John Stones

Billy Dean · January 18, 2017

The Cowboy said:
His positional sense is barely prem class though. And at 22, and playing in the prem, that's the least you'd expect. I certainly wouldn't expect him to be world class, because he simply isn't and never will be.

Very bold statement (excuse the pun). You're forgetting how good he was for us for about 2 years before his form dropped in the second half of last season. If you don't remember go back to som threads between 2013-2015 and read all the posts raving about him. He's had a difficult and poor 12 months and looks like he's having a crisis of confidence, but I'm reserving judgment on him for now. I mean look at Barkley. First he was a diamond, then he was useless, now he's starting to get better . People are far too quick to write off young players. A lot of young players have dips and make mistakes in their early 20s and don't become polished performers till their mid-late 20s.

Seathestars said:
He's a million miles from being world class.
You don't have to be world class to get shut of a ball either.
He's closer to championship class than world class.

The Cowboy · January 18, 2017

Billy Dean said:
Very bold statement (excuse the pun). You're forgetting how good he was for us for about 2 years before his form dropped in the second half of last season. If you don't remember go back to som threads between 2013-2015 and read all the posts raving about him. He's had a difficult and poor 12 months and looks like he's having a crisis of confidence, but I'm reserving judgment on him for now. I mean look at Barkley. First he was a diamond, then he was useless, now he's starting to get better . People are far too quick to write off young players. A lot of young players have dips and make mistakes in their early 20s and don't become polished performers till their mid-late 20s.

During Stones best period at Everton, many mistakes were made, but they genuinely tolerated and put down to a learning curve. But as we've since learned, they weren't teething problems, they were genuine deficiencies in his game.

bicycleheader · January 18, 2017

I miss watching a technically fantastic footballer run out for the mighty toffees. He was better on the ball than most of the attackers I've watched since the 80s!

I'm sure he will find his place, and at 22 he has time to do so.

Kantareller · January 18, 2017

Obviously not mentally ready to lead a defence, he still needs an experienced defender next to him. Stones and Kompany should work better than with Otamendi who chases the ball like a dog. I don't doubt Stones' talent for one bit, but he needs a calm and collected partner to be at his best at this stage.

Billy Dean · January 18, 2017

The Cowboy said:
During Stones best period at Everton, many mistakes were made, but they genuinely tolerated and put down to a learning curve. But as we've since learned, they weren't teething problems, they were genuine deficiencies in his game.

That may be, but our defence over that time had a better record with him in it than out.

Kantareller said:
Obviously not mentally ready to lead a defence, he still needs an experienced defender next to him. Stones and Kompany should work better than with Otamendi who chases the ball like a dog. I don't doubt Stones' talent for one bit, but he needs a calm and collected partner to be at his best at this stage.

No shame in that at 22 no matter how talented I reckon

Kantareller · January 18, 2017

Billy Dean said:
No shame in that at 22 no matter how talented I reckon

He's still a work in progress, some people fail to realize that I guess.

degsy · January 19, 2017

Kantareller said:
Obviously not mentally ready to lead a defence, he still needs an experienced defender next to him. Stones and Kompany should work better than with Otamendi who chases the ball like a dog. I don't doubt Stones' talent for one bit, but he needs a calm and collected partner to be at his best at this stage.

Kompany's finished, soon be on his was in Peps clear out.

The Cowboy · January 19, 2017

degsy said:
Kompany's finished, soon be on his was in Peps clear out.

So the question will be who can they bring in to extract the best out of Stones? It's great watching them flounder right now.

degsy · January 20, 2017

The Cowboy said:
So the question will be who can they bring in to extract the best out of Stones? It's great watching them flounder right now.

Pep is sometimes credited with (Re)Inventing the 'False No9' for the 21st Century ( City were doing the same in the late 50's using Don Revie and 'The Revie Plan')
Not content with that he's now Invented 'The False No. 1' in Bravo and paid 47M for a 'False No.5' in Stones.

Huyton Layne · January 20, 2017

Cba finding the post that mentioned it but he's very much at fault for the last goal.

That ball should be out of his feet and in a stand. He takes to long dealing with it to allow Coleman to close him down then he also tries to go up the field with the ball and no sideways. I'm a jarg fullback but I always go with the path of least resistance, it's not pretty but it allows your team to fall back and set themselves.

mmmmsnouts · January 20, 2017

Layne said:
Cba finding the post that mentioned it but he's very much at fault for the last goal.

That ball should be out of his feet and in a stand. He takes to long dealing with it to allow Coleman to close him down then he also tries to go up the field with the ball and no sideways. I'm a jarg fullback but I always go with the path of least resistance, it's not pretty but it allows your team to fall back and set themselves.

They wouldn't have even had to get set for a throw, the final whistle would have blown first.

Huyton Layne · January 20, 2017

mmmmsnouts said:
They wouldn't have even had to get set for a throw, the final whistle would have blown first.

Bloody hell, good point.

d34noj · January 20, 2017

Layne said:
Cba finding the post that mentioned it but he's very much at fault for the last goal.

That ball should be out of his feet and in a stand. He takes to long dealing with it to allow Coleman to close him down then he also tries to go up the field with the ball and no sideways. I'm a jarg fullback but I always go with the path of least resistance, it's not pretty but it allows your team to fall back and set themselves.

Precisely mate, he tried to get it upfield instead of just putting his foot through it the way his body's facing.

The Cowboy · January 20, 2017

Layne said:
Cba finding the post that mentioned it but he's very much at fault for the last goal.

That ball should be out of his feet and in a stand. He takes to long dealing with it to allow Coleman to close him down then he also tries to go up the field with the ball and no sideways. I'm a jarg fullback but I always go with the path of least resistance, it's not pretty but it allows your team to fall back and set themselves.

The Cowboy said:
Davies goal: Davies ran into him, why on earth did he run away from him? Incredibly bad judgement. Stick on Davies = no goal.

Lookman goal: he hesitated loads before deciding to clear, giving the Everton player time to close him down. It wasn't unlucky, as his scope for successful clearance greatly diminished by the time he swung at it. If he'd waded in and leathered it first time, there would've been no Everton player near him to block it.