5 | John Stones - 2024/25

[Akira]

Big Johnny Boulders.

Saved us a week of Arsenal being more insufferable than they already are.

 

[MarsLlama]

This just became a huge season for John, right when he was looking like our most disposable centre-back. He may be the only person associated with City for whom Rodri's injury might have a positive end result (not that I'm suggesting John will be happy with the news).

 

[Macca77macca]

right when he was looking like our most disposable centre-back

What a ridiculous statement

 

[Macca77macca]

He may be the only person associated with City for whom Rodri's injury might have a positive end result (

John Stones does not need an injury to Rodri, who respects him for the incredible player he is, to prove anything.

Did you literally arrive here just now?!

 

[Dax777]

This just became a huge season for John, right when he was looking like our most disposable centre-back. He may be the only person associated with City for whom Rodri's injury might have a positive end result (not that I'm suggesting John will be happy with the news).

John Stones is NOT the answer! Gundogan Kovacic, and Lewis. 2 of those 3 in a double pivot is the way to go.

Enough with the Center backs playing in midfield crap.

 

[Blu1]

We need him to stay fit. Big season for him.

The Joe hart clip of stonesy scoring is great, give it a watch if you ain’t seen it.

Respect to hart!

 

[youngbob]

John Stones is NOT the answer! Gundogan Kovacic, and Lewis. 2 of those 3 in a double pivot is the way to go.

Enough with the Center backs playing in midfield crap.

It won us the treble, mate. You can see why people might be interested in trying it again.

I don't want to see Akanji anywhere other than RB/CB/LB because he doesn't move the ball quickly or intelligently enough to justify holding down a DM/CM role, but Stones has done and can do again.

 

[Gabriel]

It won us the treble, mate. You can see why people might be interested in trying it again.

I don't want to see Akanji anywhere other than RB/CB/LB because he doesn't move the ball quickly or intelligently enough to justify holding down a DM/CM role, but Stones has done and can do again.

Stones hasn’t managed a full game for us this season yet, and even when Rodri went off against Arsenal, he only came on for 12 minutes and even then more as a nuisance in the box- a good one as it happened. Despite what he’s done in the past, I’m just not sure we can currently risk the present version in midfield, certainly not against a top opponent and certainly not with Ake already out injured.

 

[youngbob]

Stones hasn’t managed a full game for us this season yet, and even when Rodri went off against Arsenal, he only came on for 12 minutes and even then more as a nuisance in the box- a good one as it happened. Despite what he’s done in the past, I’m just not sure we can currently risk the present version in midfield, certainly not against a top opponent and certainly not with Ake already out injured.

For what it's worth I'm not saying we should put Stones in as a direct Rodri replacement and carry on regardless, I'm more saying that a move back to the 3-2-4-1 system with Stones and Kovacic/Gundogan in those deep-lying DM roles would be a good partnership for the time being.

Ederson
Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol
Stones, Kovacic
Bernardo, De Bruyne, Foden, Grealish
Haaland

That team can absolutely win the league, especially with Walker, Lewis, Gundogan, and Ake available to drop in and out depending on the circumstances of the game in front of them. We might see Lewis next to Kovacic instead, or Lewis next to Gundogan, or Stones next to Gundogan. Either way, I think we have good options.

 

[Gabriel]

For what it's worth I'm not saying we should put Stones in as a direct Rodri replacement and carry on regardless, I'm more saying that a move back to the 3-2-4-1 system with Stones and Kovacic/Gundogan in those deep-lying DM roles would be a good partnership for the time being.

Ederson
Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol
Stones, Kovacic
Bernardo, De Bruyne, Foden, Grealish
Haaland

That team can absolutely win the league, especially with Walker, Lewis, Gundogan, and Ake available to drop in and out depending on the circumstances of the game in front of them. We might see Lewis next to Kovacic instead, or Lewis next to Gundogan, or Stones next to Gundogan. Either way, I think we have good options.

I agree we have options, but I think we’re significantly weaker without Rodri. The Newcastle fixture will be the first real test, after which we have a run of games where we can rotate and experiment to find a combination that we can trust for the key games in November.

Our lack of physicality and mobility in a midfield without Rodri has long been acknowledged, so it’s time to see how we’ve planned for a prolonged absence.