Akanji’s pace is a bonus but that’s not the reason. The reason is Gvardiol is now our left winger in possession. So if you picture the gap that leaves at left back, our left centre back has to shuffle over and basically play as a left back in possession. Stones can’t do that, which is why Ake was doing it pre-injury and then Akanji doing it since. Then Dias starts as the other CB for the leadership as he’s kind of the glue back there. This is the only reason Stones isn’t playing. The new role for Gvardiol is not to get the best out of Gvardiol, it’s to get the best out of Foden - it allows him to move from the left and into the middle, whilst still having Rodri AND Kovacic for control. So as of right now, Stones doesn’t really fit into this particular tactic that we’re playing, or at least not as well as others. Pep just picks the best players for what he wants to do. Makes sense really.