2023/24 Jarrad Branthwaite

[Kevsleftpeg]

I dont think hes been a main stay at all, he took a couple of years to establish himself there and definitely went through periods where he has been out of the team because he wasn't trusted, hes had his problems with injury of course and its a high bar admittedly at CIty and Pep likes Hybrid players - which has worked for him.

Im always amazed when people think stepping out into midfield in new for him - he was doing it here. I actually think hes a bit late to the party at it at City, with his ability he should have been doing it more and for a longer time ago. I actually think he is a better deep lying midfielder then he is a centre half (thought that when he was here) - hes an average but competent defender - but his skills are ball at feet - that makes him different and a type of hybrid player Pep aims for.

But hybrid or inverted defender thing isnt new, in fact most modern systems are developing toward it and i think people are just noticing it more - even Mordor are playing TAA as a deep lying playmaker.

Im not necessarily criticing Stones, i just thought when he left here he had a higher ceiling in terms of impact and performance to become a real leader and a great player - hes a very good player. People will talk about what hes won - but i dont mush integrity or worth on Citys trophies personally - ive given my reasons a lot on here as to why.

I think Brantnthwaite is better. Hes twice the defender and equally as composed with ball at feet and his technique and vision are excellent, i think hes a more impactful player on the game. Hes a generational talent.

He struggled at first undoubtedly but lots of great players don't fit with Pep (Zlatan and Aguero to name but two). Branthewaite isn't twice the defender. That's ridiculous. I think he is better in the air, stronger and quicker. Still looks a bit suspect to me in one on one and hangs a leg too often near the box. Excellent on the ball but nowhere near the level of Stones. Go back and watch Stones v Fulham away or against Utd in the semi. There's just no way Branthewaite is ever doing that.

 

[Mashtray]

We would be insane to consider selling for anything less than100 million

I hope he stays and we build a team around him

No chance

But one more season would be ideal

 

[Axlswhk]

Branthenbauer

 

[Cjplennon]

That's the fee being mentioned because United are starting to feel P&S pinch.. lost 150 million in the latest accounts, got fined by UEFA for breaching FFP.. no hope he's going for just 50 million, you are talking a near record fee for a CB.. £50 million plus slab head on loan for the remainder of his contract with United picking up 100% his salary then maybe.

We should not be mentioning slab head anywhere near Everton. Enough with the Man U rejects!

 

[Neiler]

He struggled at first undoubtedly but lots of great players don't fit with Pep (Zlatan and Aguero to name but two). Branthewaite isn't twice the defender. That's ridiculous. I think he is better in the air, stronger and quicker. Still looks a bit suspect to me in one on one and hangs a leg too often near the box. Excellent on the ball but nowhere near the level of Stones. Go back and watch Stones v Fulham away or against Utd in the semi. There's just no way Branthewaite is ever doing that.

Thanks for the reply mate, don’t agree at all.

Think Branthwaite is twice the player objectively.

Stones is a good player, maybe a bit overrated in the U.K. as a national team player, but that’s ok, if he was German I don’t think most would pass comment, Ake for example has also stepped into the midfield hybrid role, as has Rico Lewis now that I think about it. Gvardiol has essentially been playing across three lines in the last month. Being able to play ball and swith lines is the bare minimum at City as a defender, it’s not unique to Stones.

Dont get me wrong, I’m not ditching Stones, he’s a good player, but I think Branthwaite can be a great player - sign for me of a great player is does he improve those around him, just look at Myko, look at our defensive record this year comparatively to the last three. Stones never impacted like that here even in a better team and he always had a brain fart in him, still prob does as good a player as he is.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

Thanks for the reply mate, don’t agree at all.

Think Branthwaite is twice the player objectively.

Stones is a good player, maybe a bit overrated in the U.K. as a national team player, but that’s ok, if he was German I don’t think most would pass comment, Ake for example has also stepped into the midfield hybrid role, as has Rico Lewis now that I think about it. Gvardiol has essentially been playing across three lines in the last month. Being able to play ball and swith lines is the bare minimum at City as a defender, it’s not unique to Stones.

Dont get me wrong, I’m not ditching Stones, he’s a good player, but I think Branthwaite can be a great player - sign for me of a great player is does he improve those around him, just look at Myko, look at our defensive record this year comparatively to the last three. Stones never impacted like that here even in a better team and he always had a brain fart in him, still prob does as good a player as he is.

