The Football.....

[Roadhump]

My thought is that he started to believe his own hype, fuelled by an incessant media which does absolutely nothing for talented young British players other than rip them to shreds for the slightest mistake.

Nailed it!!

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I'd never heard of Stones until this week

 

[mark st1]

I'd never heard of Stones until this week

Do you not follow football much then ?

 

[Roadhump]

I love Johnny Stones and I think he is terrific. I don't want him to leave Everton but I'll understand if he does.

I think he is a very very rare talent- there are very very very few central defenders who can bring the ball forward and move play on- rather than just a long hoof or passing it across the back or knocking it down the line. He'd do great in a top team that doesn't have to defend as much and needs someone to help penetrate 10 men behind the ball.

Very overrated player imho, and if Guardiola sees him as a long term replacement for Kompany, he needs to think again. Stones is a bit like a mediocre book with a colourful cover.

His silky ball skills when carrying the ball out of defence and dribbling around in his own penalty area allow him to flatter to deceive. He isn't that good in the air and his positional sense is often poor, plus he has often been found ball watching which has cost Everton quite a few goals. Last night in the friendly with Dynamo Dresden he gave another example of his need to develop his game when he backed off one of their players allowing him to get in a shot from the edge of the box and score a goal that looked good but a decent defender would never have allowed the shot to be made. In fairness though, as well as being calm on the ball he times his tackles very well.

His attitude stinks though and he seems to have his head stuck up his own backside. No problem with someone wanting to fulfil their potential but when Everton played hard ball with Chelsea last season his teddy came right out of his cot and he had a poor season thereafter. His ultimate shameful deed for me was while we were getting tonked by our bitter rivals at Anfield in February, he came off with "tummy ache", the poor lamb.....never seen that before and doubt I ever will again.

Can't get rid quickly enough for me, I'm just a bit worried that now we have the ability to play hardball over fees and demand top dollar for potential prospects, it might backfire with Stones and we'll end up stuck with him.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Do you not follow football much then ?

Not English football, no.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

I think we play by roughly the same rules.

I do watch MOTD and Football League Show, but rarely listen to the blabbering bits in between games; I do pick up on some names and I'd have thought I might have heard of this Stones bloke if he was decent, and was surprised I only heard of him for the first time this week. So either I am not paying attention* or he's not mentioned that often.

*which is more likely than not

 

[mark st1]

I do watch MOTD and Football League Show, but rarely listen to the blabbering bits in between games; I do pick up on some names and I'd have thought I might have heard of this Stones bloke if he was decent, and was surprised I only heard of him for the first time this week. So either I am not paying attention* or he's not mentioned that often.

*which is more likely than not

He has been quite high profile in the last couple of transfer windows with Chelsea trying to get him in January for 40 odd million and Man Shitty this window. I think he looks ok but @Roadhump has given a far better description. He had a few good games for England in friendlys but that's international football you probably don't follow that much

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

He has been quite high profile in the last couple of transfer windows with Chelsea trying to get him in January for 40 odd million and Man Shitty this window. I think he looks ok but @Roadhump has given a far better description. He had a few good games for England in friendlys but that's international football you probably don't follow that much

I tend not to watch England friendlies; mostly as they play duffers like Stone

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Forfar got pumped 7-0 fae Dundee. Oh dear.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

And Killie turned over by the mighty Albion Rovers. Lee Clarke out by next week?

 

[mark st1]

Go on the Zlatan.. Quality finish

 

[Starchivore]

Genuine question: I thought he was showing real promise until last season when he did not look at all composed/aware 9at least in the half dozen or so games I saw him in.

What do you think happened or maybe you don't agree?

I think the general downward spiral and mess of the team was a big factor, and then the media piled onto him and that probably made it more difficult. Then he started trying a bit too hard and taking too many risks. It wasn't a great season for him but I think he will come back very strong.

 

[Starchivore]

Very overrated player imho, and if Guardiola sees him as a long term replacement for Kompany, he needs to think again. Stones is a bit like a mediocre book with a colourful cover.

His silky ball skills when carrying the ball out of defence and dribbling around in his own penalty area allow him to flatter to deceive. He isn't that good in the air and his positional sense is often poor, plus he has often been found ball watching which has cost Everton quite a few goals. Last night in the friendly with Dynamo Dresden he gave another example of his need to develop his game when he backed off one of their players allowing him to get in a shot from the edge of the box and score a goal that looked good but a decent defender would never have allowed the shot to be made. In fairness though, as well as being calm on the ball he times his tackles very well.

His attitude stinks though and he seems to have his head stuck up his own backside. No problem with someone wanting to fulfil their potential but when Everton played hard ball with Chelsea last season his teddy came right out of his cot and he had a poor season thereafter. His ultimate shameful deed for me was while we were getting tonked by our bitter rivals at Anfield in February, he came off with "tummy ache", the poor lamb.....never seen that before and doubt I ever will again.

Can't get rid quickly enough for me, I'm just a bit worried that now we have the ability to play hardball over fees and demand top dollar for potential prospects, it might backfire with Stones and we'll end up stuck with him.

I don't agree. There are very, very few players who can carry the ball out of defence and open teams up from deep effectively. They are incredibly rare. He made mistakes last season but in a struggling team and he's still very young.

I don't think his attitude is poor. He accepted the club blocking him from going to Chelsea with good grace and didn't cause any fuss or say anything to the media. He works very hard and yes tries a bit too hard sometimes with the ball at his feet but he was frustrated last season because of the team's performance, and that must have been part of the reason for his over-playing at times.

Against Liverpool the midefield was non-existent, he had no chance. It was two vs one so many times, not fair to blame that on him.

 

[mark st1]

Rashfords pace is frightening 18

 

[AndyRM]

And Killie turned over by the mighty Albion Rovers. Lee Clarke out by next week?

We've title aspirations this season, no point pishing about with some Mickey Mouse trophy...

Much as I like the new format of the competition, it's done is no favours this year. An almost entirely new side still getting to know each other needs time to gel and competitive fixtures where the pressure is on is not conducive to that.

It doesn't help that we must have the most negative support going; I was at the Berwick match on Tuesday and every tiny mistake was greeted with torrents of abuse. To be honest it seems that many fans are more concerned about getting shot of Michael Johnston than they are about supporting the team.