John Stones

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

It seems quite a few of our squad needs resting. The sad fact is both Lukaku & Stones are the most needy.

 

[kenada_blue]

Nonsense. Luiz was our best player in the 2nd half of his last season here. 2 years ago and we still haven't replaced him. He's more appreciated in France where playing out the back is encouraged.

Luiz was unfairly criticized because of his eccentric style. The better you are technically as a defender the worse defender you're perceived. I feel for Stones, he probably needs a move to La Liga where insanely jealous, marginal players like Carragher aren't slandering his name or fans aren't getting on his back because he refuses to hoof and concede possession.

Your most successful manager didn't rate him and got rid. Yous then won the league without him.

And the point wasn't about him being a good player or not, it was about a dip in form leading to a dip in price which isn't the case.

 

[Abertonian]

While all you armchair managers are quick to criticize Stones and mention selling him. Glenn Hoddle has said he will be the best English centre back since Bobby Moore.

Now, do I take the opinion of a former great footballer who has managed in the premiership and the national team or a bunch of bipolar cry arses on here??

Fair point, but he did also think that a faith healer would bring success on the pitch.

 

[BlueToff]

Some rumours starting to do the rounds in the press - Cahill plus cash for Stones .

Heard anything your end or do you think it's just the press inventing stuff due to lack of anything major going on at the mo in the window ?

Pres inventive stuff. They want him out of Everton 'for the good of his career'. Yeh, y'know, cos been the scapegoat for Chelsea's dreadful season would have done him a world of good

 

[BlueToff]

Gil....did Luiz ever do Cruyff turns in the shadow of his own goal post in the final minutes of a match finely poised at 1-1?

No?

I suggest happen he had, you and 40,000 other Chelsea fans would have been "on his back" yelling at him to get rid.

Just like me and 40,000 of my fellows were.

Which, BTW, is the only time people at Goodison have got "on his back".

Even on Sunday when he put his goalkeeper in the trouble which led to Swansea's first goal, the stick was directed at Tim Howard.

Refusing "to hoof and concede possession" is a laudable sentiment and when it goes smoothly it looks beautiful.

But you know what?

Sometimes a hoof aimed at Row ZZ is a more sensible thing to do.

That cruyff turn only had to be done because if he gave it back to Howard, Stones knew the big silly bald twit would f it up somehow

 

[Ihaters]

Stones is boss, one of my favourite Everton players

 

[Khalekan]

That cruyff turn only had to be done because if he gave it back to Howard, Stones knew the big silly bald twit would f it up somehow

It's a pity he never exercised such caution against Swansea, eh wot?

 

[BlueToff]

It's a pity he never exercised such caution against Swansea, eh wot?

He tried every other alternative mate (bar row z, which on that occasion he should have done). But Howard should still have got to the ball. If you can maintain possession instead of giving it to the oppo high up the pitch, that's what you should do. It would have worked if Howard was semi-competent.

 

[scorgie95]

He doesn't look bothered anymore. Been crap since after his transfer request. I've always thought if someone comes out like that and doesn't want to be at the club they shouldn't be here.

 

[COYBL25]

Pres inventive stuff. They want him out of Everton 'for the good of his career'. Yeh, y'know, cos been the scapegoat for Chelsea's dreadful season would have done him a world of good

Imagine the stick he'd have got from the press if he'd have gone there this season !

 

[BlueToff]

He doesn't look bothered anymore. Been crap since after his transfer request. I've always thought if someone comes out like that and doesn't want to be at the club they shouldn't be here.

I advise you to go and read this thread from November and December to be proved wrong, mate. Remember the Palace game where he was the best in the league according to Everton fans?

As fickle as they come

 

[COYBL25]

I advise you to go and read this thread from November and December to be proved wrong, mate. Remember the Palace game where he was the best in the league according to Everton fans?

As fickle as they come

The way I see it is that it's quite simple really, he just needs proper coaching from the manager - defending is always safety first and not doing what you want when you want.

Stones ain't the problem, he's got potential to be amongst the best in the world. The blame lies with the madness that is Martinez. Straying off topic here, but under a different manager, you'd see a balanced more rounded defender.

 

[Khalekan]

He tried every other alternative mate (bar row z, which on that occasion he should have done). But Howard should still have got to the ball. If you can maintain possession instead of giving it to the oppo high up the pitch, that's what you should do. It would have worked if Howard was semi-competent.

Toff.....your devotion to John is admirable.

But you undermine your own case with your defensiveness.

You have done the Sunday incident to death.......you have reacted to every poster who criticised John's role in it with the same refrain "It is all big bad Timmy's fault".

And to date you have not changed one of those poster's mind.......that I know off anyway

Not only that, you contradict yourself by justifying the Cruuyf turn on the grounds that he didn't trust Howard for a back pass then say Row Z was the best option on Sunday.

It was the better option on both occasions......the 40,000 people who were yelling "get rid" versus Spurs had their reaction vindicated on Sunday.

Let it go, pal.

We have too many other things to worry about than the feigned injured feelings of a young whom wanted to leave us in the summer and whom in all likliehood will leave us this coming summer.

Time to look to the future, my friend.

And the future is a big Argie with a double barrelled name.

 

[BlueToff]

Toff.....your devotion to John is admirable.

But you undermine your own case with your defensiveness.

You have done the Sunday incident to death.......you have reacted to every poster who criticised John's role in it with the same refrain "It is all big bad Timmy's fault".

And to date you have not changed one of those poster's mind.......that I know off anyway

Not only that, you contradict yourself by justifying the Cruuyf turn on the grounds that he didn't trust Howard for a back pass then say Row Z was the best option on Sunday.

It was the better option on both occasions......the 40,000 people who were yelling "get rid" versus Spurs had their reaction vindicated on Sunday.

Let it go, pal.

We have too many other things to worry about than the feigned injured feelings of a young whom wanted to leave us in the summer and whom in all likliehood will leave us this coming summer.

Time to look to the future, my friend.

And the future is a big Argie with a double barrelled name.

Fair enough.

I admit, I may have contradicted myself on that point, but I don't think the cruyff turn against Spurs deserved the criticism it got. I think, in that situation, where he ended up winning a free-kick, it was a better alternative to going back to Howard or row z.

I also believe that, on Sunday, he should have gone into row z on that occasion, but at the same time, I understand why he didn't, because his first thought was to retain possession.

My problem isn't with people not agreeing with that at all. My problem is with people claiming it shows Stones is dis-interested or doesn't want to be here, or he must be dropped.

I think it's simply a case of a young player making a mistake, a senior player not helping him out, and some fans over-reacting.

 

[tadpole]

He's a young lad going through a wobbly spell. He's made a few high profile blunders in recent weeks, and taken a bit of stick for it, and it's affected his confidence. He'll be fine. And he'll go on to be the worldbeating player that most of us can see in him.

Should Martinez drop him for a game or two ? I don't know. Maybe. Certainly no harm in doing it, with Jagielka and Funes Mori looking strong.

Will he leave us this summer ? I don't know. But don't believe anyone who tells you that it's a foregone conclusion because they don't know what they're talking about. The one thing that's certain is that he's not going anywhere on the cheap. His value's gone up since last summer and anyone who wants him will have to pay a world record fee for a defender. (If Mangala cost £40 million, what's Stones worth ?) Who can afford that money ? Possibly Chelsea, City, Real Madrid. But Chelsea's priority will be to buy some top strikers. City's priority will be to win the Champions League - so if they have money to burn then you'd have to think they'll spend it on players with CL experience rather than future prospects. I don't think there's a club in the world right now that are 100% ready and able to meet Stones's asking price.