John Stones

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

I don't think that's fair. I don't think anyone's really argued the case that we should buy an experienced CB instead, certainly haven't seen any reasonably linked to us. From what I've seen people are unconvinced by the youngsters linked, which is fair enough, and I don't think it's unreasonable to say that chucking 7 of them into the first team next year is a bit much and leaves us a little over-exposed, and no that isn't a modern day Hansen. Stones & Laporte on the first day next season as the CB pairing is a little unnerving, but if you pay that level of money they'll bump Mangala out and maybe Ota too (even though I think he should be first choice).

Besides you can build with the youth and experience of Kroos (26), Gundogan (25), Thiago (25) & Isco (24). Hardly old fogeys ;).

Who said throw them all in at once? I also clearly state that in 2/3 years we could benefit from recruiting in such a way... I'm alluding to them playing around experience, which we still have in abundance... We've seen with sterling how the dogs will bite, however, managed correctly we could potentially have a core of players for the next 8/9 years. Personally I can play the long game, rebuilding is a fine art, one which only 2 clubs have had sustainable success over a 20 year period can testify to...

 

[argyle]

People are also oblivious to the need to rebuild with potential, which is inevitably youth... I'd be excited to see a core of

Stones
Laporte
Sterling
Nacho
Denayer
Sane
KDB

Average age 21, in 2/3 years they could be outstanding, virtually a new spine and that's not accounting for a few others pep will bring through..

No Pogba in the list? :(

 

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

No Pogba in the list? :(

He's too old (:

 

[Bluearmy]

Think this has already been mentioned but just in case anyone missed it...


MCFC Info ‏@MCFClnfo 3h3 hours ago
Stones already purchased a new home close to a number of City's players in Hale, Cheshire. [Sport in a Storm]

MCFC Info ‏@MCFClnfo 3h3 hours ago
Stones was also not seen leaving the Etihad with the rest of his England colleagues following Sunday's 2-1 friendly victory against Turkey.


MCFC Info ‏@MCFClnfo 3h3 hours ago
John Stones is set to snub Manchester United and seal a move to rivals City. [Sport in a Storm]

30 retweets42 likes

No big news about the house this way... Loads have lived that way down the years!

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

Who said throw them all in at once? I also clearly state that in 2/3 years we could benefit from recruiting in such a way... I'm alluding to them playing around experience, which we still have in abundance... We've seen with sterling how the dogs will bite, however, managed correctly we could potentially have a core of players for the next 8/9 years. Personally I can play the long game, rebuilding is a fine art, one which only 2 clubs have had sustainable success over a 20 year period can testify to...

well you're not going to put them in the squad now and not play them, so it was a logical leap that they'd have to form a key part of the squad next season.

People bite at Sterling for the same I reason I bite at Delph, because they saw someone who's better now who plays at a rival and they want them here. Difference is Sterling will turn out great, Delph will always be bobbins. Same way people want Sanchez, Isco, Kroos, Thiago, Gundogan, Aubameyang, people want us to buy the best and the biggest shiny new toy. For many years we didn't do that despite our resources, so links to English players we see every week and who have developing to do, as well as the links to nutjobs like Wilshere, disappoint and therefore irritate people. Some see the resources, see the calibre of player others are seemingly able to buy, and then wonder how we manage to assemble a team where half of them look like they've never kicked a football before.

 

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

Some see the resources, see the calibre of player others are seemingly able to buy, and then wonder how we manage to assemble a team where half of them look like they've never kicked a football before.

I coin this a 'manuel syndrome'... It will be night and day for a majority of this squad under pep..

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

I coin this a 'manuel syndrome'... It will be night and day for a majority of this squad under pep..

No, I just think Txiki forgot to take his eye mask off when he got off the plane on his scouting jaunts to Portugal, Swansea and Birmingham.

 

[RichardDunneOwnGoal]

Stones V Fulham

Stones v Chelsea

Pay attention to how hard both Chelsea and Fulham find it to press against a defense with Stones in it.

Watch how aggressively Fulham attempts the press early, and pay attention to how it slowly dissipates as they get no fruit.

Pay attention to him pocketting the Nut job Chelsea striker. And making mince meat of their pressure.

Watch Barry multiple times point to Stones when the ball is with another defender or player under pressure. Stones is almost ever available for a pass.

On the Chelaea breakaway that Stones blocks, watch how he calmly tells his goalie to cover the near post before he attacks the striker from a fantastic angle, giving him only the near post poor option.

This is what he does constantly game in game out. Confident, comfortable, always organizing men with years of experience over him. On multiple occasions you can see him pointing correctly to where the teammates need to be to break the press.

And when it comes to defending, he is as strong into the tackle as anyone else.

I for the life of me don't know how anyone can conclude after actually watching him, that he is shit or poor. Barry and Jageilka differ to him constantly. It's not coz they are stupid.

He is bloody Intelligent. His footballing IQ is beyond that of most of his teammates. Watch him over a series of games and this jumps out at you.

Curling together a series of team errors from 30 games and adding one or two ( yes, admittedly horrendous mistakes) and then concluding that a player is shit, is fucking asinine. I could put together a Kompany collage of errors from 11-12 when he was in fact the best defender in the world.

