#5 | John Stones - 2020/21 Performances

[SebastianBlue]

So, so happy to see him play with this confidence and focus.

He was imperious. He didn’t put a foot wrong (yes, the back pass was down to a bad decision by Eddie, not Stones). Some of his defending in our box was, dare I say it, Vinnyesque.

Long may it continue!

 

[1.618034]

Yeah, but do you remember that time he didn't clear the ball properly against Liverpool...?

 

[Delphacito]

Look, I was a big time John Stones supporter, took a lot of shit for it over the years and one of the first in with praise for his recent performances, and even in that thread you posted from the transfer forum I said he was definitely staying this season.

But I laid out my position on Stones a long time ago...I'm not getting invested in him. If he comes back, great. If not, it no longer matters, we have 3 reliable centrebacks. If he does come back, I think it's quite likely he leaves anyway given his contract length, age and the 2 players ahead of him.

He also gets a massive free ride on here compared to other players for acting out in his personal life and letting it takeover and effect his professional life, which a few others in the squad would/do get absolutely murdered for.

I feel exactly the same way. He’s the bonus for us. The difference now is that we no longer have to depend on him with the addition of Dias and Ake so whatever positive contribution he can bring, I’ll be happy.

 

[blue aura]

I've got a lot of time for Stones. He seems to have got his body and mind back in shape, and long my it continue. Him and Dias look very calm and assured together.

 

[BoyataIsGod]

Awesome again yesterday, so good to see him in this kind of form with his confidence clearly flowing back.
He should be first name on the team sheet at this moment in time.

 

[Phil1]

I've always wanted Stones to succeed and prove us doubters wrong, myself included. He went from being a a reliable confident and assertive 22 year old with the world at his feet to an unreliable pub type plodder at an alarming rate. Pep didn't trust him preferring to trust an ageing CM to deputise his place whilst Stones sat on the bench looking on but rarely getting on the pitch. I believe he has suffered personal problems which had most probably been a big contributing factor in affecting his concentration and confidence to almost zero. It was baffling as to where the real John Stones was but it wasn't on the pitch, he looked scared and confused as a rabbit in headlights. I questioned whether he had the mentality to get back and command a starting place for us and get his England form as it looked like he could slip down the leagues for a good 12-18 months until very recently.

Something good has happened and I'm liking what I'm seeing. Early days yet but here's hoping. He is now playing for his place with desire and belief knocking balls about with confidence and accuracy and getting to being commanding in the air. Diaz is definitely helping John, Walker too and despite Laporte's recent loss of form, him too in training. Pep probably wanted to offload Stones to the highest bidder and wash his hands of him but nobody would stump up what we wanted and take a chance. I couldn't blame any big club tbh. He looked on a downward spiral to a football abyss down the leagues and I honestly thought he was done for at City.

But, I think Stones just needs to keep believing in himself and stay focused and he will become the excellent player we thought we had maturing nicely towards word class status to then seem to mysteriously be throwing his career down the pan, cos that's what it felt like to me.

He's still only 26 and could still help form a solid spine in the team. 4 CD's all fighting fort their place with a youngster, TH-B getting the odd game and minutes when games allow and learning all the time. It's good to see and a reliable LB will further strengthen our back line. We just need to start playing well with consistency putting teams to bed early with more pace and better finishing and we won't be far from the trophies, domestic at least. Silva has been a big loss but we must evolve into near where we were without him and it's up to Pep and backroom staff to get it right. Burnley and Fulham we have beaten which is always a good sign but a real test comes next weekend. If we switch off the rags are capable of destroying us. Next weekend will tell us a lot more about our hopes and fears and all our players must be at their best to beat United who took Wet Spam apart with 3 well worked and well taken goals.

Two of those goals shouldn’t have counted tbf.

 

[fulabeer]

I've never understood why we bought him and why we paid so much.
I feel we have just been waiting for him to come good. Yet season after season that simply hasn't happened.
I've never thought we missed him when he hasn't played.
I've since seen a few quotes about "personal issues" being resolved, and i have no idea what those were.
I alway assumed it was a injury/confidence thing with him.

However, he suddenly looks the part. And surely more game time can only improve that.
I just hope people don't come down on him if he does make a few mistakes.
Any player at the back will make the odd one. I just feel for him he will be on trial for some time.

 

[mccity]

I've never understood why we bought him and why we paid so much.
I feel we have just been waiting for him to come good. Yet season after season that simply hasn't happened.
I've never thought we missed him when he hasn't played.
I've since seen a few quotes about "personal issues" being resolved, and i have no idea what those were.
I alway assumed it was a injury/confidence thing with him.

However, he suddenly looks the part. And surely more game time can only improve that.
I just hope people don't come down on him if he does make a few mistakes.
Any player at the back will make the odd one. I just feel for him he will be on trial for some time.

Were you watching the 1st halves of the 17/18 or 18/19 season by any chance?

 

[BLUEMATT23]

Good game yesterday again.
Has the Coronavirus situation reignited his fire?

 

[br88]

Awesome again yesterday, so good to see him in this kind of form with his confidence clearly flowing back.
He should be first name on the team sheet at this moment in time.

Let's not get too carried away here. Stones has faced only Fulham and Burnley who barely had a kick and therefore put very little pressure on our defenders. Let's see how he plays when the pressure is on against top quality attackers.