John Stones

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

I don't think that's fair. I don't think anyone's really argued the case that we should buy an experienced CB instead, certainly haven't seen any reasonably linked to us. From what I've seen people are unconvinced by the youngsters linked, which is fair enough, and I don't think it's unreasonable to say that chucking 7 of them into the first team next year is a bit much and leaves us a little over-exposed, and no that isn't a modern day Hansen. Stones & Laporte on the first day next season as the CB pairing is a little unnerving, but if you pay that level of money they'll bump Mangala out and maybe Ota too (even though I think he should be first choice).

Besides you can build with the youth and experience of Kroos (26), Gundogan (25), Thiago (25) & Isco (24). Hardly old fogeys ;).

Who said throw them all in at once? I also clearly state that in 2/3 years we could benefit from recruiting in such a way... I'm alluding to them playing around experience, which we still have in abundance... We've seen with sterling how the dogs will bite, however, managed correctly we could potentially have a core of players for the next 8/9 years. Personally I can play the long game, rebuilding is a fine art, one which only 2 clubs have had sustainable success over a 20 year period can testify to...

 

[argyle]

People are also oblivious to the need to rebuild with potential, which is inevitably youth... I'd be excited to see a core of

Stones
Laporte
Sterling
Nacho
Denayer
Sane
KDB

Average age 21, in 2/3 years they could be outstanding, virtually a new spine and that's not accounting for a few others pep will bring through..

No Pogba in the list? :(

 

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

No Pogba in the list? :(

He's too old (:

 

[Bluearmy]

Think this has already been mentioned but just in case anyone missed it...


MCFC Info ‏@MCFClnfo 3h3 hours ago
Stones already purchased a new home close to a number of City's players in Hale, Cheshire. [Sport in a Storm]

MCFC Info ‏@MCFClnfo 3h3 hours ago
Stones was also not seen leaving the Etihad with the rest of his England colleagues following Sunday's 2-1 friendly victory against Turkey.


MCFC Info ‏@MCFClnfo 3h3 hours ago
John Stones is set to snub Manchester United and seal a move to rivals City. [Sport in a Storm]

30 retweets42 likes

No big news about the house this way... Loads have lived that way down the years!

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

Who said throw them all in at once? I also clearly state that in 2/3 years we could benefit from recruiting in such a way... I'm alluding to them playing around experience, which we still have in abundance... We've seen with sterling how the dogs will bite, however, managed correctly we could potentially have a core of players for the next 8/9 years. Personally I can play the long game, rebuilding is a fine art, one which only 2 clubs have had sustainable success over a 20 year period can testify to...

well you're not going to put them in the squad now and not play them, so it was a logical leap that they'd have to form a key part of the squad next season.

People bite at Sterling for the same I reason I bite at Delph, because they saw someone who's better now who plays at a rival and they want them here. Difference is Sterling will turn out great, Delph will always be bobbins. Same way people want Sanchez, Isco, Kroos, Thiago, Gundogan, Aubameyang, people want us to buy the best and the biggest shiny new toy. For many years we didn't do that despite our resources, so links to English players we see every week and who have developing to do, as well as the links to nutjobs like Wilshere, disappoint and therefore irritate people. Some see the resources, see the calibre of player others are seemingly able to buy, and then wonder how we manage to assemble a team where half of them look like they've never kicked a football before.

 

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

Some see the resources, see the calibre of player others are seemingly able to buy, and then wonder how we manage to assemble a team where half of them look like they've never kicked a football before.

I coin this a 'manuel syndrome'... It will be night and day for a majority of this squad under pep..

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

I coin this a 'manuel syndrome'... It will be night and day for a majority of this squad under pep..

No, I just think Txiki forgot to take his eye mask off when he got off the plane on his scouting jaunts to Portugal, Swansea and Birmingham.

 

[RichardDunneOwnGoal]

Stones V Fulham

Stones v Chelsea

Pay attention to how hard both Chelsea and Fulham find it to press against a defense with Stones in it.

Watch how aggressively Fulham attempts the press early, and pay attention to how it slowly dissipates as they get no fruit.

Pay attention to him pocketting the Nut job Chelsea striker. And making mince meat of their pressure.

Watch Barry multiple times point to Stones when the ball is with another defender or player under pressure. Stones is almost ever available for a pass.

On the Chelaea breakaway that Stones blocks, watch how he calmly tells his goalie to cover the near post before he attacks the striker from a fantastic angle, giving him only the near post poor option.

This is what he does constantly game in game out. Confident, comfortable, always organizing men with years of experience over him. On multiple occasions you can see him pointing correctly to where the teammates need to be to break the press.

And when it comes to defending, he is as strong into the tackle as anyone else.

I for the life of me don't know how anyone can conclude after actually watching him, that he is shit or poor. Barry and Jageilka differ to him constantly. It's not coz they are stupid.

He is bloody Intelligent. His footballing IQ is beyond that of most of his teammates. Watch him over a series of games and this jumps out at you.

Curling together a series of team errors from 30 games and adding one or two ( yes, admittedly horrendous mistakes) and then concluding that a player is shit, is fucking asinine. I could put together a Kompany collage of errors from 11-12 when he was in fact the best defender in the world.

This reputation of Stones does my head in :?

- Jones Stones

- Football IQ

Pick one.

This is the lad that lost Martial in the final minute of the biggest game he's ever played in, to cost his team a chance at a cup final (and don't come back at me trying to white wash it like I've seen you do before Dax, he was absolutely culpable in that goal).

Fair enough, he can play it around nicely at the back - so can Denayer, and he won't cost us £45m.

Have you got a compilation vid of all the times he's lost his man and cost his team a goal this season, Dax? All the times he's made poor challenges in the area (Sterling comes to mind), all the times he's given away the ball in key positions or switched off at key times and failed to recognise danger?

I've said it before, but I'm adamant that if this was a Dutch player in the Eredivise we were talking about, he'd be going for no more than £15m and the vast majority on here would be saying he isn't worth the punt and that we should look at alternatives/trust Denayer.

He's done next to nothing to warrant the hype surrounding him at present, as far as I'm concerned. The last thing we need next season is another unreliable pet project at the back, in the heart of the defence. He might go on to become a player wroth relying on one day, but at the moment, he's miles off, and I don't believe he's at all worth the gamble that he may amount to something one day at forty five fucking million pounds.

We could use our budget much more wisely as far as I'm concerned.

 

[argyle]

He's too old (:

 

[Bluearmy]

I don't doubt that. But that ia neither here nor there. The question you should ask though is whether he is shit or not?The answer to that question is absolutely not!

You might think Romagnoli, or Sule, or Tah or some other young up and coming defender is better, and they perhaps even cheaper. Fine question the intelligence of wasting money on expensive buys when equally talented but cheaper options are available. I do whine about that a lot too. But to conclude Stones is shit is simply beyond factual. He simply isn't.


His had one horrendous game I've seen all season, against Liverpool. I only wished his price dovetailed with his reputation, coz we'd have been getting a steal if it did. Bit Everton isn't stupid. They see him in practice daily. They see internationals differing to a 20 yearold. Mourihno and Pep salivating. All this isn't happening because they read a news article about him. It's from watching.

Anyone who does will see it. HW is simply a good young footballer.

Guess you didnt see the Stoke game. Or the villa game. Or the Watford game. Or the Southampton game. Or the United game. The semi against us. Or the England game at the weekend...?? :)