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5 | John Stones - 2024/25
- Thread starter jimharri
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Cheadle_hulmeBlue
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If he’s fit, he should be startingWith his injury worries, this role may suit him best. Coming in to high pressure situations to calm the storm, late in a game.
Brilliant footballer. Composure in spades.
BlueMoonRisin’
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Maybe best to use him sparingly off the bench to build up match fitness and momentum. I just hope he can shrug off his constant niggling injuries to get a decent run in the team.
Dias and Ake being injured with these upcoming matches makes it seem like Stones is going straight into the starting lineup against Brugge and Arsenal at least.Maybe best to use him sparingly off the bench to build up match fitness and momentum. I just hope he can shrug off his constant niggling injuries to get a decent run in the team.
BlueMoonRisin’
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Rushing players back from injury has cost us this season. We cannot afford to risk playing Stones for a full game at the moment because he's as brittle as a pane of glass with a hairline crack. We have to manage his minutes carefully no matter who else is injured.Dias and Ake being injured with these upcoming matches makes it seem like Stones is going straight into the starting lineup against Brugge and Arsenal at least.
I agree, it's kept our defense shaky at best since the initial injury crisis at the back. Having Reis and Khusanov is a boost, but it would be harsh to throw them into that high stakes of a game within their first two weeks at the club. Add in Akanji and Gvardiol have pretty much played every minute the last couple weeks makes this a very difficult man management dilemma.Rushing players back from injury has cost us this season. We cannot afford to risk playing Stones for a full game at the moment because he's as brittle as a pane of glass with a hairline crack. We have to manage his minutes carefully no matter who else is injured.
I get the club don't want to deal with the embarrassment of not making it past the CL prelims this season, but is it worth not making top 4 this season when we inevitably get bounced in the first or second round of the CL knockouts? Personally, I'd only put Stones in for the last 30 minutes against Brugge if we're winning. If we're losing, then just pack up CL for the season and look forward to Arsenal because we should've secured a place in the knockouts a while ago if we deserved to go through. Necessary sacrifice, but we can't be naive thinking we can honestly compete across 3 competitions with the injuries we continue to carry.
WesthoughtonJohn
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Oh good - because we have an excellent record of NOT rushing players back this season.Dias and Ake being injured with these upcoming matches makes it seem like Stones is going straight into the starting lineup against Brugge and Arsenal at least.
Sadly I predict John Boulders starts midweek and is fucked for the weekend.
In a perfect world we'd have taken the pinch between Oct and Dec to actually get players fully fit - we lost the games anyway and left ourselves worse off - but hey ho
I’m not saying it’s the right thing to do, just considering how poor Pep has been this season with managing his center backs who have pretty much done what they can to hold this team together without Rodri at the cost of their own fitness. You’re absolutely right though that Pep gambled on the fitness and availability of Stones, Ake and Dias and it backfired.Oh good - because we have an excellent record of NOT rushing players back this season.
Sadly I predict John Boulders starts midweek and is fucked for the weekend.
In a perfect world we'd have taken the pinch between Oct and Dec to actually get players fully fit - we lost the games anyway and left ourselves worse off - but hey ho
I think with the young lads unavailable in a must win game Pep is going to have to gamble on Stones. Worry about Arsenal after that and at least he’d have the option with the other 2. Not ideal but the Brugge game is currently the most important of the 2.
Eccles Blue
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Pep said he did the substitution on Saturday so that John could get some time in in preparation for Wednesday. So not gambling, strategising.
mexico1970
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Pep said he did the substitution on Saturday so that John could get some time in in preparation for Wednesday.
If Stones stays fit then we do better.
Eccles Blue
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Crikey you were quick, I did my edit straight away but you beat me. *lol*If Stones stays fit then we do better.
mexico1970
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Crikey you were quick, I did my edit straight away but you beat me. *lol*
They call me Fast Draw McGraw around these parts missy ;-)
BlueMoonRisin’
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Pep only brought him on cos you was barking in his ear;)Pep said he did the substitution on Saturday so that John could get some time in in preparation for Wednesday. So not gambling, strategising.
Eccles Blue
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It worked though and look at the job John Boy did. A fan of another club said to me yesterday, before knowing my ‘affiliation’ to JS, that he really admires him. He said he’s one of those ‘quiet’ players who just gets on with it without making any fuss and goes under the radar but does an excellent job.Pep only brought him on cos you was barking in his ear;)
BlueMoonRisin’
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It's a crying shame Stones is injured more than he's fit.It worked though and look at the job John Boy did. A fan of another club said to me yesterday, before knowing my ‘affiliation’ to JS, that he really admires him. He said he’s one of those ‘quiet’ players who just gets on with it without making any fuss and goes under the radar but does an excellent job.
He reminds me of Gaz Baz in that respect. Don't really notice him too much on the pitch but notice how much he's missed when not playing.
If that were true we wouldn't have won a single title, let alone 4 in a row, as Stones couldn't play even 25 league games in his fittest seasons. Fortunately, we could win many games without him, like last season where he was injured or out of form and we had to play and win the last 9 games mostly without him. He played in the final vs United, but that was probably a mistake. Pep wanted to be nice.
After winning our first PL title, the most PL matches Kompany played in a season was 28. He's got a statue.
Just because someone isn't playing every game doesn't necessarily mean they aren't crucially important.
When we were heading for the treble, we had a few injuries and had started playing Stones pushing into midfield. I remember thinking that for that successful plan to continue, we desperately needed at least 2 of Dias, Stones and Rodri to play every game. I think they managed it. We could manage with 2 of them, but if 2 became injured I'm sure the season would have fallen apart.
Ps. You're figures are slightly out, Stones played 27 PL games one season for us.
Pep said he did the substitution on Saturday so that John could get some time in in preparation for Wednesday. So not gambling, strategising.
I think in the past he'd have started Stones and then took him off maybe at halftime to rest him for Weds. However, the way we've been finishing matches I think he probably wanted at least one experienced and calm head on the pitch at the end, rather than bringing a debutant on to try and see out the game.
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