John Stones

jackyboy · January 16, 2017

So it is just coincidence that whatever defence he plays in looks more vulnerable? Or do you just pick one out of the old excuse bank and go with that ; lack of a partner/age/defensive unit/manager/coaching set-up/the press/his infidelity.

I find it strange how some ignore Barkely and Lukaku's age and state things about them like "he's played a lot more games than the average x year old" but with Stones it's almost like one day he's going to somehow evolve into Baresi akin to a butterfly emerging from a cocoon".

Kurt. · January 16, 2017

Khalekan said:
Why five years, as a matter of interest?

Why not two?

Or three?

Or eighteen months?

Or ten years?

Because in 5 years he will be 27 years old and at the Peak of his game. .... and be England captain

BlueLee · January 16, 2017

I think if Stones would have played under Moyes for a year or two and played in an Everton defence with Ashley Williams teaching him how to lead and defend properly he could have been one of the best. Martinez football style and a big fat pay check and transfer price tag put an end to that.

Papa Shango · January 16, 2017

BlueLee said:
I think if Stones would have played under Moyes for a year or two and played in an Everton defence with Ashley Williams teaching him how to lead and defend properly he could have been one of the best. Martinez football style and a big fat pay check and transfer price tag put an end to that.

Playing under Moyes would just give him a soft underbelly. He needs to be a winner not a plucky loser.

The problem with Stones for me is the fact that he actually isnt that good a footballer. People see a defender who can do more than just hoof it down the field and automatically think he is a good footballer. He is good on the ball for a defender. He still makes mistakes and has passing can be quite ropey at times. His ability with the ball doesnt make up for his short comings as a defender.

Still makes me laugh that people say he should play in midfield.

Papa Shango · January 16, 2017

Kurt said:
Because in 5 years he will be 27 years old and at the Peak of his game. .... and be England captain

Being England captain doesnt make you good like...

Rugby Toffee · January 16, 2017

Not his greatest performance yesterday was it?

cronullasharks · January 16, 2017

Rugby Toffee said:
Not his greatest performance yesterday was it?

No, otamendi is worse still. And then that keeper..

Kurt. · January 16, 2017

Papa Shango said:
Being England captain doesnt make you good like...

*Jordan Henderson agrees

Frank Gallagher · January 16, 2017

Kurt said:
Because in 5 years he will be 27 years old and at the Peak of his game. .... and be England captain

will be at birmingham or watford in 5 years

Khalekan · January 16, 2017

Kurt said:
Because in 5 years he will be 27 years old and at the Peak of his game. .... and be England captain

Thank you, Mystic Kurt.

Any chance you could post this week's Lotto numbers?

Thank you

tsubaki · January 16, 2017

cronullasharks said:
No, otamendi is worse still. And then that keeper..

don't leave Sagna or especially Clichy out of that either

Papa Shango · January 16, 2017

tsubaki said:
don't leave Sagna or especially Clichy out of that either

For the amount of money they have spent that back 4-5 is ridiculous. Clichy and Sagna were good about 6 years ago.

Frank Gallagher · January 16, 2017

Papa Shango said:
For the amount of money they have spent that back 4-5 is ridiculous. Clichy and Sagna were good about 6 years ago.

they werent even that good then. bang average. hence wenger letting them go.

degsy · January 16, 2017

Kurt said:
Because in 5 years he will be 27 years old and at the Peak of his game. .... and be England captain

Like that will mean anything much in the grand scheme of top teams...He's not the new Beckenbauer, Moore or even Hansen...He's just the same old Stones.

ToffeeDan · January 16, 2017

So Neville was defending him.. and how his teammates let him down. Although I'm not terribly interested in his career now or his performances I thought I'd check out his contribution to the 4 goals in terms of what he did - or didn't do.

Goal 1: Meandering about in front of the back four - no attempt to do anything useful to stop the attack
Goal 2: Falls over - fails to recover - unable to stop Mirallas firing in a shot that goes beyond the keeper
Goal 3: Leaves a stricken Davies to follow the ball, leaving the recovered Davies one-on-one with the keeper
Goal 4: Clearance hits Coleman - arguably a bit unlucky

Culpable for the second and third goal, negligent for the opener and lax for the last one. I'd say that warranted a fair amount of criticism.