John Stones - 2019/20 Performances

[Cotswold Knight]

Probably the one player not to get better under Pep

 

[bluevalley]

He might not be good enough to lead the defense but he is more than good enough to start with Laporte when he is back. Laporte's absence is bringing the worst and exposing flaws in most of our defenders. I feel this is our biggest problem in defense right now, we are missing a strong leader to help with the positioning and keep it organised.

 

[Strike]

I don't really trust Johns ability anymore. For starters, a central defender should be able to do his job properly even when his defensive partner and leader (Laporte) is abscent.
Even Otamendi looks solid standing next to Laporte, but the flaws get obvious when the better defender is not around. We need a right centreback at the same level as Laporte, which I thought we had. But Stones is thinn, weak, indecisive, too passive, lousy positioning and reading of the game. I don't know how many times I've seen him in our own penalty box just standing there looking at the ball instead of actually defending. He looks absolutely clueless.

Honestly, I've been waiting for his breakthrough ever since we got him in 2016, and I haven't seen it. He is not a top central defender and he hasn't developed much over the four years he spent with the worlds greatest coach. Laporte slotted in after a few weeks, John has had almost four years. The difference in quality is huge between these players.
Pep has done an excellent job in getting rid of City's weak links over the past years: Mangala, Delph, Danilo. But he is not done until Otamendi and Stones leave this club.
We need either Garcia to be 100% ready for the league, and then buy a right footed CB, or get rid of both Otamendi+Stones and get two new CBs.

Something has to be done. I'm sure Otamendi leaves in the summer of 2020 but I won't be satisfied until John goes too. Right now he would struggle as a starter at Everton, seriously.

 

[bluealf]

It is funny how some forget how majestic he looked in the 100 point season right up until that calf/hamstring injury (whichever one it was), he never put a foot wrong and was being hailed by the majority as the best centre half in the world currently.

Funny what people forget happened such a short time ago.

 

[Strike]

It is funny how some forget how majestic he looked in the 100 point season right up until that calf/hamstring injury (whichever one it was), he never put a foot wrong and was being hailed by the majority as the best centre half in the world currently.

Funny what people forget happened such a short time ago.

Looking at Stones’ WhoScored rating over the last three seasons he’s had an average of...

• 7.87/10 in 17/18
• 6.87/10 in 18/19
• Now just 6.56/10 so far this season.

You're only as good as your last performances. Nobody really cares how solid he was a few years ago. Every professional player has good and bad seasons, but what separates the good from the great is continuity and he is missing that.
I think he is making far too many basic defensive mistakes to be considered a starter at City. Tyrone Mings, Nathan Ake both look much more solid than Stones. He seem more afraid of messing up his hair in a duel than actually defending in a decisive matter. He has to toughen up and fast. I think Peps trust in him is decreasing rapidly. Pep even prefers Rodri and Fernandinho in centreback position ahead of an Actual centreback. Says a lot.

I really like the guy but I don't know what the fck happened.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

It is funny how some forget how majestic he looked in the 100 point season right up until that calf/hamstring injury (whichever one it was), he never put a foot wrong and was being hailed by the majority as the best centre half in the world currently.

Funny what people forget happened such a short time ago.

Thats what he does though. John Stones is one of the best defenders in the world in a 5-0 win. He looks confident and classy on the ball, strides forward into midfield, knocks the ball about and isn't in a position to be shown up defensively. So in a season where the team dominate games and rack up 100 points, I have no doubts he looks bloody decent.

We are now in a position defensively, with no Kompany or Laporte, where he has to be the senior player/partner and look at whats happening. He's a chancer. A fair-weather footballer who looks good when everything is going in his favour. I wouldn't want him in the trenches with me when things aren't so rosy.

 

[cityboy1]

Thats what he does though. John Stones is one of the best defenders in the world in a 5-0 win. He looks confident and classy on the ball, strides forward into midfield, knocks the ball about and isn't in a position to be shown up defensively. So in a season where the team dominate games and rack up 100 points, I have no doubts he looks bloody decent.

We are now in a position defensively, with no Kompany or Laporte, where he has to be the senior player/partner and look at whats happening. He's a chancer. A fair-weather footballer who looks good when everything is going in his favour. I wouldn't want him in the trenches with me when things aren't so rosy.

What makes this worse is that not having bottle and being a centre back in our team is a bad combination with our current defensive situation

 

[decmancity]

Has till the summer to sort himself out, you would think he would be keen to lock down his England spot also. I really hope he turns it around. Not long now till Laporte is back alongside him....

 

[BlueCityfan]

The reason i think he will stay is because he is HG. And as a back-up CB i guess he isn't that bad. But once we sign a top CB. It will be >Laporte + the new guy as our starters.

 

[Gray]

Should have progressed by now, he is if anything going backwards.