Stones & Dias Partnership

[TFC]

The rotation in the first half of the season owed a lot to injury and a crowded schedule. After the WC, we need to establish a preferred pairing and create some stability.

Fingers crossed pal

 

[Avenue Blue]

If we had a CL final tomorrow I’d go Dias and Laporte but then Ake has been great this season and Stonesy does seem to finally be maturing. And Akanji has done little wrong either
No club in the world has the options we do in that position
Yet the balance and the right players for the right opponent is key.
The Brentford game was one where Pep sadly got it all wrong (sacrilege to some on here but it remains true), Akanji should have been RB to mark their pace on the left and Stones at CB for the better aerial ability. Their first goal doesn’t happen if that was the case
The return of Walker, even though he has clearly lost a yard, will improve us massively. Our defence without him has been noticeably poorer
Walker will be a huge ask to replace

Enter Rico Lewis

 

[Maly]

Enter Rico Lewis

Same thing popped into my mind reading that post

 

[LongsightM13]

Same thing popped into my mind reading that post

He’s only just turned 18! Fine in certain circumstances but not sure he’s ready to start in a high stakes PL or CL game

 

[Maly]

He’s only just turned 18! Fine in certain circumstances but not sure he’s ready to start in a high stakes PL or CL game

Agreed

Sorry mate, should’ve clarified that I meant longer term. Walker will be impossible to replace like for like, but I certainly think/hope young Rico can replace him with slightly different skill set

The kid looks to have huge potential, so here’s to hoping he fulfils it

 

[Maly]

Yes, I wasn’t suggesting something set in Stones but rather all other things being equal, what will be the preferred pairing in crunch matches.
CB is an area where you can fiddle too much.

I see what you did there ;)

 

[Chris in London]

He’s only just turned 18! Fine in certain circumstances but not sure he’s ready to start in a high stakes PL or CL game

And?

17 year old Jude Bellingham is at the world cup

 

[LongsightM13]

And?

17 year old Jude Bellingham is at the world cup

Bellingham is a fully grown man already with 200 career games
Rico would be bullied and shoved around by David and SWP

 

[Chris in London]

17 year old Bellingham is a fully grown man already with 200 career games
Rico would be bullied and shoved around by David and SWP

fixed

 

[LongsightM13]

Agreed

Sorry mate, should’ve clarified that I meant longer term. Walker will be impossible to replace like for like, but I certainly think/hope young Rico can replace him with slightly different skill set

The kid looks to have huge potential, so here’s to hoping he fulfils it

Agree 100%
We evolve, we rarely if ever replace like for like.
And you have to credit Pep’s genius for that
We signed Bernie to take over from David
We signed Rodri to take over from both Yaya and Ferna
We signed Haaland to take over from Sergio
We signed Grealish to take over from Sterling
We signed Julian to take over from Jesus
We signed Ruben to take ofer from Vinnie
In many of those cases we chose to wait a year
Just a few examples
We evolve and change our game every season. That is why they can’t keep up