John Stones | Performances

[sammyvine]

Like I said in the transfer forum, I think this is a massive gamble.

He was terrible last season, truly terrible.

City have spent some money on centre backs recently haven't they? must be close to about £120m in about 3 years.

Anybody will look terrible in Martinez's system tbf
I think he will be a good signing for them actually

 

[top1whoisman]

I think he’ll eventually turn out good, but if it’s between Stones & Bailly, even without considering the fees, I’d choose Bailly based on the little I’ve seen of him so far and the lot I’ve seen of Stones.

 

[MDFC Manager]

Awful defender, but perhaps he will improve.

He's an idiot though, should have spent another season at Everton, learning from Koeman and his defensive structure

 

[PedroMendez]

Very underrated at the moment.

 

[TMDaines]

I must confess that I don't see what others seem to do in Stones. Not had the slightest bit of interest in him all summer. For FF he might be a good pick now though.

 

[Red Bug]

£47.5m for a defender who can't defend.

"But he's good with his feet".

My thoughts exactly. Stones would be a good signing for Pep's Barcelona in the Spanish league.

However I really do think Stones lack of defensive qualities will come back to haunt City.

Really chuffed we avoided this player!

 

[balaks]

City are going to have major problems with the joke that is Joe Hart in the nets and Stones in front of him. A calamity waiting to happen.

 

[Skills]

Yes!

 

[Nicklas]

I'm not sure what the hype is all about but considering both Mourinho (at Chelsea) and Pep wanted him and was ready to splash the cash on him speaks for itself, I guess. I think he'll do good but we'll hopefully see the same odd brainfart when we play them.

 

[Sarni]

He will be another Mangala, Otamendi level signing for their defence.

 

[duffer]

That's got to be nearly 200 million quid on centre-backs in the last 8 years.

 

[balaks]

Very underrated at the moment.

You think so? He has been by and large completely awful for 2 years now.

 

[R'hllor]

Think he could be very good for them if they sign some proper fgn CB partner for him (or repair Kompany) because like in recent cases English players needs to be carried.

 

[Sepukku]

Would have costed less than half of that if he wasn't English

 

[ZAGREB RED]

Tries to play too much football at times and plays the team into trouble. Guardiola likes the passing type defenders so maybe he has gone to the right place, not sure about him though to be honest. If Kompany spend most of his time in the physio room, City may well struggle again defensively, Otamendi never really convinced, Mangala looks a total donkey at times, maybe Denayer will come into it a bit, but you would think if Stones is going to play regularly, he will need someone a bit more of a steadying influence beside him.

 

[Prodigal7]

Let's remember that Peps defenders aren't really there to defend. They are there to circulate possession quickly. He'll be good for a Pep coached team system and I would have liked him here tbh. The question of whether he succeeds will depend entirely on whether Peps style of play will work in the PL, which is far from certain.

 

[padr81]

We needed a ball playing defender and I think the Arsenal game really showed that. Of course we paid the homegrown tax to get him. I'm not blown away by this signing but not worried either. He'll suit the style we're trying to play, and even though he might cost us 2 or 3 goals a season thats still 80 less than Mangala or MDM. Price is alot but in a world where Pogba goes for more than Suarez, Ronaldo and Bale I guess we just have to get used of the inflation, add in the HG rule and you can stick another 10m on top. Overpriced? Easily, but 50m is not a huge amount for sides fighting for the title to spend on a player these days and its going to get worse.

 

[Tiber]

In a few years I think we will really regret not making a move for him

 

[Globule]

Not many 22 year old defenders are the finished product, but he's shown plenty of signs of quality. He has loads of room for improvement but I think he'll do well for them. I would have liked him at United, but right now we need someone closer to the finished product rather than another promising young'un.

 

[Libano]

Puts the 40 Mio Euro Bayern paid for Hummels into perspective, a player who trumps Stones in every conceivable category. Premier League clubs pay through the nose for every player...because they can.

 

[TheNewEra]

We needed a ball playing defender and I think the Arsenal game really showed that. Of course we paid the homegrown tax to get him. I'm not blown away by this signing but not worried either. He'll suit the style we're trying to play, and even though he might cost us 2 or 3 goals a season thats still 80 less than Mangala or MDM. Price is alot but in a world where Pogba goes for more than Suarez, Ronaldo and Bale I guess we just have to get used of the inflation, add in the HG rule and you can stick another 10m on top. Overpriced? Easily, but 50m is not a huge amount for sides fighting for the title to spend on a player these days and its going to get worse.

Pogba went for more than Suarez because Suarez was 27, Pogba was 23.

Same with the Stones fee, he's young so you pay more.

Stones -- if he has defensive laps it doesn't matter you have Pep Guardiola, you don't need out of this world defenders.

Look at some that have played at Barcelona you need to play the ball first.

 

[Jacko21]

An edit of what I posted a few weeks ago...

I'd have liked Stones at United, but at nearly £50m, your gambling an inordinate amount of money on a player that you hope will be receptive to proper defensive coaching.

I can only assume that Guardiola has seen (and heard) enough of Stones to believe that he is capable of learning to defend properly under his tutorship.

