5 | John Stones - 2023/24

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It doesn’t work though, because 9.9/10 he just plays it square or backwards after taking 5 touches without even opening space up where he points it - great ball playing defenders break the lines sharply within 2/3 touches maximum. It’s something he’s regressed massively in in his time here - at Everton and in his first two years here he would generally look to get the ball into the #8s quickly.

It’s the same when he’s in midfield - his role in there is vastly overrated and if an actual midfielder played those kinds of passes they’d be crucified.

The remainder of his career should be spent exclusively in the centre of defence with the primary focus of playing progressive vertical passes.

I have nothing more to say other than this is horseshit.

I will leave you all with your weirdo analysis now. Enjoy.
 
It doesn’t work though, because 9.9/10 he just plays it square or backwards after taking 5 touches without even opening space up where he points it - great ball playing defenders break the lines sharply within 2/3 touches maximum. It’s something he’s regressed massively in in his time here - at Everton and in his first two years here he would generally look to get the ball into the #8s quickly.

It’s the same when he’s in midfield - his role in there is vastly overrated and if an actual midfielder played those kinds of passes they’d be crucified.

The remainder of his career should be spent exclusively in the centre of defence with the primary focus of playing progressive vertical passes.

He becomes an extra man in the middle and drawing players onto him and passing to others is exactly what his job is. If he plays a riskier attacking pass he's out of position to recover so it's all about keeping it simple and trying to draw the opposition onto him to allow space for our attacking players to form overloads and attack.
 
Can’t believe the guy is being dug out for his performance on Saturday when he was literally retching his guts up on the pitch.

Sublime player, just needs managing carefully with his fragility, but was clearly unwell on Saturday and so it can be chalked off. I’m impressed he could actually carry on for as long as he did!
 
It doesn’t work though, because 9.9/10 he just plays it square or backwards after taking 5 touches without even opening space up where he points it - great ball playing defenders break the lines sharply within 2/3 touches maximum. It’s something he’s regressed massively in in his time here - at Everton and in his first two years here he would generally look to get the ball into the #8s quickly.

It’s the same when he’s in midfield - his role in there is vastly overrated and if an actual midfielder played those kinds of passes they’d be crucified.

The remainder of his career should be spent exclusively in the centre of defence with the primary focus of playing progressive vertical passes.
Might I politely suggest you do not understand how pep wants City to play, especially when you start talking about square, backwards and vertical passes?

Your “vision” of the game is different from Pep’s. Not necessarily worse, but different.

In addition, he points where the player should be to OPEN UP the space for the passer. Football is a game of triangles. If you move into one space, you’ve opened up another space. When the ball goes into that space, at least two players should be moving to create the next space, and on and on and on. Options, open man, open space. Love it, live it, learn it!
 
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What a weird place blue moon has become, full of ‘hot takes’ and absolute fucking horseshit opinions.
We've all got our fair share of couch coaches.
I seem to recall Vince the Prince struggling often with niggles but when he was on we couldn't do without him.
John's at that level for me. An absolute must play, any day.
 
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