John Stones will fix the Blues defence!

[navidson]

Jagielka and Distin played that game.

Stones was still playing - Pretty foolish to think that Martinez would play somebody in their preferred position anyway - He'll probably play Stones at RB and push Coleman up on Friday

 

[matty1878]

We will beat stoke its who we beat after

 

[Tim Howard]

I just went back and looked at the scores of games in which Stones played CB this year. I believe there were only 4, not counting the game he was injured.

2-0 West Brom
4-1 Wolfsburg
1-1 Liverpool
1-1 Krasnodar

I know that's a small sample, but our goals against average with Stones at CB this season is 0.75. If I remember correctly, we went on our best run last season with him at CB while Jagielka was out injured. Having Stones back from injury could make a huge difference to the way our defense performs.

 

[crusade]

You can't really ignore the match he got injured in considering the score was 2-1 United when he went off and it remained that way.

 

[crusade]

However it is worth noting that the Wolfsburg goal and Liverpool goal both came from long range freekicks which suggests Stones is and always will be the answer.

 

[Sheedy's right knee.]

We haven't been found out, stones is a key play in how we distribute the ball from the back. Drop Barkley into the deeper midfield position and him and McCarthy could be as effective as matic and fabregas. Or close.

 

[harry]

We haven't been found out, stones is a key play in how we distribute the ball from the back. Drop Barkley into the deeper midfield position and him and McCarthy could be as effective as matic and fabregas. Or close.

True, we play higher up the pitch because he comes out with the ball, whereas the other two just pass to each other in our half, end up getting boxed in, pass back to howard who then either passes to the opposition or passes to the main stand/bullens road. This has lost us the momentum in nearly every game.

 

[Neiler]

No pressure then.

 

[bluebud]

True, we play higher up the pitch because he comes out with the ball, whereas the other two just pass to each other in our half, end up getting boxed in, pass back to howard who then either passes to the opposition or passes to the main stand/bullens road. This has lost us the momentum in nearly every game.

He also helps us create space against teams that play the high press, with tho oppo wingers pressing our full backs and thier midfield and striker closing our CB's his ability to take the ball past the man closing him means we will have left the players closing isolated the wrong side of the ball which opens up space for the likes of Ross and Kev to run at their depleted midfield and defence.

 

[steken1]

He's still going to make mistakes and I don't think we'll see a great improvement when he comes back as the senior CB and the goalie will still be as poor as they've been all season.

I'd say Tim Howard being atrocious is the main reason we've conceded so many this season.

 

[Toffeelover]

He's still going to make mistakes and I don't think we'll see a great improvement when he comes back as the senior CB and the goalie will still be as poor as they've been all season.

I'd say Tim Howard being atrocious is the main reason we've conceded so many this season.

Not in complete agreement with that, there have been poor performances from other players. But I think the tactics employed by Roberto are not helping, remember not one sub against Soton.