Sorry mate, I can't agree with any of that. You're saying a player that's played 30 games in a low block team that finished in the bottom half is twice as good as a guy who has 70 England caps and has been a starter in the most dominant team in Premier league history and who has won the Champions League. He may well surpass Stones in the future but I'd need a much bigger sample size to make such a bold claim. No idea for example how he would deal with the pressure of playing for a top team or having to defender further up the pitch. People on here were claiming Jelavic was better than Suarez at one point. Don't get me wrong, Branthewaite has been unbelievable but you can't compare him with people who have done it all until he does it himself.

 

[Neiler]

Sorry mate, I can't agree with any of that. You're saying a player that's played 30 games in a low block team that finished in the bottom half is twice as good as a guy who has 70 England caps and has been a starter in the most dominant team in Premier league history and who has won the Champions League. He may well surpass Stones in the future but I'd need a much bigger sample size to make such a bold claim. No idea for example how he would deal with the pressure of playing for a top team or having to defender further up the pitch. People on here were claiming Jelavic was better than Suarez at one point. Don't get me wrong, Branthewaite has been unbelievable but you can't compare him with people who have done it all until he does it himself.

I think your point is contradictory mate, on one hand you deplete based on inexperience, the other you deplete comparing to a player 10 years deep into a career and medals. I liken his City medals to Lance Armstrong Tour De France wins mate, I’ve zero respect for City’s achievements personally. I also think England don’t know how to pick centre backs, but that’s a by, I think Stones is a very good player.

If we were to narrow the sample. Take Stones in his first year Vs Branthwaite in his first year, you have to keep one and sell other - I’m keeping Branthwaite.

P.S. Also think it’s unfair to say we play a low block - all of the time, there are times we hold a high line and he’s showed excellent recovery,

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

I think your point is contradictory mate, on one hand you deplete based on inexperience, the other you deplete comparing to a player 10 years deep into a career and medals. I liken his City medals to Lance Armstrong Tour De France wins mate, I’ve zero respect for City’s achievements personally. I also think England don’t know how to pick centre backs, but that’s a by, I think Stones is a very good player.

If we were to narrow the sample. Take Stones in his first year Vs Branthwaite in his first year, you have to keep one and sell other - I’m keeping Branthwaite.

I deplete based on evidence. If you offered Branthewaite Stones' career now he would absolutely snap your hand off. Stones is completely proven at the very highest level. Branthwaite is just at the very start of his career and has everything still to prove. Not really sure what a drugs cheat has to do with anything? I don't like City's dominance but that doesn't take anything away from the achievements of the individual players. Nothing is given to them. They have had to work unbelievably hard and be unbelievably talented just to make it into the City squad and they have beaten other extremely rich teams to win those trophies. Lots of young players are touted as the next big thing but the vast majority don't live up to the hype. Fergie compared Phil Jones to Duncan Edwards after a similar number of games. Branthwaite probably never even gets picked in the Everton teams that Stones played in. I remember Stones playing against Sterling at City away in the cup and he was clearly at a different level to all of our other players already. Maybe you just didn't see it.

 

[RomanReigns]

I swear we better not accept one of those cringey deals where we get like 10 mil up front and then an additional 60 mil spread over the next 25 years and then additional 30 mil if he wins the ballon’d’or and gets the golden boot

 

[Neiler]

I deplete based on evidence. If you offered Branthewaite Stones' career now he would absolutely snap your hand off. Stones is completely proven at the very highest level. Branthwaite is just at the very start of his career and has everything still to prove. Not really sure what a drugs cheat has to do with anything? I don't like City's dominance but that doesn't take anything away from the achievements of the individual players. Nothing is given to them. They have had to work unbelievably hard and be unbelievably talented just to make it into the City squad and they have beaten other extremely rich teams to win those trophies. Lots of young players are touted as the next big thing but the vast majority don't live up to the hype. Fergie compared Phil Jones to Duncan Edwards after a similar number of games. Branthwaite probably never even gets picked in the Everton teams that Stones played in. I remember Stones playing against Sterling at City away in the cup and he was clearly at a different level to all of our other players already. Maybe you just didn't see it.

That’s a lot of thins to write, not to answer the question I asked.

I feel your getting a bit binary now mate, I like Stones he’s a good player, I don’t feel the need to deplete him, I don’t feel the need to defend - Branthwaite, his performances speak for himself and everyone reading this debate, won’t need convincing from me, nor does he need my defence based on same.

You keep going on about Stones long career and Branthwaite fledgling, it’s not a fair comparison, the only fair comparison is to apply an equal scale, was Stones, better year 1 then Branthwaite year 1, I think Branthwaite is significantly better in that comparrison. You imply Stones was as you say Branthwaite isn’t getting g into a team ahead of Stines and checks notes Funes Mori. Woukd disagree personally.

