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The Cult Of Bill 11:46 Wed Oct 19
John Stones

50 million, you are having a laugh

Eerie Descent 9:03 Mon Oct 24
Re: John Stones

No one is asking the question as to why Stones doesn't hoof it more, it's about his instincts as a defender. Rio did make mistakes, but you could see he was very quick, strong as an Ox, and was getting into the positions he should've been. I just don't see that so much with Stones, but we'll see, hopefully he does improve that side of things for England's sake.

Baggins 8:58 Mon Oct 24
Re: John Stones

Johnny - I didn't say he should be hoofing the ball into the stands. But football isn't just about technical ability, it's about making the right decisions....playing the ball blind, across your own box, while there are opposition players around is not a good decision. And this isn't the first time he's done it or a one off. I've seen him do this alot at Everton.

He needs to cut those bad decisions out. No top team can afford a centre half making such mistakes. My worry with Stones is that he doesn't seem to be learning and he's not 18 anymore. But time will tell, I suppose.

Sven Roeder 8:58 Mon Oct 24
Re: John Stones

You can't blame Stones
Coming up against Charlie Austin, Rickie Lambert & Iain Dowie would test any defender.

Sydney_Iron 8:11 Mon Oct 24
Re: John Stones

Bet Stones feels a bit low on confidence, after getting turned over by Barcelona, he then goes and gifts Southampton a goal, what a shocking Sunday Pub back pass..............................50 million, FMOB

JOHNNY V 12:23 Fri Oct 21
Re: John Stones

Baggings isn't this the exact reason why English football never moves on, the dad on a Sunday morning screaming at any kid to hoof it 3 pitches along. Yes there is a time and place for that but we are stuck and have been stuck in a time warp. We watch Brazilian and Italian players bringing the ball out with composure and technique and wonder why we don't produce players like that, and then when we do we jump all over them for not kicking it into row z. Give him a chance to fulfill his talent if at 25 he is still making the same mistakes then questions can be asked, I believe he won't be and will go on to be one of the worlds best defenders.

Northern Sold 11:04 Fri Oct 21
Re: John Stones

He was always gonna be a great defender Baggins... what I am saying and the article is saying is that he had so many more attributes to his game that lets be honest... we never really utilised.... like I said players like him you build teams and systems around...

Russ of the BML 11:04 Fri Oct 21
Re: John Stones

Baggins 11:02 Fri Oct 21

Rio was a great defender. Strong and quick. His pace and huge strides he took never saw him get beat for pace. His positional play was superb and he was very good in the air. Also, very good with the ball and technically gifted.

I think the issue is he could've and should've been so much more.

Baggins 11:02 Fri Oct 21
Re: John Stones

I'm not sure Rio was "nullified". He ended up being one of the world's top centre halfs. So I'd say he fulfilled his potential.

Stones is still young and has to play regularly to get more experience and improve. However he doesn't look to me like he'll ever be as good as Rio was.....it's a slightly unfair comparison.

Oh and a bug bear of mine is saying how great a young defender is because he can pass a football and bring it out from the back........that's brilliant and stuff but a defenders first job is to defend. Some pundits and experts seem to forget that.

Russ of the BML 10:55 Fri Oct 21
Re: John Stones

Northern Sold 6:04 Thu Oct 20

Yeah shame. Not sure it's all O'Leary's fault. None of Rio's managers played him in a three; even Fergie. And that's why I say the English game has a lot to answer for.

I just think maybe all the players in the English game are required to do a job and have specific task to carry out. Not sure if any manager in England would have a philosophy where they literally have a 'spare' player just sitting in defence knocking the ball about.

Northern Sold 6:04 Thu Oct 20
Re: John Stones

Russ... that's why you play him in a 3... other teams countries build teams round players like him... he ended up just a excellent centre half... he had so much more to his game that was nullified ... I blame O'Leary


This article says it better than I am on here...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2324774/Rio-Ferdinand-retires-England-He-wasted-country.html

Private Dancer 5:08 Thu Oct 20
Re: John Stones

Ag! Anyways, I've made a note that you can't judge a centre back when up against top dawer strikers.

Russ of the BML 5:08 Thu Oct 20
Re: John Stones

Northern Sold 11:47 Thu Oct 20

I think the English game has alot to do with it too.

As good as Rio was on the ball and as cultured and technically good his passing was I think he reached a point where you just can't do that in the English game.

You look at Spain and Italy and the football is slower and a bit more cagey. Ball playing, cultured CB's can flourish in that environment. Rio playing for Man Utd in a blood and thunder cup game at Anfield with players flying around at 100mph. You get the ball in your box and you fucking hoof it because you don't want to be the man that fucks it up. You have no time for a look up and a neat pass out a lot of the time.

ooooh Morley Morley 4:35 Thu Oct 20
Re: John Stones

COME ON THEN...

unless you meant something else then ...*bends over*

COME ON THEN.

One McAvennieeeeee 4:33 Thu Oct 20
Re: John Stones

I'll put something in your mouth in a minute?

ooooh Morley Morley 4:32 Thu Oct 20
Re: John Stones

Yes that's exactly what I am saying, glad you're here to put words in my mouth.

Private Dancer 4:09 Thu Oct 20
Re: John Stones

ooooh Morley Morley 3:52 Thu Oct 20

So everytime he comes up against the best forwards around he will be shit and that's ok, he's excused? If that is the case then fine, but let's stop bigging the kid up in that case. And yes, I know he hasn't fully delevoped yet, assuming he does, but one thing that we can take from last night is that he has a long way to go still to be a world class CB.

goose 3:59 Thu Oct 20
Re: John Stones

best defenders around are late 20's and early 30's.............. have a look at Bonucci & Chiellini & Barzagli.

Pep will be the making of Stones but not over night.

ooooh Morley Morley 3:52 Thu Oct 20
Re: John Stones

You can't judge Stones on that game last night. Those 3 strikers have mugged off many of the world's class centre backs. But it's always good to bash a young English talent.

Those 3 strikers are the most ridiculous front line I've ever seen.

JOHNNY V 3:02 Thu Oct 20
Re: John Stones

If Rio was the finished article at 22 people think he was, Manchester Utd would have paid the money there and then. Instead they waited 2 years before he had learnt to defend properly at a different club, happy to pay the extra 10 million when the time was right.

Eerie Descent 2:53 Thu Oct 20
Re: John Stones

Hopefully Johnny, as it would be great for England, but I really don't think he has the defensive instinct like Rio to be a world class centre back. He is absolute top notch on the ball though, no doubt about that.

JOHNNY V 2:51 Thu Oct 20
Re: John Stones

Rio was 22 when he made the move to Leeds, maybe I am remembering it incorrectly but he had hardly played a match in a back 4 for us up to that stage with Harry saying he wanted to have 2 established players next to him. O'Leary at the time got a lot of praise for trusting him in a back 4 and what the media saw as a big improvement in his defensive play. Yes his talent was obvious and there is no denying he was a great player for us, but I think personally in 10 years time Stones will look back on a very similar career as Rio. He is a great English talent, with a lot to learn just as Rio did when he was the same age,

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