Diego Carlos

[Neville Kneville]

True, but this shows that Pep wants to play with a player like Garcia rather than someone who's better defensively like Stones or Ota or even Dinho. He's one of the only managers that has the ball to play this way. If you go with better defender or DM then you're going to be just like every other team who plays against Liverpool. You'll probably lose the ball more, have less possession and end up defending most of the game with little going forward.

I think that is the only reason he doesn't win everything, everywhere.

He always chooses to play with a handicap.

 

[Dax777]

Stones can do everything required.

But can also just fall over.

True. I just sense there is still a WC player in the shadows.

 

[Neville Kneville]

True. I just sense there is still a WC player in the shadows.

'Something' is wrong with him.

Whether that is in his mind or other, I have no idea, but imo if there was a decent chance of fixing him, plus we had Ake plus 1 new cbs, we'd be very very strong in that area.

 

[Larry Stranger]

The above is all well and good, but the numbers are the numbers.

As it relates to just the 4 categories ( and there are a myriad of other categories that weren't including. But as it relates to % of headers won, tacked won, pass accuracy and long pass accuracy. John Stones shows a distinct superiority. This might be function not playing so few games, agreed.

But the numbers are simply saying what the numbers are.

Let's take your example for a second, you said Bournemouth were playing vthe long ball and winning headers? Well John wind 65% of his headers same as Larporte. So we can't assume it would have been any better if Laporte had been the one in the duels. Conversely, we can assume it would have been worse, if it was Garcia seeing as he has the worst in the air percentage I've ever seen on a defender. Perhaps we might have controlled the ball better on the ground though.

These stats are not a full picture of stats talk less performance. But they hint at tendencies in those listed areas.

If nothing else those stats hint at the fact that John Stones might not be as bad as we think!

The point is if you play out of the back successfully, you end up in the opponents half dominating the possession and game. Thus you wouldn't put yourself under those actions nearly as many times. If you can't then you will be under defensive pressure more. Please re-watch the game if you can. I do think Stones is a good player. Part of the problem was having Ota on the left side as well. I'd be okay with Stones staying, but what's going on with him mentality makes me think he's gone.

 

[Neville Kneville]

The point is if you play out of the back successfully, you end up in the opponents half dominating the possession and game. Thus you wouldn't put yourself under those actions nearly as many times. If you can't then you will be under defensive pressure more. Please re-watch the game if you can. I do think Stones is a good player. Part of the problem was having Ota on the left side as well. I'd be okay with Stones staying, but what's going on with him mentality makes me think he's gone.

Against Bournemouth, I think Otta was giving Stones the shits, he didn't know where Otamendi was going to be, so whether to stick or twist, & imo the same is happening with Garcia who is giving Walker the willies & turning Laporte into Otamendi, for the same reason.

 

[himalayan_blues]

The more i see Koulabaily i fell less confident about him. The other option of him is diego carlos. Watching Carlos videos he seems to have otamendy in him, Rushing for tackles.
Otamendy was good for few seasons so the idea of Carlos being in our team is pretty good.

 

[Great Kompany]

The more I try to understand how Pep sets his team more i want a combination of hard tackler who is equally fast and can clear the danger even before it starts and his partner being someone intelligent/Calm who can take care of the ball if the first defender fucks up. Kind of like Ota/Laporte or Kompany/Laporte partnership. Koulibaly and Carlos can be those partners to Laporte but the question is what version of these players will we get.
A peak Otamendi version which worked so well for us or the latest Ota version which is slow and sluggish with late tackles.

 

[Dax777]

The more I try to understand how Pep sets his team more i want a combination of hard tackler who is equally fast and can clear the danger even before it starts and his partner being someone intelligent/Calm who can take care of the ball if the first defender fucks up. Kind of like Ota/Laporte or Kompany/Laporte partnership. Koulibaly and Carlos can be those partners to Laporte but the question is what version of these players will we get.
A peak Otamendi version which worked so well for us or the latest Ota version which is slow and sluggish with late tackles.

Neither Carlos nor Koulibaly can besbe described as slow. Sluggish? I don't know. Depends on the game :)

 

[Lkzerinho]

I wonder if the Koulibaly talks have slowed because Garcia is leaving, that would certainly change the profile of the center back we want, now I think we would go after a younger player with more room to grow if Garcia is leaving.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

I wonder if the Koulibaly talks have slowed because Garcia is leaving, that would certainly change the profile of the center back we want, now I think we would go after a younger player with more room to grow if Garcia is leaving.

Would Tosin not replace Garcia?