5 | John Stones - 2022/23

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Came on and the defence looked far more solid in an instant. Time for Pep to stop fucking around with Akanji and Ake and give the CB positions to those that have proven that they can consistently play at a top-class level. That means rotate between Stones, Dias and Laporte and the other two see minutes if and when there is injuries.
 
OrigamiNinja said:
Came on and the defence looked far more solid in an instant. Time for Pep to stop fucking around with Akanji and Ake and give the CB positions to those that have proven that they can consistently play at a top-class level. That means rotate between Stones, Dias and Laporte and the other two see minutes if and when there is injuries.
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Why is Ake's name thrown in there?

Akanji was shaky in this game but Ake was a leftback and has been great for us every game he played.
 
WallyA said:
Why is Ake's name thrown in there?

Akanji was shaky in this game but Ake was a leftback and has been great for us every game he played.
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Ake is our 4th/5th CB and 2nd best LB. At what other team would he see as many minutes as he does here? What other team consistently rotates in their at best 4th choice CB and/or 2nd LB? This isn’t a dig specifically at Ake or Akanji but since this consistent rotation started, the quality of our defensive work has fallen off a cliff. Tonight, Ake did ok, but you could point the finger at his work on both goals. Not directly at fault but poisitionally questionable, especially on the 1st where he is in no-mans land.

Unless Ake is good enough to replace the 3/4 in front of him, as in actually replace them in the side, he shouldn’t be playing consistently. Ake is a decent defender but he is at least one level below those in front of him.
 
OrigamiNinja said:
Came on and the defence looked far more solid in an instant. Time for Pep to stop fucking around with Akanji and Ake and give the CB positions to those that have proven that they can consistently play at a top-class level. That means rotate between Stones, Dias and Laporte and the other two see minutes if and when there is injuries.
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He just oozes class, best English cb by a mile. When he is on his game, everything seems easy for John. I think you are a bit harsh on Ake, his performances this season have been very consistent and certainly better than Dias.
 
OrigamiNinja said:
Ake is our 4th/5th CB and 2nd best LB. At what other team would he see as many minutes as he does here? What other team consistently rotates in their at best 4th choice CB and/or 2nd LB? This isn’t a dig specifically at Ake or Akanji but since this consistent rotation started, the quality of our defensive work has fallen off a cliff. Tonight, Ake did ok, but you could point the finger at his work on both goals. Not directly at fault but poisitionally questionable, especially on the 1st where he is in no-mans land.

Unless Ake is good enough to replace the 3/4 in front of him, as in actually replace them in the side, he shouldn’t be playing consistently. Ake is a decent defender but he is at least one level below those in front of him.
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Disagree with you if you do not rate Ake.

Been one of our most consistent performers and hard to fault him for the goals.
 
Withnail said:
He just oozes class, best English cb by a mile. When he is on his game, everything seems easy for John. I think you are a bit harsh on Ake, his performances this season have been very consistent and certainly better than Dias.
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Dias reached a level a couple of years ago that Ake wouldn’t reach if he played in the Prem for the next 50 years. We’ve gone from having the best defence to keystone cops at the back. We have the same keeper, the best CDM in the world in front of them, and the make-up of the team is essentially the same, so I have to believe that the likes of Dias are suffering form wise, due to the lack of continuity in the defensive set-up.

As I said, it isn’t a dig at Ake or Akanji, who both on the face of it look decent enough players but someone like Stones being pushed to RB to accommodate Ake/Akanji is just plain crazy. I know Pep likes to have a harmonious dressing room, but you can’t do it to the detriment of the side. For context…I think we all love Alvarez but if Pep consistently dropped Haaland to give him game-time we would think Pep was on glue. Same here…Ake decent…others proven to be better.
 
Withnail said:
He just oozes class, best English cb by a mile. When he is on his game, everything seems easy for John. I think you are a bit harsh on Ake, his performances this season have been very consistent and certainly better than Dias.
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It’s amazing how much composure he brings. There was a point in the second half when it became a bit pinbally at the back and he took a touch and played a pass through the lines to Rodri.

He’s the perfect Pep CB which is why I’m always amazed that he isn’t first choice for him and hasn’t been since 2020/21 season unless it’s Pep managing his game time.
 
OrigamiNinja said:
Dias reached a level a couple of years ago that Ake wouldn’t reach if he played in the Prem for the next 50 years. We’ve gone from having the best defence to keystone cops at the back. We have the same keeper, the best CDM in the world in front of them, and the make-up of the team is essentially the same, so I have to believe that the likes of Dias are suffering form wise, due to the lack of continuity in the defensive set-up.

As I said, it isn’t a dig at Ake or Akanji, who both on the face of it look decent enough players but someone like Stones being pushed to RB to accommodate Ake/Akanji is just plain crazy. I know Pep likes to have a harmonious dressing room, but you can’t do it to the detriment of the side. For context…I think we all love Alvarez but if Pep consistently dropped Haaland to give him game-time we would think Pep was on glue. Same here…Ake decent…others proven to be better.
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All fell apart when Walker got injured. The high line depends on his recovery pace.
 
Top class again. Don’t think he put a foot wrong all night. In a high tempo game like that, you’d be hard pushed to find any player anywhere who could say that.
 
Little run up the line first half was fun, what was even better was he was boxed in by 3 of them at the end and still came out with possession.

He's a cracking player
 
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