#5 | John Stones - 2020/21 Performances

[IBlue]

I see that dodgy goalkeeper Pope got a free pass last night for passing the ball behind Stones, making him check and take it on his left, hence the touch to get it out of his feet and on to his right?

Still not excuse for John not to get it clear but there were two or three occasions last night when Pope smashed one right at him and it almost cannoned into the goal, and another when John was holding off the attacker for Pope to come and he fucking bottled it and dropped it.

What a fucking appalling goalkeeper he is.

If Ederson had made that pass Stones would've given it him back straight away, you cannot do that with Pope. Unfortunately if a keeper can't deal with passing from the back don't ask him to do it. Then try and find one that can. Compromise on his stopping abilities if that's the style you want to play

 

[Didsbury Dave]

It's a big psychological test for John after this, his first mistake of the entire season. Has he now developed the strength of character to shrug this one off? I hope and believe so.

What is frustrating, though, is that he will now enter that groupthink pub fan dictionary, where fans who know nothing about football parrot the same cliches to each other and they become accepted even if they are not true. Sterling is shit, Pep overthinks the Champions League, Walcott has no end product, Hart gets too pumped up, You can't play Gerrard and Lampard in the same team etc.

Stones is going to have to live with millions of young men in pubs drinking bottled lager who've never set foot on a football pitch going "He's always got a howler in him" for the next ten years, even though I suspect he's made fewer mistakes than any other centre half in England over the last year.

 

[FantasyIreland]

I see that dodgy goalkeeper Pope got a free pass last night for passing the ball behind Stones, making him check and take it on his left, hence the touch to get it out of his feet and on to his right?

Still not excuse for John not to get it clear but there were two or three occasions last night when Pope smashed one right at him and it almost cannoned into the goal, and another when John was holding off the attacker for Pope to come and he fucking bottled it and dropped it.

What a fucking appalling goalkeeper he is.

Its fucking mental that a guy who is used to playing Sean Dyce 'tactics' is seen as England's No.1.

 

[Blue Til Death]

Stones has been imperious this season, he made one error, which he addressed with a fantastic assist.. Nothing to see here at all, he’s fuckin brilliant and wouldn’t swap him for anybody...

 

[BlackBond]

It's a big psychological test for John after this, his first mistake of the entire season. Has he now developed the strength of character to shrug this one off? I hope and believe so.

What is frustrating, though, is that he will now enter that groupthink pub fan dictionary, where fans who know nothing about football parrot the same cliches to each other and they become accepted even if they are not true. Sterling is shit, Pep overthinks the Champions League, Walcott has no end product, Hart gets too pumped up, You can't play Gerrard and Lampard in the same team etc.

Stones is going to have to live with millions of young men in pubs drinking bottled lager who've never set foot on a football pitch going "He's always got a howler in him" for the next ten years, even though I suspect he's made fewer mistakes than any other centre half in England over the last year.

He made a mistake like Ruben Dias made a mistake like Sergio Ramos made a mistake and Aymeric Laporte made a mistake (Tottenham in champions league). We all know central defenders in any club will make at least one of two mistakes a year and i prefer him to make his mistake in this game rather than doing it in Champions league semi-final.

Messi miss penalties in big occasions and it doesn't change the player he is. It's the same for John Stones.

 

[super_city_si]

If Ederson had made that pass Stones would've given it him back straight away, you cannot do that with Pope. Unfortunately if a keeper can't deal with passing from the back don't ask him to do it. Then try and find one that can. Compromise on his stopping abilities if that's the style you want to play

Stupid to have ball playing center backs and a philosophy to play it out and then have a goalie that can barely kick it. completely removes one element of the triangle

 

[ninjamonkey]

I see that dodgy goalkeeper Pope got a free pass last night for passing the ball behind Stones, making him check and take it on his left, hence the touch to get it out of his feet and on to his right?

Still not excuse for John not to get it clear but there were two or three occasions last night when Pope smashed one right at him and it almost cannoned into the goal, and another when John was holding off the attacker for Pope to come and he fucking bottled it and dropped it.

What a fucking appalling goalkeeper he is.