This reputation of Stones does my head in :?

- Jones Stones

- Football IQ

Pick one.

This is the lad that lost Martial in the final minute of the biggest game he's ever played in, to cost his team a chance at a cup final (and don't come back at me trying to white wash it like I've seen you do before Dax, he was absolutely culpable in that goal).

Fair enough, he can play it around nicely at the back - so can Denayer, and he won't cost us £45m.

Have you got a compilation vid of all the times he's lost his man and cost his team a goal this season, Dax? All the times he's made poor challenges in the area (Sterling comes to mind), all the times he's given away the ball in key positions or switched off at key times and failed to recognise danger?

I've said it before, but I'm adamant that if this was a Dutch player in the Eredivise we were talking about, he'd be going for no more than £15m and the vast majority on here would be saying he isn't worth the punt and that we should look at alternatives/trust Denayer.

He's done next to nothing to warrant the hype surrounding him at present, as far as I'm concerned. The last thing we need next season is another unreliable pet project at the back, in the heart of the defence. He might go on to become a player wroth relying on one day, but at the moment, he's miles off, and I don't believe he's at all worth the gamble that he may amount to something one day at forty five fucking million pounds.

We could use our budget much more wisely as far as I'm concerned.

 

[argyle]

He's too old (:

 

[Bluearmy]

I don't doubt that. But that ia neither here nor there. The question you should ask though is whether he is shit or not?The answer to that question is absolutely not!

You might think Romagnoli, or Sule, or Tah or some other young up and coming defender is better, and they perhaps even cheaper. Fine question the intelligence of wasting money on expensive buys when equally talented but cheaper options are available. I do whine about that a lot too. But to conclude Stones is shit is simply beyond factual. He simply isn't.


His had one horrendous game I've seen all season, against Liverpool. I only wished his price dovetailed with his reputation, coz we'd have been getting a steal if it did. Bit Everton isn't stupid. They see him in practice daily. They see internationals differing to a 20 yearold. Mourihno and Pep salivating. All this isn't happening because they read a news article about him. It's from watching.

Anyone who does will see it. HW is simply a good young footballer.

Guess you didnt see the Stoke game. Or the villa game. Or the Watford game. Or the Southampton game. Or the United game. The semi against us. Or the England game at the weekend...?? :)

 

[Proy]

I'm struggling to get my head around the waste that appears to be Mangala. Whoever made that call needs not to be involved in this one.

He's raw potential at the moment for similar money to Mangala, who is also raw potential.

It's bothering me that we've wasted so much money on centre backs. For 40 million I want 26/27 year old who is the finished article.

 

[Dax777]

- Jones Stones

- Football IQ

Pick one.

This is the lad that lost Martial in the final minute of the biggest game he's ever played in, to cost his team a chance at a cup final (and don't come back at me trying to white wash it like I've seen you do before Dax, he was absolutely culpable in that goal).
.

Even though I disagree with your claim, and have used video to show it was primarily the midfielder who inexplicable decided to let Martial go that was really at fault. But that's neither here nor there. We'll agree to disagree.

The point here is anytime anyone wants to argue how shitty Stones is, they base it on single instances in games across a season. The truth is you could do the same for Kompany. The inexplicable no man's land missed header against Aston Villa, the shank against Liverpool, th crocrodile necking against Bayern etc. If I search my brain long enough I can come up with 20 example s easy. And if I decide to start using the silly logic of trying to accuse him for being at fault anytime he is around the area, I can easily add another 20 more. And this wouldn't include the ones that didn't lead to goals.

Fair enough, he can play it around nicely at the back - so can Denayer, and he won't cost us £45m.

It is all nice and good we love Denayer and he will develop, but it's not just playing it in the back, it's organizing players to comfortably beat presses. Even Kompany at 30 isn't doing that. This is a skill far beyond his age. I don't know why you guys don't see it. It's that clear

have you got a compilation vid of all the times he's lost his man and cost his team a goal this season, Dax? All the times he's made poor challenges in the area (Sterling comes to mind), all the times he's given away the ball in key positions or switched off at key times and failed to recognise danger?

No I don't. But I can assure you it's probably no more than Ota's, Mangalas or any averagely good defender in the league. And there in lies the error in reasoning. Reputation has led many to conclude he loses his man anymore than say Kompany. He doesn't. They lose their men at about the same rate.

ive said it before, but I'm adamant that if this was a Dutch player in the Eredivise we were talking about, he'd be going for no more than £15m and the vast majority on here would be saying he isn't worth the punt and that we should look at alternatives/trust Denayer

Actually if history is prelude, most here would have been all about him, as he wouldn't have the made up commentary based bad reputation... For fuck sake, Mangala!!!!

He's done next to nothing to warrant the hype surrounding him at present,

On this we absolutely agree. He's done nothing to deserve the hype of being a goal causing shit defender.

as far as I'm concerned. The last thing we need next season is another unreliable pet project at the back, in the heart of the defence. He might go on to become a player wroth relying on one day, but at the moment, he's miles off, and I don't believe he's at all worth the gamble that he may amount to something one day at forty five fucking million pounds.

