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John Stones

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Eggs said:
...I think he's tremendous but in hindsight the decision not to sell him appears to have done no favours to all concerned. I heard Danny Murphy on radio this week saying he should be a definite starter at the Euro's as England's best CB.
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Danny clearly hasn't been watching much of Stones this season if that's what he believes, Egg.

Or else there is a paucity of good English centre backs.

(which I suppose there is, right enough)

He has really gone backwards this season IMO.

That may well be because of the Chelsea saga over the summer.

But my own belief is we overrated him last season and we are merely seeing a correction this season.

It is all very well stylishly carrying the ball forward out of defence, but I am not seeing a top level, commanding defender when those crosses are flying in or boys like Mahrez are bamboozling him on the edge of the box.
 
Khalekan said:
Danny clearly hasn't been watching much of Stones this season if that's what he believes, Egg.

Or else there is a paucity of good English centre backs.

(which I suppose there is, right enough)

He has really gone backwards this season IMO.

That may well be because of the Chelsea saga over the summer.

But my own belief is we overrated him last season and we are merely seeing a correction this season.

It is all very well stylishly carrying the ball forward out of defence, but I am not seeing a top level, commanding defender when those crosses are flying in or boys like Mahrez are bamboozling him on the edge of the box.
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.....I agree about his form this season, Matey. That's why I said the decision to keep him hasn't turned out well for all concerned. Danny Murphy also accepted his form has dipped but feels he is still a great player and "will go on to be English footballs greatest ever CB" - his words. It's all about opinion and Stones would be Murphy's 1st choice for England with Smalling or Cahill as options to be his partner.
 

longers said:
He was mostly amazing for the first half of the season tbh, people have appalling memories.
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This.
On GOT you truly are only as good as your last performance. Stones is a good player. Potentially a great player. No surprises that he is not the finished article. Not selling him last year was a good decision in many ways. If we chose to sell him now, we'd still get big money. He will play his way back into form and the critics will await their justified vaulting
 
He was dropped because he was out of form. Happens to all players.

Happens to us all in work doesn't it? Sometimes you must have an off period. I do.
 
Moomin said:
He is our best centre back by a country mile. He is a young, made a few mistakes and went off the boil for a bit. I'm surprised it took nearly two years for his first bad patch.

Anyone who doesn't rate him needs to give up watching football.
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I don't think he is yet, although if he fulfils his potential then he can certainly be far better than Jagielka was as Jags' lack of quality on the ball can let him down. For me though, being a great centre back is about being able to defend well first and foremost, and then the very best also have that ability on the ball that Stones does possess and Jagielka for example doesn't.

But Stones' defending has been poor for a lot of this season. His concentration hasn't been there (Defoe's goal for example, Bassong for Norwich), and he's not been commanding enough in the air. It's been a tough season for him, although I would agree that some have forgotten that he has also had some excellent games towards the start of the season.

For all Martinez' faults, it's hard to say whether he's actually a help or hindrance to someone like Stones. It's great that Stones has someone who believes in him (the opposite example would be Hodgson with Barkley) and is willing to allow him to keep the stylish part of his game, but it's also concerning that he is having defensive lapses fairly frequently and that he's been indulged in terms of messing about with it too often in dangerous positions. He tries a lot of the same things where he takes the ball out to the right back position and then turns back inside. He's got away with it mostly but he's become very predictable with it.

Agree entirely with the last part of your post though.
 
Groucho said:
He was dropped because he was out of form. Happens to all players.

Happens to us all in work doesn't it? Sometimes you must have an off period. I do.
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i generally dont have an on period...

he's still just a tiddler as well bless him and playing in probably the most demanding position in football
 

Stones was playing really well in most supporters eyes until he did his cruyff turns in the 6 yard box against spurs. Since then he seemed to hang on to the ball far longer than he needed to and as a consequence started to make daft mistakes. If he could cut out the unnecessary long time on the ball and go back to what he was doing I.e. defending well and distributing the ball well he's probably ahead of jags for next seasons central defensive partnership. All top players learn by their mistakes let's hope he does.
 
bring the ghost on said:
He's a class act this lad. He hasn't looked quite the same since the whole Chelsea fiasco, his attitude seems to have changed, and at times I think he risks believing his own hype too much. But, on the pitch when he puts his mind to it, there are very few better young central defenders in Europe.
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Yeah he let all the hype go to his head (did he start to think he was actually too good for us because of the Chelsea bid?) and he started to believe he was better than he actually was (he is class though) he can be forgiven though because he's still a young lad.

He just needs to knuckle down and get back to showing us why, as you say, he is one of the best young central defenders in Europe.
 

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