5 | John Stones - 2023/24

[Eccles Blue]

Pep did say when Erling was injured, he won't play on Tuesday but maybe next weekend (or words to that effect) then he played on Tuesday....

Let's hope that he will be there for Liverpool :-)



And @mexico1970 that he is wearing an Eccles Blue T-shirt. *lol* not that that will ever happen but one can live in hope. :-)

 

[Keeper!]

Pep did say when Erling was injured, he won't play on Tuesday but maybe next weekend (or words to that effect) then he played on Tuesday....

Let's hope that he will be there for Liverpool :-)



And @mexico1970 that he is wearing an Eccles Blue T-shirt. *lol* not that that will ever happen but one can live in hope. :-)

Jon Boy will have a nice rest over the International week, fit , refreshed and ready to go straight after.

 

[supercity88]

Pep did say when Erling was injured, he won't play on Tuesday but maybe next weekend (or words to that effect) then he played on Tuesday....

Let's hope that he will be there for Liverpool :-)



And @mexico1970 that he is wearing an Eccles Blue T-shirt. *lol* not that that will ever happen but one can live in hope. :-)

It's a much better tactic to suggest it's bad news and have a player back early than suggest players are okay and then see them missing for months. He's usually quiet on injuries post-match and suggests we'll wait until a scan etc. The fact he was quite quick to suggest it was serious made me hopeful it might not turn out that way. England have two nothing games coming up and I'm sure we'll see a fair few (non-City players) pull out of the squad to rest up before the busy schedule. I think we can survive at Chelsea, but it would be brilliant to have him for the Liverpool game.

 

[JewelZee]

Pep clearly didn't want to give much away in his presser but said 'we'll see after international break'. Sounds like it might not be too bad, fingers crossed

Also - "Not as bad as first thought", but won't be back for liverpool.

Bingo...translation...took him off at halftime to rest him, don't want him playing over the international break, sit him for the Liverpool match so as to not be so obvious and keep on decent terms with NT...

 

[WallyA]

Injury perhaps not as bad as we feared?

Pep makes it seem so, hoping only 2 weeks or so now.

We are our best version with Stones in the team.

 

[blueste41]

Bingo...translation...took him off at halftime to rest him, don't want him playing over the international break, sit him for the Liverpool match so as to not be so obvious and keep on decent terms with NT...

I'm not sure that makes sense? Sit him out of 2 of the biggest games of the season to avoid him going away with England?

 

[Father Paul]

Perhaps his body isn`t suited to play a CB/DM/CM pivot or he has to train differently in the gym/on the pitch to strenghten other muscles. Compared to a "natural/pure" CB you have to cover more ground & doing different movements. If it`s something with his hip then he should do an operation. When you look at his injury history then since last fall his injury record is really bad (missed 23 games) & similar to 2019. But something has to change. The pattern since last fall is not sustainable for him & the club.

I agree. The nature of the injuries is frustrating for player and fans alike. Every time he gets up slowly or grimaces you fear the worst. Thankfully although he missed a lot of games he stayed fit for the run in last season. He is not 30 until May so he should have a good few more miles left on the clock. Let's see.

 

[JewelZee]

I'm not sure that makes sense? Sit him out of 2 of the biggest games of the season to avoid him going away with England?

I'm sure he felt something and we weren't going to risk him playing over the break. We'll find out soon enough...

Chelsea is not one of our biggest games in any context and not having Johnny shouldn't impact our ability to wax them. Maybe it's the only game he misses and he's back for Liverpool? Let's wait and see...

 

[blueste41]

I'm sure he felt something and we weren't going to risk him playing over the break. We'll find out soon enough...

Chelsea is not one of our biggest games in any context and not having Johnny shouldn't impact our ability to wax them. Maybe it's the only game he misses and he's back for Liverpool? Let's wait and see...

Odds of us beating Chelsea are similar to the ones for beating the Rags (4/5) rarely are we that long to win a game! We are actually shorter to beat Liverpool.

 

[JewelZee]

Odds of us beating Chelsea are similar to the ones for beating the Rags (4/5) rarely are we that long to win a game! We are actually shorter to beat Liverpool.

I suppose some extra weight is being put on Chelsea being at home. We saw how that turned out for the Rags. Anybody coming to the Etihad is a big dog these days,,,Liverpool, Arsenal, Bayern, Real...anybody.