5 | John Stones - 2025/26

Withnail said:
There's not many cb's who are able to bring the ball out of defence like Boulders.
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Absolutely mate, but it's weird how few players can do it yet they all live with a ball at their feet.

Anyway, we'll get another great game out of him against Spurs when he'll go on England duty and get crocked again. If John stays fit we have every chance of winning things.
 
mexico1970 said:
Absolutely mate, but it's weird how few players can do it yet they all live with a ball at their feet.

Anyway, we'll get another great game out of him against Spurs when he'll go on England duty and get crocked again. If John stays fit we have every chance of winning things.
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Doubt it will happen, but I just wish he would retire from international football.
 
Would love him to put the club first and retire from international football

We would gladly extend his contract if he did

He’s our best centre half by some distance , I think there is an argument that he’s our best player full stop

Only injuries have prevented him from being talked about as a true great of the game
 
Withnail said:
Doubt it will happen, but I just wish he would retire from international football.
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What Stonesy has is a presence, he's one of those players who looks so comfortable with the ball it belies his size, most bigger players are a bit stiff always trying to figure out how to find their feet.

John has the feet of a midfielder in the body of a heavyweight boxer.
 
Monster. Makes everybody around him 10 times better. I maintain he was the one raising Dias' game when the majoirty claimed it was the other way around. He was also the one who even made Maguire look competent for England.

Remember when 90% of this forum wanted to give him to Arsenal for free several summers ago? He responded emphatically, this summer has seen a similar view fester...

we are all praying he can stay injury free but even if we do only get 15 games from him, thats enough to keep him.

you'll always have a defender or two that only plays that number of games usually through selection rather than injury so why have a bang average defender sitting on the bench ready to play half a dozen times when you can have a colossus play a similar number before getting injured.

Cant expect stones to retire from internationals ahead of a world cup year, I do think he'll probably pack it in afterwards though. We should be working out a mutually beneficial agreement with England. If Stones is fit, he starts for England, Its no question.

Tuchel probably wants him involved at all opportunities but there's surely a better chance of him making the world cup in good shape if he is given meaningless games off.
 
mexico1970 said:
Absolutely mate, but it's weird how few players can do it yet they all live with a ball at their feet.

Anyway, we'll get another great game out of him against Spurs when he'll go on England duty and get crocked again. If John stays fit we have every chance of winning things.
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Been said before he needs to fuck the England team off….
 
Just a really beautiful player to watch, which isn't the kind of thing you tend to be able to say about centre-backs. I always feel more confident when he's on the pitch.

Hope we can manage his minutes effectively. He needs rhythm but not overload. If his recovery period means he can't play more than once a week or even once a fortnight then let's cherry pick the matches we most want him in and let him play to that rhythm.

He's so good that when he's fit we want him to play all the time but that's not likely to be sustainable.
 
ninjamonkey said:
Monster. Makes everybody around him 10 times better. I maintain he was the one raising Dias' game when the majoirty claimed it was the other way around. He was also the one who even made Maguire look competent for England.

Remember when 90% of this forum wanted to give him to Arsenal for free several summers ago? He responded emphatically, this summer has seen a similar view fester...

we are all praying he can stay injury free but even if we do only get 15 games from him, thats enough to keep him.

you'll always have a defender or two that only plays that number of games usually through selection rather than injury so why have a bang average defender sitting on the bench ready to play half a dozen times when you can have a colossus play a similar number before getting injured.

Cant expect stones to retire from internationals ahead of a world cup year, I do think he'll probably pack it in afterwards though. We should be working out a mutually beneficial agreement with England. If Stones is fit, he starts for England, Its no question.

Tuchel probably wants him involved at all opportunities but there's surely a better chance of him making the world cup in good shape if he is given meaningless games off.
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I'm with you.

I've been arguing with posters for ages that Stones brings balance to Dias, whereas Dias without Stones is all over the gaff! It infuriates me that fellows posters can't see it.

The worst being that they think Dias is CAPT MATERIAL over Stones!! My head head explodes with that thought process! I mean WtAF!!

I'll never, never understand it!
 
Surely he will not retire from England in a WC year.

Possibly after with a new contract but I would be reluctant to give him one if I was City.
 
mexico1970 said:
Absolutely mate, but it's weird how few players can do it yet they all live with a ball at their feet.

Anyway, we'll get another great game out of him against Spurs when he'll go on England duty and get crocked again. If John stays fit we have every chance of winning things.
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I wish that John would retire from the England team and try and prolong his club career, but he's not going to do that in a World Cup year is he.
 
eastmanc said:
I wish that John would retire from the England team and try and prolong his club career, but he's not going to do that in a World Cup year is he.
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He's back in the cryogenics lab now until next Thursday's OS training pics are taken ;-)

Bigga said:
I'm with you.

I've been arguing with posters for ages that Stones brings balance to Dias, whereas Dias without Stones is all over the gaff! It infuriates me that fellows posters can't see it.

The worst being that they think Dias is CAPT MATERIAL over Stones!! My head head explodes with that thought process! I mean WtAF!!

I'll never, never understand it!
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Do what I say not what I do... = captain speak
 
Bigga said:
I'm with you.

I've been arguing with posters for ages that Stones brings balance to Dias, whereas Dias without Stones is all over the gaff! It infuriates me that fellows posters can't see it.

The worst being that they think Dias is CAPT MATERIAL over Stones!! My head head explodes with that thought process! I mean WtAF!!

I'll never, never understand it!
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With you fully on the Stones thing, his calming influence rubs off on dias who doesnt need to run around acting as a carer for his cb partner when he is with Stones.

I've got a slightly different take on the captaincy thing though. Certain players just don't need that responsibility. I never believed kdb should have been captain and walker certainly shouldn't have got it, Stones for me is another in the same bracket who you just want to leave to be excellent without the extra responsibility.

Dias does seem to thrive on being a visible and vocal leader and that kind of leadership does get certain players up for it so I've no issue with him being captain.

it's ultimately a trivial thing though as all senior players will contribute and act like captains in their own ways.
 
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