John Stones - 2017/18 performances

[Thomas Hearns]

We’ll probably need him at some point due to injuries or tiredness with the run of matches we have coming up.

I’m not his biggest fan but I’d be inclined to play him at Everton - familiar surroundings for the lad and a fairly toothless opposition.

But if that leaves nico and vin undercooked for the big games to follow having not played since March 12th then I’d prefer to start with those two.

Shite scheduling leaves pep with a selection dilemna

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

You associates the two yet miss the obvious....

Stones is all over the shop due to the jitters reinforced from bravo, since his return i’d be interested to see how many he’s started with bravo behind...

His angles have been off in my opinion, he receives the ball in such acute spaces he bricks himself when pressured.. Herman has elevated that whole defence, it’s not surprising there’s a drop off with bravo!

Ederson isn't there to defend for his centre-backs, I got the feeling they started to get too comfortable and assume he would cover for them all the time. Bravo coming back in is a wake-up call for them and with Vinnie back I think the defending has stepped up a gear. Bravo shows what a good keeper Ederson is but also shows the liberties our CBs have been taking assuming he'll bail them out. Stones needs to buck up and start doing more of his own defending.

 

[Barcon]

I would start him against the filth seeing as how they are shit anyway and we have bigger fish to fry.
He will be a star (again) for us soon enough.

 

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

Ederson isn't there to defend for his centre-backs, I got the feeling they started to get too comfortable and assume he would cover for them all the time. Bravo coming back in is a wake-up call for them and with Vinnie back I think the defending has stepped up a gear. Bravo shows what a good keeper Ederson is but also shows the liberties our CBs have been taking assuming he'll bail them out. Stones needs to buck up and start doing more of his own defending.

All great defences have a calming influence that can only be brought from a top level keeper..... remember this system is one that has been implemented by pep, with the vision of stones in it. Regardless of the variables, baresi would of looked shaky in front of Bravo as he boxes his defenders in, this is exactly why Ederson was brought in, he puts the team on the front foot but most importantly there’s a calmness when he does it!!!

 

[domalino]

Ederson isn't there to defend for his centre-backs, I got the feeling they started to get too comfortable and assume he would cover for them all the time. Bravo coming back in is a wake-up call for them and with Vinnie back I think the defending has stepped up a gear. Bravo shows what a good keeper Ederson is but also shows the liberties our CBs have been taking assuming he'll bail them out. Stones needs to buck up and start doing more of his own defending.

He actually is though, that's a very obvious tactical call that's been made. Any long ball going within 10-15 yards of the penalty area is Ederson's to sweep up. A centre back isn't "allowing" Ederson to sweep that up, he's sweeping it up and if you're in the way, you're going to get smashed, like Otamendi did 2 weeks ago.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

He actually is though, that's a very obvious tactical call that's been made. Any long ball going within 10-15 yards of the penalty area is Ederson's to sweep up. A centre back isn't "allowing" Ederson to sweep that up, he's sweeping it up and if you're in the way, you're going to get smashed, like Otamendi did 2 weeks ago.

I think there's a distinction, there's what Ederson is there to do and what the CBs became expectant on him to do, when Stones is out of nick his positioning and reading is off and he ends up putting too much emphasis on being bailed out as a result. At his best he takes much more ownership, reads the game really well and has a calming leadership to him.

 

[domalino]

I think there's a distinction, there's what Ederson is there to do and what the CBs became expectant on him to do, when Stones is out of nick his positioning and reading is off and he ends up putting too much emphasis on being bailed out as a result. At his best he takes much more ownership, reads the game really well and has a calming leadership to him.

If anything I'd say the opposite is true, he makes mistakes not when he's expecting help but when he's unsure if he should use it, because he's low on confidence and questioning his decisions not just making them.

Earlier in the season when he had confidence, he didn't think about doing A or B, he just it, and 99% of the time it doesn't matter, as long as you do one of them and don't hesitate. It doesn't matter if you challenge for the ball or if you take then man, it doesn't matter if you make the challenge or shepherd someone out wide, but you have to actually commit to whichever you do, and when he's playing badly Stones just looks like a guy thinking too much.

 

[SilverFox2]

bravo is 35 year old foreign player. john is 23 homegrown. writing off john is not same with writing off bravo. signing young homegrown talent is extremely tough and none english talent will sign for pep and city if we will get rid off stones. i am sure that he will back in form after he gets 2-3 games and regains confidence.

We all hope and pray you are right RC but as I said he is currently a risk.

 

[Withnail]

Such a shame he got injured, he was immense early on in the season and was forming a great partnership with Ota. Hopefully, the confident and focused John Stones will return soon.

 

[Delphacito]

Looked confident and made a lot of really good passes from the back.