Matthijs de Ligt

FantasyIreland said:
Can't agree with the leadership thing,all our centre halves are strong and vocal.Stones is a born leader.
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Where is Stones? He's completely fallen off the map. I thought he'd been injured for ages, but he only had a small knock that kept him out of the squad for a week.

It feels like Pep has lost all faith in him, didn't play him once in the CL knockout stage, didn't play him in the cup final, or FA Cup semi. That doesn't look like a player the manager thinks will tie down half of your central defence for years to come.
 
domalino said:
Where is Stones? He's completely fallen off the map. I thought he'd been injured for ages, but he only had a small knock that kept him out of the squad for a week.

It feels like Pep has lost all faith in him, didn't play him once in the CL knockout stage, didn't play him in the cup final, or FA Cup semi. That doesn't look like a player the manager thinks will tie down half of your central defence for years to come.
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Its odd,i agree.

Stones looks the perfect Pep player - composed,athletic,adaptable and technically very good,he's also the model professional in terms of attitude......so why he isn't ahead of Kompany i'm puzzled.
 
FantasyIreland said:
Its odd,i agree.

Stones looks the perfect Pep player - composed,athletic,adaptable and technically very good,he's also the model professional in terms of attitude......so why he isn't ahead of Kompany i'm puzzled.
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Exactly. Something has gone seriously wrong for John Stones to be sat on the bench 3 years into being Pep's anointed first choice CB.

Look at the progress someone like Sterling has made in those 3 years - is Stones that much closer to the finished article? I though he had spells of looking much calmer, some truly excellent spells of form, but still doesn't seem to have that authority and ability to bully a forward, he still can't hold down a first team spot for Pep.

So to get back to De Ligt, if Stones just isn't doing it for Pep 3 years in, how long do you keep hoping he reaches that level where Pep thinks he should start every week? At what point does Pep say "I'm going into my 4th of 5 years, and I still only have 1 CB, I need to go to the market to fix this".
 
FantasyIreland said:
Its odd,i agree.

Stones looks the perfect Pep player - composed,athletic,adaptable and technically very good,he's also the model professional in terms of attitude......so why he isn't ahead of Kompany i'm puzzled.
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Balance.

A fit Kompany/ Otamendi are your attack the ball, bully the star forward, give him a few digs etc etc defenders.

Laporte/ Stones are more ball playing, silky smooth ones.

One of each. Balance.
 
We need a new top quality centre half who can also play right back - Preferably right footed. Kompany, as proved on Wednesday has lost a yard of pace.
 
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