John Stones

[Neville Kneville]

He says he supports City players so we shall see.

Oh dear, has someone dared to not toe the line ?

If he turns out to be shit, I'll say so, if he turns out to be brilliant I'll say so & I won't give a flying fuck whether it suits you, either way.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I agree that we dont want to pay £50m because he's not worth that. Also agree and have stated all along, Everton are in the driving seat with this. The only crumb of comfort I take is that we must feel Everton are willing to compromise otherwise we would have put up or moved on.

If we thought he was essential then we would have done the deal already.

More likely Pep thinks he can turn him into something special, so we see the benefit of the signing long term, rather than thinking we can't play without him now.

 

[meeesh]

Joking apart though,how many games do you reckon Pep has actually seen Stones/Everton play ? I've got an idea,and don't think it'll be too many to be honest

 

[colbee59]

Not worried with what we've got, if Everton won't budge walk away

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[supercity88]

Surely all of that applied last season though and they still held on to him, albeit that it probably showed during the season (hard to tell given how bad the team were).

I'd be happy if we walked and went with what we have now.

I'm not sure if Stones was as desperate for the move last summer. Everton had been good to him and he was establishing himself there. Last season was a disaster and he found himself out of the side and on the bench for England when his aim at the start of the season was to get himself in the starting 11. I don't think he had the best of seasons but I do think he'd look a lot better when placed in a team that are all signing off the same hymn sheet with regard to keeping possession. As Pep said, if you hit the ball forward to the strikers hard, it only comes back harder and if Stones is passing it out from the back but team mates then hoof it forward the whole system falls down.

After paying big money for Otamendi and Mangala and getting little return out of that I can't say I'm hugely bothered about whether this signing happens or not. Particularly when Kompany and Zabaleta have been so good for us but cost so little. Someone like Bonucci could play for a good few seasons and would instantly improve our defence, he's excellent on the ball and a rock at the back. Would we rather that than add yet another young "potentially good" defender to the ranks. Denayer is now at the time where he either plays for City or we sell him. Tosin has a bit more time but has shown huge potential and Humphreys isn't long going to be knocking on the door for a chance either.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Joking apart though,how many games do you reckon Pep has actually seen Stones/Everton play ? I've got an idea,and don't think it'll be too many to be honest

No, but tbf he can see what Stones does pretty well on video, the good & the bad. Pretty much every game he's ever played. He will have done lots of background checks, so they must think he's got the intelligence to pick up on what Pep wants.

 

[Johnny_on]

If we thought he was essential then we would have done the deal already.

More likely Pep thinks he can turn him into something special, so we see the benefit of the signing long term, rather than thinking we can't play without him now.

So we didnt think DeBruyne was essential last year because it dragged on?

He was THE key signing, as will Stones be this year.

Close to thinking its just trolling now.

 

[mosssideblue]

If we thought he was essential then we would have done the deal already.

More likely Pep thinks he can turn him into something special, so we see the benefit of the signing long term, rather than thinking we can't play without him now.

Sorry Nev. Not quite understanding that

Edit. Read it again and I now get it :)

 

[Neville Kneville]

So we didnt think DeBruyne was essential last year because it dragged on?

He was THE key signing, as will Stones be this year.

Close to thinking its just trolling now.

DeBruyne wasn't essential last year. He was a player we wanted but were willing to haggle about the money. If we thought the team would fall apart without him, we would just have bought him straight off. We wouldn't risk everything for 5 mil.

 

[mosssideblue]

So we didnt think DeBruyne was essential last year because it dragged on?

He was THE key signing, as will Stones be this year.

Close to thinking its just trolling now.

Why is that trolling?