5 | John Stones - 2025/26

ninjamonkey said:
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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Well, I agree totally with @johnny crossan.

In footy, you get doers and talkers. Dias does a LOT of talking, Stones just does it. Bails him out all the time and calms him. If you're busy doing the talking and not a master in your own position, that's not captain material for me. Being a loud cheerleader doesn't mean anything. There's a pride behind leading a talented team at City, that's why it matters to be the captain, in my eyes.

The difference with the examples you gave is that De Bruyne should have been the Capt except injury robbed him of the armband, so Walker (the original deputy took it). De Bruyne drove his team mates by example as did the other worthy holders before him under Guardiola (Walker being the outlier).

Dias has none of those qualities, so we'll agree to disagree on capt worthiness.
 
Stones > Dias. Don’t know why that’s even a discussion. Stones just does his job while Dias is screaming around. That’s the difference. Out strongest pair is probably Stones & Gvardiol in terms of pure defense probably Stones and Ake.
Happy with Stonesy. I was one who wanted him to move to open a path for Reis and Khusanov but I was proven wrong. Still our best CB.
 
He doesn't need to be called up for pointless england friendlies, Tuchel should clearly know he is a starter, but will likely select him and run him into the ground regardless.
 
Bigga said:
Well, I agree totally with @johnny crossan.

In footy, you get doers and talkers. Dias does a LOT of talking, Stones just does it. Bails him out all the time and calms him. If you're busy doing the talking and not a master in your own position, that's not captain material for me. Being a loud cheerleader doesn't mean anything. There's a pride behind leading a talented team at City, that's why it matters to be the captain, in my eyes.

The difference with the examples you gave is that De Bruyne should have been the Capt except injury robbed him of the armband, so Walker (the original deputy took it). De Bruyne drove his team mates by example as did the other worthy holders before him under Guardiola (Walker being the outlier).

Dias has none of those qualities, so we'll agree to disagree on capt worthiness.
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For what its worth I couldn't agree more with that. I often wish Ruben would just shut up and concentrate on his own game. John does seem to calm him down and maybe they will get back to a strong partnership. I would rather see John and Josko though. Now there are two rolls royces in the same back line.
 
Bigga said:
Well, I agree totally with @johnny crossan.

In footy, you get doers and talkers. Dias does a LOT of talking, Stones just does it. Bails him out all the time and calms him. If you're busy doing the talking and not a master in your own position, that's not captain material for me. Being a loud cheerleader doesn't mean anything. There's a pride behind leading a talented team at City, that's why it matters to be the captain, in my eyes.

The difference with the examples you gave is that De Bruyne should have been the Capt except injury robbed him of the armband, so Walker (the original deputy took it). De Bruyne drove his team mates by example as did the other worthy holders before him under Guardiola (Walker being the outlier).

Dias has none of those qualities, so we'll agree to disagree on capt worthiness.
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With respect.
There's some strange revisionism going on here. In the treble season they were perfectly complementary. And the season before that. I posted just the other day that they were the best central pairing I've ever seen at City (and I go back to George Heslop!) Sure, Días did talking with his mouth — that's his temperament — but he did plenty of talking with his feet too. No need to choose, the one was necessary to the other.
What I will concede is that there are clear signs, last season and maybe on Saturday, that he is slowing down and becoming more uncertain in his decision making. But I can tell you that last season I was bloody glad to see him back, mouthiness and all, to put some order in that clown show that the defence had become last November and December.
Anyway, it's the John Stones thread. And I am happy to concur that Johnny was superb on Saturday.
 
Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
Ok, @Eccles Blue, I'll admit it, I'd kind of forgotten just what a Rolls-Royce of a player he is.
If only he can stay fit…???

?

When he's on it, he is the closest thing in the modern game to the Bobby Moore who first inspired me along with the others in ’66. And I don't give higher praise than that.
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Definitely no higher praise. :-)
 
Its great when @EcclesBlue lets John play with the big boys, would love to see Kush get some game time with John so he can help him through a game like John helps Slabhead in England games.
Boulders with big Dave Watson oh fucking yes :-)
 
Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
With respect.
There's some strange revisionism going on here. In the treble season they were perfectly complementary. And the season before that. I posted just the other day that they were the best central pairing I've ever seen at City (and I go back to George Heslop!) Sure, Días did talking with his mouth — that's his temperament — but he did plenty of talking with his feet too. No need to choose, the one was necessary to the other.
What I will concede is that there are clear signs, last season and maybe on Saturday, that he is slowing down and becoming more uncertain in his decision making. But I can tell you that last season I was bloody glad to see him back, mouthiness and all, to put some order in that clown show that the defence had become last November and December.
Anyway, it's the John Stones thread. And I am happy to concur that Johnny was superb on Saturday.
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And with good respect to yourself, it's not revisionist to say what I said.

Too many times, more often than not, I've seen Dias try to cover his defensive partner's decisions when Stones isn't next to him, leading to position confusion in the defence. Not sure why he does it that much, but it's annoying not to know when to choose your battles on the pitch.

I'm not saying he's shit, I'm saying he should trust a partner, that is not Stones, to take charge and only last minute cover like Stones does with him.
 
Bigga said:
And with good respect to yourself, it's not revisionist to say what I said.

Too many times, more often than not, I've seen Dias try to cover his defensive partner's decisions when Stones isn't next to him, leading to position confusion in the defence. Not sure why he does it that much, but it's annoying not to know when to choose your battles on the pitch.

I'm not saying he's shit, I'm saying he should trust a partner, that is not Stones, to take charge and only last minute cover like Stones does with him.
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This is my only worry about the defenders this season. I really feel we some stability in that part of the line up this season so we can establish a real partnership that trusts eachother and can anticipate the others play - I think that only comes with consistent game time. I know you can’t have the same pair play 70+ games but maybe two distinct pairs?
 
He has been nearly as big a miss as Rodders and having both of them out totally ripped the heart out of our team. He was so good at the weekend, nothing too flashy but there were occasions where he stepped forward at pace, that no other defender at the club can do. He truly is a Rolls-Royce and I just have everything crossed he can stay fit for a lot more games this season.
 
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