John Stones still the real deal ahead of Wembley spotlight

, 23 April, 13comments  |  Jump to most recent
Barry Horne says he's been taken aback by the criticism of John Stones this week which he describes as an overreaction.

» Read the full article at Liverpool Echo



Reader Comments (13)

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Steve Cox
1 Posted 23/04/2016 at 09:55:11
I agree that Stones needs the fans to give him a break. He's still a boy in Premier League terms for a centre-back and still has lots to learn.

Destroying him publicly is not productive. He has the POTENTIAL to be one of the best in Europe, he still has a long way to go but he needs the fans' backing not derision.

Just seen online the we are looking at Demichelis!!! Surely not. I think we've witnessed enough inept static defending without signing a geriatric useless has-been.

Ian Robert
2 Posted 23/04/2016 at 11:54:06
Be happy when he loses the ball :)
Ian McDowell
3 Posted 23/04/2016 at 12:31:28
Need a big performance from Stones today, particularly if Jags fails to make the line up.
Jim Bennings
4 Posted 23/04/2016 at 15:52:36
Then a boy shouldn't be asked to do a mans job!!

I'm not blaming Stones for selecting himself but as Kevin Ratcliffe states in his Echo column "when will John Stones learn".

You can't keep making the same mistakes and expect to be excused because of your age, make a mistake or two and learn from it but with Stones it seems it's one after the other followed by more.

He's got two years Premier League experience plus a year in the lower league with Barnsley, he's not an 18 year old that's just come on the scene last autumn.


Steve Cox
5 Posted 23/04/2016 at 19:32:49
I think Stones' performance today is just what we have all been hoping for. Maybe he is beginning to learn from his mistakes. I certainly hope so.

Also helps that Jags was there to show him how to put your body on the line. Amazing performance from him and brilliant that he managed the full game.

Anthony Dwyer
6 Posted 24/04/2016 at 01:14:42
Stones and Jags were both brilliant today, there the only ones I can say that about in able shirt.

Stones though was something else.

Talk about needing a big performance on a big stage, Stones was the only one of our big young guns who stepped up to the plate.

Peter Gorman
7 Posted 24/04/2016 at 11:00:48
Stones was brilliant? Well, he improved in the second half and made some great blocks, but he also literally passed the ball to an opponent waiting on the edge of the box, which very luckily didn't lead to a goal.

Brilliant is a word I like to reserve for things which are brilliant. The lad did better in the second half is about all I can say.

Jamie Barlow
8 Posted 24/04/2016 at 11:09:52
I agree Anthony. Stones had a good game and was brilliant second half. He's going to make someone a very good defender or defensive midfielder. The lad is class.
Nick Entwistle
9 Posted 24/04/2016 at 17:52:41
And David James always had a brilliant game until he flapped at an unchallenged cross.

Stones played square across the box without looking, as Peter said. Only, Martinez doesn't pull players up on that shit. Moyes would have rollocked him... but dropped him till he was 25. So not sure what's best.

David Barks
10 Posted 24/04/2016 at 18:03:45
Nick, I'd much rather take Moyes point totals and not accepting of repeated errors than Martinez bottom half finishes. In all honesty, Stones seems like he should be playing right in front of the central defenders. He loves to drive the ball forward, unlike Bary and McCarthy. It's just probably too late to see that because we've wasted our time with Martinez this season instead of having a manager like Pochetino who could have made that move, so Stones will likely be gone next season.
Oliver Molloy
11 Posted 24/04/2016 at 18:04:25
Different subject, but I'm just waiting on the Spurs management / fans / etc to come out with nobody's trying against Leicester.

4-0 winners today fairly answers Harry Kane's "We are coming to get you" statement from last week – without Vardy.


Anthony Dwyer
12 Posted 24/04/2016 at 23:23:03
Well boys, that's were I'd have to beg to differ from a fair few blues.

I think Stones was outstanding and lead by example, I'd like anyone to point out a central defender as young as Stones, who's been as commanding as he was during a FA Cup Semi-Final.

He played next to Besic who looked lost and Jags who was also excellent, but no were near fit. He had Gibson in front of him, who's never fit, and was bang average at best (poor if I'm brutally honest) and McCarthy who done his usual huffing and puffing, without really ever getting to grips with Rooney and the rest of Man Utd's midfield.

During the game he kept the ball well when others hit it away, only for it to come back at us straight away. As well as this, Stones began a lot of our best attacks, especially in the second half, when we were at our best. He was the closest thing to a leader, and was the only one who had the balls to take the game by the scruff of its neck.

All this while many Blues screamed at him during every touch. Stones has made mistakes, but tell me one defender who doesn't.

Unfortunately this is a top class player who will go onto great things, probably at a different club, as many of our players aren't anywhere near his level, and many of our so called fans love to jump on his every mistake. We were pretty much dominated at Wembley with a makeshift team, and some people choose to point out one dodgy pass across the goal over his brilliant performance.

Colin Glassar
13 Posted 24/04/2016 at 23:45:38
As per usual I will defend our jewels in the crown (Lukaku, Deulofeu, Barkley, and Stones) but today I will also defend some of the other players who got a lot of stick yesterday:

Besic – Everyone was saying how shit he was, which is true, but cut the lad some slack. He's not a right-back, never has been, never will be. He's not even a regular midfield player, he's a centre-back by trade but has been pushed into midfield. This kid, given the right guidance, could go to the very top.

Gibson – I'm not a big fan of his but what were you expecting? He's hardly played for 18 months and you expect him to do what exactly? Run around like a spring chicken? He was shattered after an hour and it was a miracle he finished the game.

McCarthy – With Gibson struggling next to him, he had to cover even more ground than usual and was ineffective during large parts of the game. Not his fault he was playing next to an unfit, unprepared player.

Baines – Well he's totally shot isn't he. He looks totally pissed off with everything. Bainsey needs some time off to get his head back together as he's a disaster waiting to happen. Whatever happened to him playing the Phillip Lahm role?

I trust a lot of these players to regain their focus and form under different leadership.


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