We could use our budget much more wisely as far as I'm concerned.

Well don't think he is miles off. Expensive? Yes. Good? I have no doubts.

 

[Dax777]

How anyone can be impressed by that is beyond me. He passes the ball like any other defender does...often inaccurately. People accuse Mangala of being a poor passer but I see nothing worse than Stones. Dunno could do the same.

Can he actually defend?

Lol. Watch Mangala on the ball. The moment he gets it he is under constant panic until he passes it on.
Watch Stonnes on the other hand and you see a defender who is engaged in possession. A player who opens his hips when passing because he intends to participate in the next phase of required.

He is organizng players comfortablu while on the ball. Pointing out where players need to be, feigning where he wants to go to move the opposition away from who he actually intends to pass it to.

It's not just the passes folks. Watch closes. Pau attention to what he is doing to ease pressure, increase possession and reduce attacks on his team.

Can he defend? By that you mean can he tackle? Apparently as much as Mangala and more often than Kompany.

 

[taleofbluehalves]

Hopefully Pep will sort out our midfield and pressing so that the defence won't be exposed as it was time after time last session. Any defender would struggle with the lack of protection we gave them at times. Maybe there will be less jogging back by our left back?

 

[Bill]

Lol. Watch Mangala on the ball. The moment he gets it he is under constant panic until he passes it on.
Watch Stonnes on the other hand and you see a defender who is engaged in possession. A player who opens his hips when passing because he intends to participate in the next phase of required.

He is organizng players comfortablu while on the ball. Pointing out where players need to be, feigning where he wants to go to move the opposition away from who he actually intends to pass it to.

It's not just the passes folks. Watch closes. Pau attention to what he is doing to ease pressure, increase possession and reduce attacks on his team.

Can he defend? By that you mean can he tackle? Apparently as much as Mangala and more often than Kompany.

On the money

 

[Delphacito]

As much as you need muscles, you need brain more to become a football player. Mangala is a physical beast but he relied on his athleticism too much instead of his thinking. He can pocket any attackers 1 on 1 but football is not a 1 on 1 game. This is not ping pong. Like Dax pointed and I have too on many occasions, Mangala plays hot potato with the ball. Everytime he passes the ball away you can feel his relief emanating from his body. He would cripple our team in Pep's system. You don't need athleticism to be a good defender. Cannavaro - the only recent Ballon d' Or winner who's a defender - was standing at a towering 1.72m.

Systems matters. Unless you're Messi or Ronaldo, what system you play in makes a lot of difference. Case in point - Higuain. You think the water in Naples has something to do with him turning into a record goalscorer? No, it's his system. It fits him better than the one in Madrid.

Mangala in other system? Could be world class.
Mangala in Pep's system? Nightmare.
Stones in Martinez's system? Many mistakes.
Stones in Pep's system? Match made in heaven.

Pep is a jockey and he knows exactly what kind of horse he needs. Let's not question our jockey now.

 

[TonyM]

Lol. Watch Mangala on the ball. The moment he gets it he is under constant panic until he passes it on.
Watch Stonnes on the other hand and you see a defender who is engaged in possession. A player who opens his hips when passing because he intends to participate in the next phase of required.

He is organizng players comfortablu while on the ball. Pointing out where players need to be, feigning where he wants to go to move the opposition away from who he actually intends to pass it to.

It's not just the passes folks. Watch closes. Pau attention to what he is doing to ease pressure, increase possession and reduce attacks on his team.

Can he defend? By that you mean can he tackle? Apparently as much as Mangala and more often than Kompany.

Sorry but Stones IMO passes like a professional footballer, i.e. like the average defender does. Nothing special.

If Stones comes at an average price for a defender then that's cool but to pay premium for the myth and where he was born is repeating ridiculousness. Same madness as last season with Sterling. We are like a gambler with access to the life savings.

 

[flb]

Sorry but Stones IMO passes like a professional footballer, i.e. like the average defender does. Nothing special.

If Stones comes at an average price for a defender then that's cool but to pay premium for the myth and where he was born is repeating ridiculousness. Same madness as last season with Sterling. We are like a gambler with access to the life savings.

We are no different to any other top PL club when it comes to player purchases-look at the shit United have signed over the past two seasons ditto Chelsea and certainly the scousers.

We will see a big big difference in the players at the club next season-apart from Bony of course who is simply dreadful.

Stones is 21-sometimes you have to buy potential, our bad buys of recent are so called established internationals, Txiki has been average so far in bringing good players in but for me we have to trust who Pep wants us to buy, Stones will undoubtedly improve at City.

 

[TonyM]

Look don't sign Stones and I'll explain to Pep when I see him. No panic.

 

[Larry Stranger]

Hopefully Pep will sort out our midfield and pressing so that the defence won't be exposed as it was time after time last session. Any defender would struggle with the lack of protection we gave them at times. Maybe there will be less jogging back by our left back?

Yup Pep will know how to cover players weakness and play to their strengths. He probably won't tell the full backs to bomb forward as much and have the midfield control the game.