I imagine that's Pep's coaching - They must be in those positions when the GK has the ball. He wants his CB's split when the GK has the ball to avoid the high press, then if they lose the ball in either of those positions it's not as dangerous as down the middle and they always have the option of playing it down the line if needs be.
John Stones | Performances
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
What a pointless comparison
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Watching him is really uneasy, it feels like he can give a goal away at any time imo. But I've seen some things from him to see why he's also highly rated. Enjoy him this season City fans, I'm sure it will be fun 
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.Just came out of nowhere.
Being better than Phil Jones isn't the yard stick with which to judge a good defender. Give me £30m Bailey over John "takes too many touches" Stones.
City rose tinted glasses over his performance last night:
It's because no one is on his level in the England side.
Surely managers can see his refusal to clear the ball when needed is a big weakness. Every forward should be pressing him on the ball. Accident waiting to happen.
Saying that, Hoddle made a great point last night that Stones may be comfortable with the ball in tight situations but that has to mean that his teammates are too.
John doesn't take that into consideration. He puts other players into positions they aren't comfortable in.
The amount of times he plays them into trouble is ridiculous.
I think a greater concern than his play with the ball is his defensive positioning. I think it's very poor and his awareness in the penalty area is awful. He's still young yet and can improve but I think he can only improve so much.
This is a great point and the reason for some of his gaffes this season and City's silly goals conceded. Stones expects Otamendi, Kompany to be able to control and deal with a ball like Iniesta excluding the odd hospital pass. Its a big thing for him and why Pep has stuck Kolarov in with him at times. Those are the times Stones has made the least mistakes on the ball but unfortunately none of him or Kola are good defenders. He said Pep has taught him row Z but I've yet to see it, same with Bravo who batters the ball into Fernandinho, Otamendi etc.. at high pace and expects them to just control in like Busquets and Pique can.
Think some are too desperate to label him as a fraud.
I've mocked him on occasions but I still think he'll turn out to be a good signing for them.
I've mocked him on occasions but I still think he'll turn out to be a good signing for them.
That is beyond delusion.
I wouldn't say that's Pep coaching as if he invented it.
You don't understand the stick a City player gets on a United forum? This is hardly the bastion of impartiality
Even some of our best players get ridiculous amounts of stick on here. It shouldn't come as any surprise when a dud playing for one of our rivals gets the same treatment.
He was appalling yesterday, I'm yet to see what all the hypes about tbh .
Give him a season. He's in a new team that's playing a system that they are not used to. It's effective in attack but so far the team is not defending well and that's not because of one player.
Wasn't Rio the most expensive defender in the world when he joined Leeds and didn't he start badly? If Stones can go down Rio's path (even with the stupidity) he's set.
Wasn't Rio the most expensive defender in the world when he joined Leeds and didn't he start badly? If Stones can go down Rio's path (even with the stupidity) he's set.
Il add to that the guys 22 and still learning.
The reason he and other defenders get too much stick is the same reason people think crime is on the rise and the world is so frightening and unsafe; overload of information. In the past, we would watch the best defenders at he biggest stage and get glimpses of them during a season, the data was small and if they stood out, they get labelled world beaters. Now we are familiar with every detail, every mistake and gaff. It is over-analysed and mocked to the point that all defenders look bad now. I am not disputing individual cases here as the likes of Maldini or Cannavaro were clearly a cut above but there are a lot of past defenders who are over hyped and modern ones who get underrated because of this over-exposure.
All of this. This is why at this point I think Godin and Thiago Silva are the only CBs basically everyone rates.
Edit and Boateng
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It's also a lot more difficult to defend now than when Baresi was in his prime. Goalkeepers can't pick the ball up after a backpass, offside rule was easier for defenders to handle, they were allowed to tackle and be way more rougher than they are now. As for the football it's much quicker now and players are in much better shape because of different culture, training methods and nutrition to name a few.
You got to admire the guy, to be able to feck up that much and still be confident. That's a skill in itself tbf.
The lads still young so I expect him to improve but it's a lot of money to pay for a player at the standard he is.
Baily, Matip, the Southampton guy and mustafi are well ahead at this point in time.
The lads still young so I expect him to improve but it's a lot of money to pay for a player at the standard he is.
Baily, Matip, the Southampton guy and mustafi are well ahead at this point in time.
Agreed. You have a young player who has been thrust into a system that provides a much different set of problems than he would face at almost any other PL team. "No nonsense" defending is pretty much drilled into English defenders from an early age, so even though he has the skillset to play the ball out (which is why Pep spent as much money as he did on him), he's still having to undo years of ingrained habits. He may very well bust and prove to be a failed experiment, but to skip the growing pains and outright call him a dud at this stage of his progression is silly.
The fact the thread says con artist and we have Phil Jones in our squad is my point. At least Stones has a working body and shows up on match day.
Most people here do not even rate Jones. I have no idea who you are arguing against here.
Tell you what mate, start a thread on that. Like others have said - pointless comparison.
well, at leat that current thread title always make me giggle, whenever i stumble upon it.
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SHould have learned how to defend under Koeman and then gone to Guardiola. Guess City needed him this year though.
It's not even half a season.
Proper BS.
Stones at a crossroad? He's 22 and playing every week for a top club ffs.
Stones was so bad yesterday for the first goal. He just invited pressure and didn't even tackle. He should not be starting for England.
He's absolutely shite, end of.
Seriously? I didn't watch but 365 said this about his performance.
JOHN STONES: The accepted wisdom is that John Stones has the perfect manager at club level to help harness his ball-playing abilities. Perhaps the same can soon be said for his boss on the international stage, too. The Manchester City centre-half still takes risks in possession, but he was robust, forceful and authoritative in the tackle. Is it the Southgate influence? Who knows. But the 22-year-old is at least showing signs of progression, development and learning; eight clearances, three tackles and two interceptions say so.
Mönchengladbach 1:1 City
Lolz
He's at it again the con-merchant.
He's at it again the con-merchant.
Bluemoon not happy. Not watching the game, has he been that bad?
Can't see what happened but he's clearly way out of position, poor defending all round by the looks of it.
Harsh to blame the other defenders when Stones fecked them all over, you need that vid to start 2 seconds earlier but you can at least see the Ihni binni dimi diniwiny anitaime on the floor there right at the start of the vid after making a right mess of a situation.