Fair enough. And thanks for posting the fuller stats.
Can quibble, of course, over which particular stats are most revealing. You're obviously right that the centre halves shouldn't be held responsible for losses caused by missed chances etc. But then similar applies in terms of goals conceded because of errors by others. Or clean sheets upheld because of an outstanding goalkeeping display etc ....
All of which means I will remain blissfully attached to my own impressions from watching the matches :-) I just have it in mind that there were a series of games last season when the two played together and I thought we looked weak defensively. Newcastle away was the standout, the two Lyon games (I think), Chelsea, Leicester? Palace I think Otamendi started. Could well be wrong on any or all of these though.
The stats can only tell you so much, of course. And you can interpret them any way you wish.
I think the stats and the performances show that Stones and Otamendi as a partnership is a disaster waiting to happen. I don't think anyone wants to see that again.
But there seems to be a bit of a misconception among some City fans that our incredible success in the previous two seasons was based on Laporte and Kompany being the bedrock of it, and Stones has been a disaster waiting to happen. It's simply not true.
Stones' record alongside Laporte compares pretty favourably with the record of Laporte and Kompany.
But even putting the stats to one side, my personal view from watching the game is that Stones is our best centre half on the ball at breaking the lines and finding a forward pass in to midfield. I doubt even his biggest critics would dispute that.
Fernandinho has been brought in to centre half for his ability to make those passe. But I think as a centre half, he's made tons of mistakes. But he's a club legend, so people forgive them. If Stones had made the same mistakes, he'd be getting pelters on here.
I love Fernandinho, and he's done his best filling in for us in an emergency. But the OP was about what gives us the best chance of winning the CL this season. In my view, out of the players we currently have in the squad, based on the stats and my own opinion from watching the games, Laporte and Stones is the best chance we've got.
