John Stones - 2016/17 performances

[City_Sean]

Actually thought he was pretty good, should have done a bit better with the Falcao goal, but the finish was special. Needs to develop more physically.

 

[domalino]

Bollocks. I just finished watching the game again and the only thing he did wrong was the Falcao goal. Everything else he was fine, played some great passes and scored the goal that got us the lead.

He's not the first, and won't be the last CB to be shown up by Falcao either. Plenty of world class CB's have got that treatment off him.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

I think it's fair to say he has been very hit and miss so far but it's his first season with us and he will get better, much as Sterling has done this season.

I don't like how he lets people run at him and backs off and off until he is in our area. He did it in the first half last night.

Once he has a better defender alongside him he will pick up. Ottamendi is not than man.

 

[Benarbia]

I don't see it with him. Sure he's ok on the ball but defending which is what he is paid to do he is shocking

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

I thought he was really good today. Obviously an error for Falcaos goal but made that up with his goal. Apart from that he was very good and clever on the ball and very good defensivly. Otamendi was a fkn mess however.

Really? He was bloody terrible mate(as was Otamendi).

1st goal, he should be getting a head to that or at the very least be on Falcao. How Falcao becomes Sagna's responsibility on a crossed ball is beyond me.

2nd goal, Otamendi makes a bloody mess of it, but there's a split second where a top defender reads the issues and goes in to help. Stones saw it develop but didnt. Not his fault, but Kompany is over there preventing that from getting worse.

3rd goal, all 100% down to him.

He also continuously messed up attempts to play the offside trap by doing what he does best...drop back, drop back, drop back. He's f**king idiotic at it.

The guy is a bloody mess, but people are still defending him based on how he looks with the ball.

 

[Callum Ramsey]

Really? He was bloody terrible mate(as was Otamendi).

1st goal, he should be getting a head to that or at the very least be on Falcao. How Falcao becomes Sagna's responsibility on a crossed ball is beyond me.

2nd goal, Otamendi makes a bloody mess of it, but there's a split second where a top defender reads the issues and goes in to help. Stones saw it develop but didnt. Not his fault, but Kompany is over there preventing that from getting worse.

3rd goal, all 100% down to him.

He also continuously messed up attempts to play the offside trap by doing what he does best...drop back, drop back, drop back. He's f**king idiotic at it.

The guy is a bloody mess, but people are still defending him based on how he looks with the ball.

I wouldn't go as far and say he was terrible but I would agree that generally speaking, he just doesn't have the defensive awareness that you would expect of someone who is going to be a top defender at his age. He is very indecisive in his play and that's the last thing you want from a defender. As poor as otamendi has been at times this season, the last thing you could accuse him of is indecisiveness. Stones on the other-hand dithers on everything he does, from tackling to pressuring to passing and for a team which plays on the front foot like pep wants that's a recipe for disaster. I just don't see him improving the basic aspects of his game he needs to become a top defender for a team looking to compete at the very highest level. It's all fine being good technically but when you lack in many regards of the mental side which is the most important for defenders, it's very hard to improve.

I'm not one to write off players after a poor first season at a new club but this is also not a case like sterling last season where most knew what he was capable of from his spell at pool and such would be forgiven for keeping faith after an underwhelming first season as it was clear he had more abilty than he showed. But with stones, many who saw him at everton could see exactly was has transpired here and its not like there has been any improvements in his game since that time. Pep clearly bought him mainly for his ability on the ball and maybe thought he had enough in the mental side to work with and improve upon but I just don't see it, hopefully I'm proven wrong.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

other then not beign strong with falcao, i actually thought he played pretty well. a work in progress

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Very poor I thought and not for the first time.

Really pleased he got the winner though.

 

[City_Sean]

He needs a settled back four and goalkeeper around him. Otamendi is way too prone to these errors and it's stifling him.

He needs a leader next to him, if we pulled off a Bonucci signing this summer then Stones would become world class within six months.

 

[Easy]

He needs a settled back four and goalkeeper around him. Otamendi is way too prone to these errors and it's stifling him.

He needs a leader next to him, if we pulled off a Bonucci signing this summer then Stones would become world class within six months.

I am sure of it, he already has improved a lot this season. In the beginning of the season he would always play out with the ball and never kick it into row z, not anymore. Still makes the odd mistake but I believe he is on an upward trajectory. Think we need to sign two CBs this summer. Was hoping Kompany could maintain his fitness but I am now convinced its not going to happen. Laporte/Van Dijk plus an experienced CB like Bonucci would be perfect.

