He couldn't become the best player at City. No need to exaggerate in order to highlight his importance to the team and his ability to play that highly specific role of a hybrid CB/CM. Thought he was great vs United. At the same time, he completed fewer passes than any other defensive player and even Foden. That can be explained with his hybrid role: he participates in the build-up more with his movement which helps Rodri to get on the ball than with his passes.
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5 | John Stones - 2023/24
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He couldn't become the best player at City. No need to exaggerate in order to highlight his importance to the team and his ability to play that highly specific role of a hybrid CB/CM. Thought he was great vs United. At the same time, he completed fewer passes than any other defensive player and even Foden. That can be explained with his hybrid role: he participates in the build-up more with his movement which helps Rodri to get on the ball than with his passes.
I could not disagree more.He couldn't become the best player at City. No need to exaggerate in order to highlight his importance to the team and his ability to play that highly specific role of a hybrid CB/CM. Thought he was great vs United. At the same time, he completed fewer passes than any other defensive player and even Foden. That can be explained with his hybrid role: he participates in the build-up more with his movement which helps Rodri to get on the ball than with his passes.
In the CL final he was majestic, he makes the game look simple and he is getting better with every game.
The only thing that will prevent him becoming a great is injury.
And you forget his position, he is a CB, but he has that much natural ability and a footballing brain, he could play anywhere in the 11 and still be outstanding.
I would also say he is probably the most underrated player in the PL.
threespires
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I could not disagree more.
In the CL final he was majestic, he makes the game look simple and he is getting better with every game.
The only thing that will prevent him becoming a great is injury.
And you forget his position, he is a CB, but he has that much natural ability and a footballing brain, he could play anywhere in the 11 and still be outstanding.
At 29 he's still improving and adding things to his game, Pep challenges him and he rises to it. Does make you wonder if Pep had him a bit earlier and he'd stayed injury free what his ceiling would actually have been. As it is I wouldn't be surprised if we saw more from him anyway if he can stay fit.
I could not disagree more.
In the CL final he was majestic, he makes the game look simple and he is getting better with every game.
The only thing that will prevent him becoming a great is injury.
And you forget his position, he is a CB, but he has that much natural ability and a footballing brain, he could play anywhere in the 11 and still be outstanding.
I would also say he is probably the most underrated player in the PL.
Agree that he is underrated by pundits and fans. So was Rodri, including by many City fans who wanted him upgraded even after 20/21.
One game can't provide a compelling reason for considering Stones as potentially our best player, even if it's a CL final. Havertz was better than Foden or indeed any City player in the CL in Porto 2 years ago, this didn't make him a bigger talent. Stones has been brilliant and that's enough. Let's hope he will stay fit and get the recognition he deserves. This hybrid CB/CM role brings the best out of him. Hope he makes the top 10 of Ballon d'Or next year. He has the ability.
He has been outstanding for several seasons, not one game but that game was the biggest in our history, and the biggest game in football, and he strolled through it and was magnificent.Agree that he is underrated by pundits and fans. So was Rodri, including by many City fans who wanted him upgraded even after 20/21.
One game can't provide a compelling reason for considering Stones as potentially our best player, even if it's a CL final. Havertz was better than Foden or indeed any City player in the CL in Porto 2 years ago, this didn't make him a bigger talent. Stones has been brilliant and that's enough. Let's hope he will stay fit and get the recognition he deserves. This hybrid CB/CM role brings the best out of him. Hope he makes the top 10 of Ballon d'Or next year. He has the ability.
jimharri
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Agreed. He owned that pitch that glorious night.He has been outstanding for several seasons, not one game but that game was the biggest in our history, and the biggest game in football, and he strolled through it and was magnificent.
Worsleyweb
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New contract being talked about - great stuff. He is an immense player. Will go done as an absolute legend.
supercity88
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I still find it staggering he wasn't in the top 30 in the Ballon D'or ranking this year. Dias (30th), Gvardiol (25th) and Kim (22nd) were. Defenders have featured higher in previous years and you had three goalkeepers in there largely thanks to the World Cup/penalty shootouts - plus Onana who was very good at Inter.
But come on - who can do what Stones has done. Not only is he one of the best CB's in the world, he can step into midfield and play a hybrid role with such ease. He is solid for England and ensures that Maguire is less of a liability. But his performances last season were exceptional and a huge reason we won the treble because it provided the balance between defence and attack that we'd struggled with all season.
Inter managed three successful dribbles (beating a man) in the CL final. It was an incredibly tight affair. Stones completed 6 himself. The most of a player in the CL final since Messi managed 10 for Barca against Juventus in 2015. That's incredible.
He got a lot of plaudits for his performance in the FA Cup final from Lineker etc, but I still feel he is so underrated by the media in this country for what he can do on the pitch. When a lot of our first team were feeling the occasion in Istanbul and very sloppy, alongside Bernie he was probably the only one who was consistently good for the whole game. If Southgate watched more of our football, with someone who understands tactics better, he could do the same with him for England and then get another attacking player in the side with Rice and Bellingham (Phil says hi).
But come on - who can do what Stones has done. Not only is he one of the best CB's in the world, he can step into midfield and play a hybrid role with such ease. He is solid for England and ensures that Maguire is less of a liability. But his performances last season were exceptional and a huge reason we won the treble because it provided the balance between defence and attack that we'd struggled with all season.
Inter managed three successful dribbles (beating a man) in the CL final. It was an incredibly tight affair. Stones completed 6 himself. The most of a player in the CL final since Messi managed 10 for Barca against Juventus in 2015. That's incredible.
He got a lot of plaudits for his performance in the FA Cup final from Lineker etc, but I still feel he is so underrated by the media in this country for what he can do on the pitch. When a lot of our first team were feeling the occasion in Istanbul and very sloppy, alongside Bernie he was probably the only one who was consistently good for the whole game. If Southgate watched more of our football, with someone who understands tactics better, he could do the same with him for England and then get another attacking player in the side with Rice and Bellingham (Phil says hi).
pride in battle
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You wouldn't like Lescott if you met him...Well in my experienceGreat article on the OCS by Joleon Lescott praising the ‘unique John Stones’.
‘That style of play is unique to John Stones. There’s not another centre back who can play like that in the world.’ He said.
Always liked Joleon like him even more now!! ;-) However he only speaks the truth about JB. :-)
Middedon
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I think in this case Stones is overlooked because of the team he was on. So many big players. Whereas on a worse team he probably stands out more to the voters?I still find it staggering he wasn't in the top 30 in the Ballon D'or ranking this year. Dias (30th), Gvardiol (25th) and Kim (22nd) were. Defenders have featured higher in previous years and you had three goalkeepers in there largely thanks to the World Cup/penalty shootouts - plus Onana who was very good at Inter.
Regardless, I always feel like defenders should have their own awards as they always get overlooked in these more general awards.
And although Joško has gotten a lot of cra@p for not being worthy, I think he deserves the honors. However, I do wonder if part of the reason he is there is he had some big goals last year…which isn’t really why a defender should be on the list!
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