A free pass? It was discussed more than Stones' actual fuck up post match. The pass wasn't good but it was the right side for a bad pass in terms of it being played too far behind stones and not too far infront leaving him with a hospital ball, stones had an age to do whatever he wanted with it, he simply fucked up. It happens, just grateful it happened for England.

The one where stones was holding off the striker was another stones error, he unintentionally touched it whilst shielding it back, Pope actually did well initially not to pick it up before weirdly dithering on it and almost losing it. Pope is a decent keeper, he's just a 90's keeper that only knows how to use his feet when hoofing it clear

 

[sky_blue]

A free pass? It was discussed more than Stones' actual fuck up post match. The pass wasn't good but it was the right side for a bad pass in terms of it being played too far behind stones and not too far infront leaving him with a hospital ball, stones had an age to do whatever he wanted with it, he simply fucked up. It happens, just grateful it happened for England.

The one where stones was holding off the striker was another stones error, he unintentionally touched it whilst shielding it back, Pope actually did well initially not to pick it up before weirdly dithering on it and almost losing it. Pope is a decent keeper, he's just a 90's keeper that only knows how to use his feet when hoofing it clear

If anything, I think people have completely ignored the role of Rice and Kalvin Philips in that goal. When Stones starts to run towards the box, he looks back as if to indicate that he needs backup, someone to link with and pass the ball out. Look at the video I've linked, between 8-11 seconds.



But even before Stones has controlled the ball and turned his body around, you can clearly see that he is under massive pressure. The only two outfield England players in sight are Maguire and Walker, but both are way behind the Poland players at this stage. The opposition has closed down the angles.

Neither Rice, nor Philips are in sight. Look at fucking Pope for fuck's sake. Not only did he fuck up the pass, in the time that Stones has ran back 40 yards, he hasn't even bothered to correct his body shape. Jesus fucking Christ.



Now Stones looks up after controlling the ball and turns his body to the right, realizes he is absolutely fucked and starts panicking. And then makes a bad decision, but not the one that people are talking about.

After the first touch, he should have turned the other way and passed to Walker. Although Walker was way behind Maguire initially, because of his incredible pace, he has recovered and is in a position to receive the pass. Maguire and Kalvin Philips were not an option here. The former is completely out of position and the pass to the latter is too risky - it can easily be cut off.



Instead he rolls the ball forward, uncomfortably far from himself, his second mistake. And at this point, we had basically conceded the goal. It was a foregone conclusion.

 

[mosssideblue]

If anything, I think people have completely ignored the role of Rice and Kalvin Philips in that goal. When Stones starts to run towards the box, he looks back as if to indicate that he needs backup, someone to link with and pass the ball out. Look at the video I've linked, between 8-11 seconds.



But even before Stones has controlled the ball and turned his body around, you can clearly see that he is under massive pressure. The only two outfield England players in sight are Maguire and Walker, but both are way behind the Poland players at this stage. The opposition has closed down the angles.

Neither Rice, nor Philips are in sight. Look at fucking Pope for fuck's sake. Not only did he fuck up the pass, in the time that Stones has ran back 40 yards, he hasn't even bothered to correct his body shape. Jesus fucking Christ.

View attachment 13518

Now Stones looks up after controlling the ball and turns his body to the right, realizes he is absolutely fucked and starts panicking. And then makes a bad decision, but not the one that people are talking about.

After the first touch, he should have turned the other way and passed to Walker. Although Walker was way behind Maguire initially, because of his incredible pace, he has recovered and is in a position to receive the pass. Maguire and Kalvin Philips were not an option here. The former is completely out of position and the pass to the latter is too risky - it can easily be cut off.

View attachment 13519

Instead he rolls the ball forward, uncomfortably far from himself, his second mistake. And at this point, we had basically conceded the goal. It was a foregone conclusion.

View attachment 13520

Sorry mate, it was a Stones fuck up, no matter how much you want to blame others.

It's happened and, as long as he bounces back for us, no problem and we move on.

 

[Protein Junkie]

Stones has been imperious this season, he made one error, which he addressed with a fantastic assist.. Nothing to see here at all, he’s fuckin brilliant and wouldn’t swap him for anybody...

Exactly this.