John Stones

[tim cahill]

I'd start him at CB on Saturday if Distin isn't fit. Hibbert RB.

 

[Triggs1903]

Regardless of last nights performance, he'll be a better player because of it. Definitely stronger at CB for me though from what I've seen.

 

[TX Bill]

Unless hibbert has suddenly become tassoti in his own absence he would not have limited anything except the attack, he refused to get forward against stevenage let alone liverpool, Stones had to cope with an out of sorts ch pairing as well, it was the right decision to play stones, saying hibbert could have made a difference is romantic nonsense, and his positional play was never that great anyway. Do some people really want to go back to the moyes days of picking experience over talent and form

Romantic nonsense?

You're having a laugh mate.

Why did Stones get caught out for the goal? Getting forward maybe? So sure, our attack would have been "more limited" with Hibbert at right back but it was already limited with Stones at right back so from a defensive standpoint, Hibbert an infinitely better choice.

And it was Stones inexperience that allowed Sturridge to drift in behind him and get the goal. Would that have happened to Hibbert? I could have but I've seen Hibbert enough to know that it doesn't happen often to him.

Stones contributed ZERO to our attack last night (to be fair, very few of our players did) and this was a match where Hibbo's experience and defensive attributes at the position were needed.

The result proves it and the goal proves it.

How's that for "romantic nonsense?"

 

[TX Bill]

we still would have played a high line, but with a worse player on the pitch, would people want coleman dropped for hibbert in big games, because he gets forward more than stones even

Nice strawman there but no one is arguing for Hibbert over Coleman because "Coleman gets forward too much."

The argument was Hibbert over Stones in a match where experience and defense was needed over youth and potential. If Stones was even half as effective as Coleman in getting forward and contributing from the RB position, then it may have been worth the risk. But in my opinion, this wasn't the opposition or the venue to take that risk.

 

[fandjango]

Great post

 

[Walken]

Nice strawman there but no one is arguing for Hibbert over Coleman because "Coleman gets forward too much."

The argument was Hibbert over Stones in a match where experience and defense was needed over youth and potential. If Stones was even half as effective as Coleman in getting forward and contributing from the RB position, then it may have been worth the risk. But in my opinion, this wasn't the opposition or the venue to take that risk.

Not saying your wrong in your argument bill, especially with a day to sober up after that match, I don't rate hibbert at all, never have, but thats another debate, I'm saying I completly understand why Berto went for Stones, he got in good positions going forward but to little effect in the end, he had jags completly off his game as well as Barry, and defended one on one pretty well. We may have lost by one less goal with hibbert in the team, but do we go to anfield and beat teams like that with him in team? Not with the gameplan martinez wants play, he picked a team to take it to them, but fatigue a lack of fully fit players and granted possibly experience as well cost us dearly, and them well and truly counter punched the stuffing out of us. Martinez gambled on the quality players regardless of fitness or other factors, it didn't work out but I don't blame him for doing it, and was made up when I saw the starting line up. In the long run do top four chasing teams rely on the tony hibberts of the world, not for me I'm afraid

 

[slimspek]

I think Stones looked a little lost whenever he was in the final third, he didn't have the same drive as Coleman to get towards goal.

 

[Azzurri]

I'd have played Hibbert. Bill is spot on.










*hides

 

[evertondotcom]

Absolutely woeful against the ****e.

It's a shame really because he's done so well, but him and Alcaraz against Liverpool where embarrassing.

 

[Whatson]

Absolutely woeful against the ****e.

It's a shame really because he's done so well, but him and Alcaraz against Liverpool where embarrassing.

He wasn't that bad, to be fair, the whole side were dreadful.

He was offering some good options out right, besides, we're beginning to see him as more of a natural CB as opposed to wing back like he was against the RS

 

[CrabbyPaddy]

He’s never a right back in this system. He’s not comfortable enough on the ball in the final third to make anything work. He just looks nervous and wants to turn back and pass backwards. Coleman or a Hibbert will at least try to mix it up and go past a man or win a throw in/corner. There is a difference between being comfortable on the ball in defence and comfortable on the ball further up the field, a massive difference. Stones looks the real deal at centre back though.

IMO he should have played instead of Alcaraz last night and Hibbert should have played right back. We had 3 players starting who hadn’t played for weeks, and at least one other carrying a knock. It was too much to carry those players, especially when we had two fitter players on the bench in Hibbert and Osman, who are also local lads and experienced in derbies. I think Martinez made a mistake last night.

Couldn't agree more mate, he looked so nervous with the ball in their final third and on the wing.
However he looks so comfortable on the ball when he plays in the centre, highlighted by the way he wants to take the ball out and make passes. Think Coleman was a much bigger miss than we anticipated, as although he likes to bomb foreward, he has better positional awareness and the instincts to know when to drop back. Stones looked like he was just pushing foreward without any real thought, mainly because he had probably been told to do that and isn't used to playing that position.

Don't mean to criticise the lad, he's young and has bags of ability. Will only get better.

 

[mahermi1]

Prefer him at centre half.

 

[mawders]

Hibbert should play against Villa. I like Stones, but he is very raw, and he seems to think he is better than what he is. No doubt in a couple of years he will be a real talent, but he is still learning. We are more solid with Hibbert

 

[riddick]

He needs to add quite a bit of muscle. Looks really slight.



I think he looked quite good going forward and a deer in the headlights defending. Mostly because you rarely come across a team that has one player with that amount of pace, much less two players hurtling towards you.

 

[Seamus Colemole]

For someone so composed and confident on the ball in defence he seems scared to do anything other than a backwards pass when high up the pitch as a right back, he makes Hibbert look adventerous.

Thus far as well as above he looks good in the tackle but still learning positioning and not too good at heading.

If he can work and improve on his weaknesses he'll be a great defender, and at his age he has plenty of time to do so.