I absolutkey take away from the achievements of the City teams, I’ve no axe to grind with the individual players, they are making a living, but the club is financially doped out of its eye balls, it lacks anything organic and sporting integrity. That’s my personal opinion.

I defo did t see Stones play right full if he was against Sterling.

 

[Kevsleftpeg]

That’s a lot of thins to write, not to answer the question I asked.

I feel your getting a bit binary now mate, I like Stones he’s a good player, I don’t feel the need to deplete him, I don’t feel the need to defend - Branthwaite, his performances speak for himself and everyone reading this debate, won’t need convincing from me, nor does he need my defence based on same.

You keep going on about Stones long career and Branthwaite fledgling, it’s not a fair comparison, the only fair comparison is to apply an equal scale, was Stones, better year 1 then Branthwaite year 1, I think Branthwaite is significantly better in that comparrison. You imply Stones was as you say Branthwaite isn’t getting g into a team ahead of Stines and checks notes Funes Mori. Woukd disagree personally.

I absolutkey take away from the achievements of the City teams, I’ve no axe to grind with the individual players, they are making a living, but the club is financially doped out of its eye balls, it lacks anything organic and sporting integrity. That’s my personal opinion.

I defo did t see Stones play right full if he was against Sterling.

You've changed your argument half way through though so maybe you need to be a bit more precise with your wording. You started off by saying that Branthwaite is the superior player full stop and now you've pivoted to saying that he is better than Stones was at the same stage of his career. That's a completely different argument. I think you're forgetting how highly rated Stones was when he was here. The best team in the land paid £47.5 for him 8 years ago.

 

[TraffordBlue]

Branthwaite has been outstanding this season, especially for someone at his age. Think it will have helped him massively having Tarkowski and Pickford in that defensive unit with him. Which is actually something i'd be using to try and persuade him to stay another season or 2.

He gives me the vibe that he can go on to be an England and Premier League great if he continues the way he has this season. But it's still only his first full season so will be interesting to see how he does next season and the one after.

He has been embarrased by 2 of the league's best with some naive defending (Haaland and Isak) in a couple of incidents and it seems to have been brushed under the carpet a bit by our fans. Could be a sign that he may not be at the level to handle the very best strikers?

That said, given his age and how he actually played in that City away match other than the mistake, i'm going to assume it's more down to his young age and inexperience and that presumably is what some of our other fans think too...

 

[Raino85]

I'm not just saying it out of hope but I genuinely think he's better off staying here and waiting for the actual elite to coming knocking, not go to a 2nd rate club like spurs or newcastle or utter basketcases like chelsea or man utd.

I think this the case also! Especially with the manager and tactics being so central towards defensive stability.
Another season of a similar defensive record would seriously get heads turning, unlike sides who may be a bit more forward thinking and in the limelight and possibly leave Jarrad exposed (think of maybe the City away game or Chelsea away) if he made what i call minimal mistakes in those games for someone like Man Utd, your cronies like Rio, G Nev and fake angry man Roy Keane would all be on his back, claiming his mentality is wrong and it takes a special person to play for Man Utd and that they never made mistakes like that!

Problem is this wont be the case, we will sell and quietly we probably want to sell!

 

[Raino85]

I think your point is contradictory mate, on one hand you deplete based on inexperience, the other you deplete comparing to a player 10 years deep into a career and medals. I liken his City medals to Lance Armstrong Tour De France wins mate, I’ve zero respect for City’s achievements personally. I also think England don’t know how to pick centre backs, but that’s a by, I think Stones is a very good player.

If we were to narrow the sample. Take Stones in his first year Vs Branthwaite in his first year, you have to keep one and sell other - I’m keeping Branthwaite.

P.S. Also think it’s unfair to say we play a low block - all of the time, there are times we hold a high line and he’s showed excellent recovery,

Out of interest, who would you pick as England's centre backs?

 

[RufusCat]

I think this the case also! Especially with the manager and tactics being so central towards defensive stability.
Another season of a similar defensive record would seriously get heads turning, unlike sides who may be a bit more forward thinking and in the limelight and possibly leave Jarrad exposed (think of maybe the City away game or Chelsea away) if he made what i call minimal mistakes in those games for someone like Man Utd, your cronies like Rio, G Nev and fake angry man Roy Keane would all be on his back, claiming his mentality is wrong and it takes a special person to play for Man Utd and that they never made mistakes like that!

Problem is this wont be the case, we will sell and quietly we probably want to sell!

I think this depends on who you are at the club, I agree the suits will want to sell but doubt very much if that is true of Dyche and the coaching staff - unless they have identified someone that they believe could replace him, and that is unlikely at this stage.