 when he broke out as a starter at CDM. At 18/19, he started as a CDM in the semi-finals of the Champions league. Of course now he plays center back.

 

So I'm guessing that I'm the only one that watched Schalke's 6-1 pre-season win over Alemania Achen. Neustadter and Goretzka started at CM, presumably because Jones isn't quite match fit yet. That said, Jones came in at the 60th minute and looked so-so, while Goretzka looked phenominal. I think Goretzka will be the designated starter come opening day. Jones still has a chance to knock Neustadter out of the 11, but it will definitely be a challenge.

 

I saw the post match news, just don't ever comment on Schalke happenings here. I think Goretzka is exactly what Schalke have been looking for as a #8 and I feel Jermaine if he can play within himself is a better compliment to Goretzka than Neustadter, for now.

 

I will wait until the end of pre-season before coming to any conclusions. JJ is 2+ days returning from laying by the pool in LA. There were similar concerns in this thread and PBP threads at the beginning of last season. Jones went on to have his best season since 08-09, and maybe best ever. If Goretzka lives up to his hype Schalke will have great options. Defensive (Neu + JJ), Dynamic (JJ+ Gore), and possession (Neu +Gore).

Jones only played 23 BL matches last year and 18 the prior year. It would not be the worst thing in a pre WC year that JJ plays say 20 BL matches and Goretzka plays 20 and Neu 28.

 

This is probably how it plays out, but it's still kinda weird. As a pure player, I think Neustadter is the worst of the three, but he'll almost certainly play the most matches.

 

From watching some of his games, Jones seems like a big game player. He steps up his performances in the bigger games.

 

http://sportbild.bild.de/SPORT/bund...es/mein-traum-auf-schalke-zu-verlaengern.html

Basically, Jones is willing to take a serious pay cut to stay at Schalke beyond 2014. He currently makes just shy of $6 million per season. If he can't figure it out with Schalke, he'll be coming to MLS (probably to LA) after the World Cup.