And that is what's odd about John Stones, City have bought one of the world's most expensive defenders, despite not being certain of his true defensive potential.

People liken him to Ferdinand, but Rio was a defender first and foremost and a ball-playing centre half second. He knew when to put his foot through it and when to play out from the back. Stones has shown an over-confidence in his ability with the ball without having consistently shown the defensive solidity to warrant the adoration he has received. Even as recently as Rooney's testimonial game, you saw why so many people place a question mark against his name.

His valuation will pale into insignificance if he can get it together. And to know that, you have to know the psyche of the player. No amount of video analysis will tell you whether he's worth the financial outlay.

 

[krazyrobus]

He's only 22, young defender in inconsistency shock. He will improve and he doesn't have to be an outstanding defender in a pep system just needs to be good at maintaining possession.

Good signing.

 

[Jed I. Knight]

He'll make the odd howler, and be absolutely torn apart here for it, but on the whole I think he'll prove to do well for City. Especially while Pep is there.

 

[Kostur]

He'll play beautiful sideways and sometimes forward passes just to shit his pants and cost his team points in crucial moments.

 

[11101]

Massive gamble at that price. I think Pep will turn him into the Pique mold he had him in a few years ago - gets on the ball a lot and comfortable under pressure. Utimately not really that good at defending but it doesn't matter because he doesn't have to do it that much.

 

[Kaos]

Puts the 40 Mio Euro Bayern paid for Hummels into perspective, a player who trumps Stones in any conceivable category.

Hummels is also considerably older and abit of a crock.

 

[balaks]

Not many 22 year old defenders are the finished product, but he's shown plenty of signs of quality. He has loads of room for improvement but I think he'll do well for them. I would have liked him at United, but right now we need someone closer to the finished product rather than another promising young'un.

If you pay £50 million for a player, especially if you spend that big for a defender you have to expect them to be 100% ready now and to greatly improve your first team.

 

[PedroMendez]

You think so? He has been by and large completely awful for 2 years now.

I like him and I think he´ll be very good for City. Pep will develop him into on of the best CBs in the world. He just needs a strong coach who tells him what to do.

Edit: that doesn´t mean that 50m isn´t a bit too much for him. He is certainly no bargain and I agree that you´d expect a top class player and not a talent. The market for British players is just completely out of control.

 

[K2K]

As Mangala departs ...

It's too early to judge how this will turn out. Hope he flops obviously though.

 

[RedDevil@84]

I think he will do decently at City. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[padr81]

Pogba went for more than Suarez because Suarez was 27, Pogba was 23.

Same with the Stones fee, he's young so you pay more.

Stones -- if he has defensive laps it doesn't matter you have Pep Guardiola, you don't need out of this world defenders.

Look at some that have played at Barcelona you need to play the ball first.

Exactly I'm not criticising either price, its the way of the game these days and both will be considered run of the mill prices for those type of players in a couple of seasons

 

[Globule]

If you pay £50 million for a player, especially if you spend that big for a defender you have to expect them to be 100% ready now and to greatly improve your first team.

Not really. You pay a premium on potential. Nobody knew Martial was going to have the impact he did but we still paid a lot up front anyway.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

I think he'll do well for them. Otamendi and Stones has the makings of a good partnership, although they're both coming of poor seasons.

 

[balaks]

Not really. You pay a premium on potential. Nobody knew Martial was going to have the impact he did but we still paid a lot up front anyway.

There is a big difference in the amounts paid for forward players and defenders - £50 million for a defender is the equivalent of paying around £80 million for a forward - for that amount of cash you would expect to be buying one of the best in their position in the world. Stones is nowhere near that level of player.

 

[Djemba-Djemba]

Anybody will look terrible in Martinez's system tbf
I think he will be a good signing for them actually

Shows how mad football is that you can have Everton turning down offers of £40m last Summer, then he has a terrible season, and now he's gone for even more.

I'd be having serious reservations if we'd have spent close to £50m on Stones.

 

[::sonny::]

Kompany, Stones, Otamendi

The best you can get there (on the paper)

 

[ti vu]

I think he'll do well for them. Otamendi and Stones has the makings of a good partnership, although they're both coming of poor seasons.

You forgot to add Hart into equation... then whatever good partnership the duo made may be well cancelled out by Hart's great coordination.

 

[Cityfaninpeace]

Looks like it's going to be a central partnership between Stones, Kompany, Otamendi and Denayer this season with Tosin probably getting the odd game. If Kompany can stay fit (big if) I actually think that's a pretty good balanced central defence. I still have concerns over Stones but he's unquestionably a Pep player so good luck to him. If anyone can turn him into a great player it's Pep.

 

[Escobar]

Pep must believe that he can make him (and all the young players they bought) very good players and he will be able to develop them. On one hand, it's a nice strategy, but it needs time and can backfire at least short term

 

[Cityfaninpeace]

You forgot to add Hart into equation... then whatever good partnership the duo made may be well cancelled out by Hart's great coordination.

I imagine Hart will be back up to Caballero this season.