John Stones

[BlueKlaude]

Dont think we need to spend another 90m on cbs. Choose one of Laporte and Stones and go with the 3 we have now plus Denayer whom most likley will play RB. We have positions that need much more attention if we want to succeed.

 

[bluetev]

Anyone else worried that we'll lack experience next season? Stone, Laporte, Denayer, Sane, Sterling would be very inexperienced!

On the plus side, plenty of fresh legs in there.

 

[uwe rosler 28]

Stones could be coming in to play in a 3? Also he'll be coming into a team that will be dominating possession of virtually every football game like peps teams do! He won't be being exposed as much as he has been this season! Hopefully playing alonside vinny will bring the best outnof him!

 

[daztrueblue91]

There are definitely question marks over Stones defensively. However, judging his form when Martinez is his manager is the same as judging Otamendi and Mangala under Pellergrini. We are too quick to write players off after a poor season when they have been left hung out to dry by an inept manager.

What I like about Stones though is his ability to play out from the back. When Everton played United at Wembley he was the guy who drove them forward at nearly every attack in the second half. The inability to play out from the back is something which has hindered us this season. I remember when we played Swansea, West Brom, Norwich and Watford (1st half) at home and we struggled massively against them. They didn't offer much going forward but they found it so easy to cut off the supply line in midfield. As a result we were extremely lucky to pick up wins against bang average sides as we offered nothing going forward.

Stones would give us that ability to attack from deep. At the moment sides can just allow Mangala, Otamendi or Vinny time on the ball because they will do very little with it. They just focus on stopping the supply lines to KDB, Silva, Yaya and Nasri and they stop our attacks. At least if Stones had the ball he would force one of their players to close him down and create space for others.

Put it this way, is Stones as good a defender as Otamendi or Mangala? Personally I'd say no but he's not far off. Is Stones better on the ball than them? 100% yes. Can Stones improve? 100% yes.

He would be a very good long term signing for us just like Sterling will turn out to be.

 

[IBlue]

Nothing comes from Mangala possesion, Otamendi does pass better, however Stones ability at bringing the ball into the midfield will give us another dimension, especially as we are losing Yaya who for the last 5 yrs has been the link. We have been saying that no one can replace Yaya so what you do is get players who can do little bits of his role. Stones is one, another is Gundogan who will follow the ball and not look for space.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Wasn't great last year either, just got hyped up alá Andros Townsend, Kyle Walker, Ross Barkley, Tom Cleverley etc until people started, due to all the hype, actually watching him and then thought, "hang on a minute, he's shite" or started making excuses for him.

i watched quite a lot of everton last year and stones was very good. The whole everton defence this year have looked shit at defending. Even baines and jagielka have looked bad, under pep he would be great

 

[Pam]

i watched quite a lot of everton last year and stones was very good. The whole everton defence this year have looked shit at defending. Even baines and jagielka have looked bad, under pep he would be great

It will be interesting to see how he does with England this summer.

 

[Stoned Rose]

Stones is our next Vinny worth 40 mill for the next 10 years every day of the week, vardy's is a weasel with a addiction to wkd.

Our next Vinny?

Someone who is either injured, coming back from injury or getting injured?

Top business that.

Context.... Oki doke

So a little over 18 months ago we paid 20m+ for a guy who was regarded as the above... Is Bony shite?? I'd say our style of play makes him such, vardy is no different. If we intend to set up in that guise then why not...

The reason stones is desirable is the idea that he can gel into the way we are going to play, raw?definitely, potentially outstanding? Without a doubt...

That ok with you my big orange??

Everything you are basing your opinion on is based on some knowledge of 'the system' Guardiola is going to play, something you can guess at but definitely don't 'know'.

I don't disagree re Stones he has bags of potential and I thought he was very good the season before last. Hpwever there is nothing to say he wouldn't do a Bony to.

 

[Cityfan]

not just him, but he was culpable at times. Put it this way, if Pep had had Vinnie or Pique instead of Boateng I genuinely believe they'd have won at least one of those semis. If they'd been partnered with him then I think the same, but they'd have been carrying him. Boateng's not top class and has made crucial errors at big moments, particularly in Europe, regardless of the mistakes other have made in the build-up, which has cost Bayern. He hasn't been good enough as their lead CB when it's really counted, forget German Cups or a 34 game Bundesliga season when they're by miles the better side, in those really competitive CL ties he has been found wanting.

Mmm Boateng won the champions league next to Dante, not to mention a world cup. He's really not bad when I've seen him.

 

[Tbilisi]

Stones is a shite defender,we need to dodge this bullet