 

[abu13]

I'd like to see a run of games with Stones and Kolarov as a pair.

 

[City_Sean]

I am sure of it, he already has improved a lot this season. In the beginning of the season he would always play out with the ball and never kick it into row z, not anymore. Still makes the odd mistake but I believe he is on an upward trajectory. Think we need to sign two CBs this summer. Was hoping Kompany could maintain his fitness but I am now convinced its not going to happen. Laporte/Van Dijk plus an experienced CB like Bonucci would be perfect.

Only problem is Laporte has apparently been awful this season. Maybe we can't look into it too much as Falcao is the perfect example of needing time after an injury.

Van Dijk would be a superb signing. The dream is still Bonucci but I'm not sure if he's attainable after signing a new deal a few months back.

 

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

Only problem is Laporte has apparently been awful this season. Maybe we can't look into it too much as Falcao is the perfect example of needing time after an injury.

Van Dijk would be a superb signing. The dream is still Bonucci but I'm not sure if he's attainable after signing a new deal a few months back.

Bonucci isn't going anywhere, regardless of being hooked from tonight's game...

Laporte is a considerable class above van dijk, the type of injury he's returned from inevitably takes time!

 

[Easy]

Only problem is Laporte has apparently been awful this season. Maybe we can't look into it too much as Falcao is the perfect example of needing time after an injury.

Van Dijk would be a superb signing. The dream is still Bonucci but I'm not sure if he's attainable after signing a new deal a few months back.

Haven't seen much of Laporte but we are constantly linked with him and it seems he is one of our main targets. I am still worried about them both given their injuries, they'll sign for us, have a great start and then get injured. Its a big risk tbh. If that were to happen and we sell Otamendi, our season would be practically over.

 

[kevin horlocks wand]

Really? He was bloody terrible mate(as was Otamendi).

1st goal, he should be getting a head to that or at the very least be on Falcao. How Falcao becomes Sagna's responsibility on a crossed ball is beyond me.

2nd goal, Otamendi makes a bloody mess of it, but there's a split second where a top defender reads the issues and goes in to help. Stones saw it develop but didnt. Not his fault, but Kompany is over there preventing that from getting worse.

3rd goal, all 100% down to him.

He also continuously messed up attempts to play the offside trap by doing what he does best...drop back, drop back, drop back. He's f**king idiotic at it.

The guy is a bloody mess, but people are still defending him based on how he looks with the ball.

Bit harsh, he is young and raw , he needs to toughen up but I have high hopes for him. He admitted his mistake and was chuffed to put it right.

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

Bit harsh, he is young and raw , he needs to toughen up but I have high hopes for him. He admitted his mistake and was chuffed to put it right.

I genuinely like the lad, he's a good attitude about him. But he continues to make mistakes he was making at Everton. That says to me that he isn't learning. Hopefully it improves, but he is costing us time and time again right now.

 

[citizenyank76]

I genuinely like the lad, he's a good attitude about him. But he continues to make mistakes he was making at Everton. That says to me that he isn't learning. Hopefully it improves, but he is costing us time and time again right now.

You see his quality in short spurts and it is frustrating. I think he HAS suffered from not being able to play alongside Kompany. But there are times you just imagine if he was a bit tougher, was WAY more aggressive and didn't make so many errors. He'd be a first class international.

 

[ali benarbia's studs]

Needs to stay on his feet more, hold on to the ball a bit more.

Redeemed himself last night in a huge game,shows character. He can grow into something special.

 

[stony]

Stones biggest problem is who he has next to him. He's still learning his trade and as such should be paired with an experienced older head who can point him in the right direction. Instead he has Otamendi, who is frequently out of position or makes a rash challenge and gets turned, leaving Stones to deal with the aftermath. Quite often you will see Stones shouting instructions to Otamendi when he should actually be getting them.
The talent is clearly there and I am still hopeful it will shine through, it won't with clowns like Otamendi next to him though.

 

[ali benarbia's studs]

Stones biggest problem is who he has next to him. He's still learning his trade and as such should be paired with an experienced older head who can point him in the right direction. Instead he has Otamendi, who is frequently out of position or makes a rash challenge and gets turned, leaving Stones to deal with the aftermath. Quite often you will see Stones shouting instructions to Otamendi when he should actually be getting them.
The talent is clearly there and I am still hopeful it will shine through, it won't with clowns like Otamendi next to him though.

Would you trade Otamendi for Pepe?