5 | John Stones - 2024/25

[Keeper!]

Paul McGrath was playing darts down the pub.

Magnificent footballer.

 

[Xhavenjoe]

Akanji - 30 (2357)
Dias - 23 (1673)
Stones - 19 (1091)
Ake - 19 (966)
Khusanov - 3 (234)
Simpson-Pusey - 5 (222)

I didn't realise Stones and Akes minutes were so low.
If you add their minutes together it is 2057 which is roughly 23 full games between them.
That is less than Akanji on his own.

 

[Shazza458]

I didn't realise Stones and Akes minutes were so low.
If you add their minutes together it is 2057 which is roughly 23 full games between them.
That is less than Akanji on his own.

Akanji was properly thrown under the bus this season, I don’t care what anyone says. You could just tell he was fatigued and out of form due to having to play so much.

 

[Williecaballerno]

We are in the shit because we kept players past their best, we won titles by being relentless and if we are keeping players on who spend too much time in the recovery room than on the pitch we are doing it wrong.

What a performance against Newcastle but we can't carry all these players based on sentimentality, love the guy to death but get rid.

All of our centre halves are injury prone. We can’t get rid of them all in the summer. My point being if it comes down to keeping one of Stones Ake or Akanji I would keep Stones for the reasons I’ve outlined. Not because of sentiment. But because he is the the best of the 3 crocks.

 

[WestGorton]

Akanji was properly thrown under the bus this season, I don’t care what anyone says. You could just tell he was fatigued and out of form due to having to play so much.

Akanji has been the most reliable in fitness terms for three seasons.

 

[WestGorton]

Akanji has been the most reliable in fitness terms for three seasons.

Two and a half now

 

[Williecaballerno]

No point paying players who aren’t fit half the time. Stones is yet another who we have kept 3yrs too long.

Thankfully we kept him a year longer and he is now a treble winner

 

[mexico1970]

All of our centre halves are injury prone. We can’t get rid of them all in the summer. My point being if it comes down to keeping one of Stones Ake or Akanji I would keep Stones for the reasons I’ve outlined. Not because of sentiment. But because he is the the best of the 3 crocks.

Stones has played the least games he should be gone, keeping players on past their best is why we are in the position we are now, it's even going to get worse as he gets older.

BTW what footballing law says we shouldn't replace say Stones and Ake in one season? It's more of a liability to keep them.

 

[Keeper!]

Akanji has been the most reliable in fitness terms for three seasons.

Agreed but playing a ridiculous amount of minutes and having no rest in the Summer ( Euros) has pushed him past the limits sadly.

He's been our best defender for two seasons.

 

[Txiki Txiki Bang Bang]

Stones has played the least games he should be gone, keeping players on past their best is why we are in the position we are now, it's even going to get worse as he gets older.

BTW what footballing law says we shouldn't replace say Stones and Ake in one season? It's more of a liability to keep them.

Stones is unreplaceable apparently, not sure why or how but that's the consensus here

 

[Paul1970]

Great defender when fit but never fit so needs to be moved on because in all my years of watching football I cannot remember a player more injury prone .

 

[eastmanc]

Great defender when fit but never fit so needs to be moved on because in all my years of watching football I cannot remember a player more injury prone .

Ake has played less than him this season.

 

[mexico1970]

Ake has played less than him this season.

But many many more over the last 3 seasons, John has nearly always struggled with being injury free.

He's going to get worse not better.

 

[Shazza458]

Agreed but playing a ridiculous amount of minutes and having no rest in the Summer ( Euros) has pushed him past the limits sadly.

He's been our best defender for two seasons.

They’ll keep Akanji 100% - he doesn’t take up a massive chunk of the wage bill

 

[eastmanc]

But many many more over the last 3 seasons, John has nearly always struggled with being injury free.

He's going to get worse not better.

To be honest, this season all our central defenders have been injury prone, this along with Rodri getting injured has really fucked our season up.

 

[shevtheblue]

Since he joined City in 17/18 he has missed 419 days due to injuries, that's insane. His ability could have had him as an all-timer but unfortunately i don't think his body will ever allow him. City have one of the best medical departments in all of football so you would assume they have him doing everything possible, diet and yoga etc, but it's never worked except that one treble season. Depending on his wages we may keep him around as a 5th or 6th choice, but as proven this season we just can't rely on him unfortunately.

 

[skillman]

Pep played him 4 games in a row, it's not a surprise he's broken down, the only way he can stay on is if we manage his games like Kompany.

This is still baffling/annoying me.

Not only that, one of those games was centre midfield which would’ve put more strain on him than usual!

 

[CC1]

This is still baffling/annoying me.

Not only that, one of those games was centre midfield which would’ve put more strain on him than usual!

We have had few options - and they were important games

 

[skillman]

We have had few options - and they were important games

Ake was on the bench and available on Wednesday.

 

[mexico1970]

To be honest, this season all our central defenders have been injury prone, this along with Rodri getting injured has really fucked our season up.

I'm not singling out Stones for our bad season mate, just the fact he's always injured and it has been a few seasons now.


We are in the shit because we haven't shelved him, we kept Kyle too long too,