5 | John Stones - 2025/26

Was ok today. Clearly lost pace and physicality but can get away with most things as he reads the game so well. Great player for us(when fit) and hope his final season goes well and he can be a useful player for us. Won’t shift the dial anymore but probably about the best we have.
 
Gorbachev said:
Was a senior footballer on that pitch today yet didn't step up when necessary.

Kompany would have understood the pressure we were under, noticed Trafford was nervous and sacked off the tiki taka around the defence football and just got the ball as far away from our box as possible.

Both Stones and Dias were erratic today.
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Kompany had a few games where he himself struggled but dragged others through with leadership. But not everyone is or can be Vinny
 
Gorbachev said:
Was a senior footballer on that pitch today yet didn't step up when necessary.

Kompany would have understood the pressure we were under, noticed Trafford was nervous and sacked off the tiki taka around the defence football and just got the ball as far away from our box as possible.

Both Stones and Dias were erratic today.
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That is so true. The back four were constantly playing the ball back to him. Maybe they thought it would restore his confidence but none of them took true leadership and that includes John.
 
Alexia_Ko said:
No one else gets given the grace for slipping, ppl thought that was Dias and were calling him all sorts. When Dias slipped vs Mbappe no one gave him that grace. The Englishman syndrome continues
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You’re a bit dense if you slate anyone for slipping. Can happen to literally anyone from Messi to a Sunday league player and can’t be helped
 
Craig said:
You’re a bit dense if you slate anyone for slipping. Can happen to literally anyone from Messi to a Sunday league player and can’t be helped
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Even without the slips I don’t think he was that good yesterday especially with the buildup. Knowing that Trafford was struggling and Dias can’t kick a ball why didn’t he take control?
 
Craig said:
You’re a bit dense if you slate anyone for slipping. Can happen to literally anyone from Messi to a Sunday league player and can’t be helped
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Stones made a mistake before the slipping failing to leave Richarlison offside.

Akanj made such a mistake vs Juve without the slipping, when the result was 5:1 City... The comments were unforgiving.

If it was Dias who slipped, he would have been blamed for being soft. Had Akanji played like Stones, partly costing us the 1st goal, he would have been slated for weeks.

The poster is right that double standards are applied when crowd favourites are involved. It would be similar with Ake, so it's not that Stones is English, although he wouldn't be that popular if he was Portuguese.

Let's hope Stones can stay fit and help us. He's class. Another injury ridden season wouldn't be the best way to end his City career.
 
As long as his hair looks lovely. Wait till the international break, you won't see him till January at the earliest after that
 
He’s a very good player. He’s NOT a leader. Hes not vocal. He doesn’t like confrontation. Next to a Gabriel, Bastoni, VVD he’d still be close to world class even. The issue he has is currently next to him is our holding midfielder is shite. GK can’t believe he’s the GK and Rico Lewis starting games for Man City is obviously a social experiment Pep and Mr Beast are playing on us. I guarantee you, if we have Donarumma, Livramento and Rodri back, Stones will look good again but will that happen? Pep is probably looking for another CAM
 
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KDBPLGOAT said:
He’s a very good player. He’s NOT a leader. Hes not vocal. He doesn’t like confrontation. Next to a Gabriel, Bastoni, VVD he’d still be close to world class even. The issue he has is currently next to him is our holding midfielder is shite. GK can’t believe he’s the GK and Rico Lewis starting games for Man City is obviously a social experiment Pep and Mr Beast are playing on us. I guarantee you, if we have Donarumma, Livramento and Rodri back, Stones will look good again but will that happen? Pep is probably looking for another CAM
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What a lot of utter utter bollocks

Its my own fault I had you on mute and for some reason it opened.

And there is no “Englishman syndrome”. If there was Rico, Grealish, Walker etc would not be slagged off as incessantly as they are.

The fact is Stones is the best defender and one of the absolute best players we have. All this drivel about needing someone next to him - drivel. A fit (and yes that is the issue) JS is the difference between winning championships and not. Thats it.

Some of us just get irritated with the sort of nonsense people jump on here with so we say that. Nothing to do with the fact he is English.
 
Macca77macca said:
What a lot of utter utter bollocks

Its my own fault I had you on mute and for some reason it opened.

And there is no “Englishman syndrome”. If there was Rico, Grealish, Walker etc would not be slagged off as incessantly as they are.

The fact is Stones is the best defender and one of the absolute best players we have. All this drivel about needing someone next to him - drivel. A fit (and yes that is the issue) JS is the difference between winning championships and not. Thats it.

Some of us just get irritated with the sort of nonsense people jump on here with so we say that. Nothing to do with the fact he is English.
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where in that post did I ever say anything about Stones getting favourable treatment because he’s English? Oh no, our Maccas seeing and hearing things again
 
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