5 | John Stones - 2023/24

[mattcity5]

Unlucky for playing them onside for that goal but he shouldn't have stopped running, one more step and he would have been perfectly positioned to stop that cross

He was in the right place - I don't understand how Walker got beaten to the ball by Cucurella, he looked favourite to me. He should have been sliding in and winning a 50-50 at the very least in that situation. Plus Guehi let the scorer get goalside of him.

Stones was excellent as ever. He's the best centre-back in world football if you want to build and play out from the back, but Southgate's wasted him. England won't have another like him once he's gone.

 

[RayCTID]

A few shaky moments earlier on in the tournament but was one of England's more consistant of performers. Still from a City perspective we probably have to manage his fitness more carefully.

 

[WestGorton]

Pickford gave the ball to the opposition with his hoofing it. His shot stopping might be good but he wouldn't have to stop half the shots if he wasn't giving them the ball to begin with.

Why anyone of those players or the manager did not tell him to stop fkin doing it beggers belief.

The very reason Pep moved Joe Hart on.

England are not City. City are light years ahead of any international team.

 

[mattcity5]

Pickford gave the ball to the opposition with his hoofing it. His shot stopping might be good but he wouldn't have to stop half the shots if he wasn't giving them the ball to begin with.

Why anyone of those players or the manager did not tell him to stop fkin doing it beggers belief.

The very reason Pep moved Joe Hart on.

This exactly. The best young English keeper is probably Trafford, he deserves a chance even if he has his own limitations.

 

[mattcity5]

Sadly he's incapable of stringing 7 games together for us without getting injured. Can only manage it for England.

Main difference is City have other options, so can rest him when needed. England haven't gone anybody like him.

 

[HolisticJim]

England are not City. City are light years ahead of any international team.

You don't have to be Man City to see that EVERY SINGLE TIME he hoofed the ball it went to the opposition.
You don't have to be Pep to see that something different is required.

The definition of madness is to keep doing the same thing and expecting something different to happen.
.
.
.
And then there's Pickford.

 

[Jonas.shaffer]

Pickford gave the ball to the opposition with his hoofing it. His shot stopping might be good but he wouldn't have to stop half the shots if he wasn't giving them the ball to begin with.

Why anyone of those players or the manager did not tell him to stop fkin doing it beggers belief.

The very reason Pep moved Joe Hart on.

I mentioned this in the match thread, and I'm not excusing Pickford because his distribution, on the whole, is very average, but players were hiding from getting the ball from him all tournament, so he was forced to go long a lot of the time. Rice and Walker, in particular, but even the likes of Mainoo, Bellingham, Stones, etc., all looked reluctant and borderline scared to show for the ball from him. Foden did it quite a bit this tournament, but when he did it that one time tonight in the first half and played that poor pass, which ended up with Yamal, it seemed to put him off continuing to do so.

 

[mattcity5]

I mentioned this in the match thread, and I'm not excusing Pickford because his distribution, on the whole, is very average, but players were hiding from getting the ball from him all tournament, so he was forced to go long a lot of the time. Rice and Walker, in particular, but even the likes of Mainoo, Bellingham, Stones, etc., all looked reluctant and borderline scared to show for the ball from him. Foden did it quite a bit this tournament, but when he did it that one time tonight in the first half and played that poor pass, which ended up with Yamal, it seemed to put him off continuing to do so.

Think Stones was nearly always showing for the ball, though possibly half-heartedly at times because he knew that Pickford would probably just lump it anyway.

They just didn't have a clue how to play out against a half-decent press. I know Pep's always said his part of coaching is about how we get to the last third of the pitch and then it's down to the players. England didn't have any clear idea of how to move the ball out of their own third apart from leaving it to Pickford to launch it. And they weren't long passes, they weren't ever accurate enough to be called that.

Never noticed Southgate telling Pickford to quit doing it at all during the tournament though, so can only assume he was okay with it.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Thought he had a pretty good tournament

 

[Legal Alien]

Sadly he's incapable of stringing 7 games together for us without getting injured. Can only manage it for England.

If you look at his appearance stats, they are up one season then down the next.
He's followed that trend since he joined us and his form is reflective of that.
He's due an up one this coming season!

I thought he was England's best and most consistent player and he got better as the tournament went on. I'm looking forward to seeing that Johnny Boulders in our shirt again.