John Stones

[Neville Kneville]

I don't understand your stance on John Stones. He is a player with incredible natural talent, a player whom his manager rated highly, a player who has had incredible support from that manager, yet John Stones has not only let himself down but Pep.

Pep clearly has lost his trust, understandably, yet you and posters on here still have this blind faith over John Stones.

I just don't get it, last season we lost our best CB to a long term injury, THIS WAS JOHN STONE'S OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW HIS WORTH, what did he do? nothing , absolutely nothing, he went missing , as he has done every time the pressure is on.

Four years he has been here, and he is going backwards, he is not even at the level when we signed him!

Let's cut our losses, get what we can for him and move on.

It is in the best interest of both parties.

I'm saying that for whatever reason, he was taken for visits to Premier League grounds, last season, yet according to folks on here, there was no purpose to it, as Pep doesn't trust him.

So it wasn't a fitness thing it was a 'you're not wanted" thing.

So why was he there ? And why then, suddenly throw him into a game, when he hasn't played for ages ? Is it likely he will be that good, when he plays ?

Why not just tell him & transfer list him ? What are the 'talks' about at the end of the season ? Why hasn't he gone, on a free if neccessary & been replaced, so we have a new cb who knows what he's doing ?

Unless, Pep wants Stones but he's not been 'right' or fit.

Then, it makes sense. Otherwise it makes no sense at all, to waste all that time. It should be sorted, even a loan deal.

And now Laporte has Covid, just shows how flimsy our cb choices would be, without JS & Otamendi in the squad.

 

[Keeper!]

I'm saying that for whatever reason, he was taken for visits to Premier League grounds, last season, yet according to folks on here, there was no purpose to it, as Pep doesn't trust him.

So it wasn't a fitness thing it was a 'you're not wanted" thing.

So why was he there ? And why then, suddenly throw him into a game, when he hasn't played for ages ? Is it likely he will be that good, when he plays ?

Why not just tell him & transfer list him ? What are the 'talks' about at the end of the season ? Why hasn't he gone, on a free if neccessary & been replaced, so we have a new cb who knows what he's doing ?

Unless, Pep wants Stones but he's not been 'right' or fit.

Then, it makes sense. Otherwise it makes no sense at all, to waste all that time. It should be sorted, even a loan deal.

And now Laporte has Covid, just shows how flimsy our cb choices would be, without JS & Otamendi in the squad.

Completely agree with you.

If a 19 year old untried kid was picked in front of you despite telling the club he no longer wanted to be at the club, you know your time is up.

 

[penalty spot]

I think he has had his chances, people stating his personal life has interfered with his performances on the pitch. That coupled with injuries that seem to occur frequently and for lengthy periods. His lack of aggression and indecisiveness all do him no favours.
He will not seek a move due to his contract of high wages at the moment and nobody seems interested, understandably to sign him so we are stuck. IMO others are more deserving of a chance, Adiaboyue and Taylor Hardwood Bellis but the window has another month to run so who knows.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Stones splitting with his wife has resulted in a massive fall off in his performance level.
I said last season that he needs to work hard at his game but he is still making horrible mistakes. The Villa Cup final being a case in point he was actually excellent in that game baring one mistake that led to a goal.
He needs to concentrate better during a game to remain in City's medium to long term plans

He has flaws in his game which he may never fix. But the guy who is replacing him has made at least one, in every game he's played & isn't as anywhere near as solid the rest of the time.

We are lacking Vincent Kompany & need to replace him & our def mid is too weak to rescue it. That's our problem, not Stones.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Completely agree with you.

If a 19 year old untried kid was picked in front of you despite telling the club he no longer wanted to be at the club, you know your time is up.

You would think so, but although folks don't like to admit it, Pep sometimes fucks up.

This could be that & Stones might actually be here, all season, because what happened last season was a fuckup.

We will soon see.

 

[Neville Kneville]

The few clips they have just shown on Sky, of City's defending from last season, is so far below what it should be it's actually a joke.

It's not because we 'have' to do it, because we pass or press, it's just fucking shite organisation & decision making. Really really, really shite.

In those clips, it was Otamendi, then Mendy/Gundogan but you could pick out another 50, most of which we got away with.

It just isn't a Stones thing, it's a City thing.

 

[Gingers Dad]

So what are we doing, waiting for Stones to figure out his problems and in the meantime, our world class players are getting older and Pep is getting closer to leave the club? Enough of excuses, it hasn’t been like this for 5 month, he hasn’t played well and consistent for two fkng years. If you think it’s more important to keep Stones rather than winning UCL, then there’s your priority

Not really sure that's what I said?
To be honest I wouldn't have either Stones or Garcia at the moment. Stones has reached levels in his career that Garcia could only dream about. Can't be doing with shit CB's being described as good readers of the game because they can't tackle, have got no pace and are shit in the air. Garcia will never make it as a CB at Premier League or La Liga level.
Stones is better than what both Arsenal or Chelsea have got and I reckon he'll end up at one of them if we manage to bring in Koulibaly. Garcia will hang around at City for a bit and probably go on the one way loan to Girona before disappearing.

 

[Craig]

Not really sure that's what I said?
To be honest I wouldn't have either Stones or Garcia at the moment. Stones has reached levels in his career that Garcia could only dream about. Can't be doing with shit CB's being described as good readers of the game because they can't tackle, have got no pace and are shit in the air. Garcia will never make it as a CB at Premier League or La Liga level.
Stones is better than what both Arsenal or Chelsea have got and I reckon he'll end up at one of them if we manage to bring in Koulibaly. Garcia will hang around at City for a bit and probably go on the one way loan to Girona before disappearing.

Totally agree. Reminds me a bit of Nastacic in that he got in the team young and had a couple of decent games so people think because of their age they’ll get better and better. Both extremely limited though and will never have pace, strength or be good in the air.

 

[Txiki Txiki Bang Bang]

Stones splitting with his wife has resulted in a massive fall off in his performance level.
I said last season that he needs to work hard at his game but he is still making horrible mistakes. The Villa Cup final being a case in point he was actually excellent in that game baring one mistake that led to a goal.
He needs to concentrate better during a game to remain in City's medium to long term plans

I am sure Mangala had personal reasons why his form dipped after the Chelsea game but he was shown out the door after spending just one season with the team. I think Stones has had 3 seasons to impress and has failed woefully. Time to move on.

 

[Neville Kneville]

Totally agree. Reminds me a bit of Nastacic in that he got in the team young and had a couple of decent games so people think because of their age they’ll get better and better. Both extremely limited though and will never have pace, strength or be good in the air.

Like Nastasic, his 'decent' games are people making allownces for him looking nice & calm knocking the ball around & doing the very easy bits of defending, mostly, very competently, then it not being his fault when he runs straight underneath a header or just falls over, when someone runs at him or stands there whilst Kyle Walker jumps over his head, etc.

I could imagine him having something tbf as a def mid, or even in a back 3 with two proper, fast defenders & not playing offsides.

But he is basically Stones, smaller, slower & shitter in the air.