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John Stones


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He really impressed me again yesterday and he looks as if he was growing in confidence as the game went on. I think it was significant that at 1-1 he came out of the line and pressed the Fulham striker on a couple of occasions forcing the turn over which led to us breaking with the ball and I think we created a good chance from one of them. He didnt want to be beaten, he knew what the 3 points meant and he took that responsibility upon himself to win the ball back early in the move. It was almost a captains performance.

 

It will be a hard choice for Martinez and I do expect Jags to come back in, but Stones has shown that he can really step up to the plate.

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He looked yesterday as though the current five game run in the first team has done him good. He was making at least one risky mistake a game previously, but yesterday he really looked the part as a Premier League defender and it seems ridiculous that he's only 19.

 

What a prospect he is!

Agreed. Martinez has a difficult decision to make on Sunday. It appears that Jags has certainly been held back to ensure he is absolutely spot on for the Arsenal game but he'll be coming back from a number of weeks out. Yes, he is our captain and our best defender but it'll take time to get his match fitness back.

 

Would it be better to continue with Stones or risk a not-match fit Jags? I don't know.

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Stones to start for me. Jags will be a bit rusty and we need focus and pace against Arsenal. Bring Jags into the grittier, but slower, Sunderland game if Stones has to be dropped. Honestly, I wouldnt drop him the rest of the season. He has more than earned his stripes and, captain or not, Jags doesnt deserve to just waltz back in (and I like Jags!)

Nothing to add to that. Exactly how I see it.

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Stones to start for me. Jags will be a bit rusty and we need focus and pace against Arsenal. Bring Jags into the grittier, but slower, Sunderland game if Stones has to be dropped. Honestly, I wouldnt drop him the rest of the season. He has more than earned his stripes and, captain or not, Jags doesnt deserve to just waltz back in (and I like Jags!)

Just to add to this, our player's attitude is one of the many reasons I love this club. Jags is a professional and if RM were to decide that Stones deserves to continue playing, Jags would understand and not make a fuss about it. If the same situation were to occur on a different team (say QPR), then I can imagine their players not being completely on board. In Martinez I trust.

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Stones to start for me. Jags will be a bit rusty and we need focus and pace against Arsenal. Bring Jags into the grittier, but slower, Sunderland game if Stones has to be dropped. Honestly, I wouldnt drop him the rest of the season. He has more than earned his stripes and, captain or not, Jags doesnt deserve to just waltz back in (and I like Jags!)

 

Just to add to this, our player's attitude is one of the many reasons I love this club. Jags is a professional and if RM were to decide that Stones deserves to continue playing, Jags would understand and not make a fuss about it. If the same situation were to occur on a different team (say QPR), then I can imagine their players not being completely on board. In Martinez I trust.

 

Agree with all points above. We know Jags would have played if he hadn't been injured. The fact that Stones has played the last few games and has been part of a great run will be immense in terms of his future.

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Jagielka hasnt been out for that long so I dont think he is going to be suffering from match fitness and if anything he will probably be sharper for break much like Lukaku has been.

 

I think it comes down to who are our best CB's and as much as I like Stones, Jags at his best is the better player and assuming he is now fully fit (and not rushed into the game like he was against Liverpool), then he would be my choice to partner Distin. Its a bit of a dammed if you do, dammed if you dont situation. If either of them make a mistake Martinez will be blamed for picking the wrong one.

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This is arguably the most important EPL game Everton's had in multiple years. Roberto Martinez has bigger things to worry about than "which decision will appease one 19-year-old the most?" And quite frankly, if John Stones' confidence is shattered because two veterans were picked over him in a game of this magnitude he's got some serious self-esteem issues. Somehow, I doubt that.

Well your a DM in disguise. Stones has done nothing to warrant being dropped. If gerryGerry got dropped for mirallas yesterday there would have been uproar. Why? Mirallas has more EPL experience than Gerry so why the uproar? It would have been due to him not warranting being dropped due to his performance in his last game. Keep a winning side together and keep a young lad full of confidence at the back.

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There's a decent write-up about Stones in the Daily Mail this evening.

 

"A 19-year-old, in only his ninth Premier League start, shouldn’t be capable of driving his team on from the back with such ease, especially in Everton’s most important game of the season so far."

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2593430/Everton-youngster-John-Stones-outshines-Ross-Barkley-Hodgson-gets-glimpse-Englands-future-Craven-Cottage.html

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Well your a DM in disguise. Stones has done nothing to warrant being dropped. If gerryGerry got dropped for mirallas yesterday there would have been uproar. Why? Mirallas has more EPL experience than Gerry so why the uproar? It would have been due to him not warranting being dropped due to his performance in his last game. Keep a winning side together and keep a young lad full of confidence at the back.

 

Congratulations on not addressing a single point I made. I never even hinted at whether I prefer Stones or Jagielka. That had literally nothing to do with what I was saying. Here were the points I made.

 

1. This is the most important league game Everton have had in multiple years and Roberto Martinez is not going to have "how will a 19-year-old backup/rotation player's confidence be temporarily affected?" dictate his starting XI. If he picks John Stones, and that's a perfectly acceptable choice, then it's because he thinks John Stones gives Everton the best chance to earn three points. It will have nothing to do with making John Stones feel good about himself.

 

2. If John Stones has his confidence shattered because Martinez goes with a veteran English international in a must-win game against a powerhouse club then he needs major psychological help and a reality check.

Edited by thoward18
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Congratulations on not addressing a single point I made. I never even hinted at whether I prefer Stones or Jagielka. That had literally nothing to do with what I was saying. Here were the points I made.

 

1. This is the most important league game Everton have had in multiple years and Roberto Martinez is not going to have "how will a 19-year-old backup/rotation player's confidence be temporarily affected?" dictate his starting XI. If he picks John Stones, and that's a perfectly acceptable choice, then it's because he thinks John Stones gives Everton the best chance to earn three points. It will have nothing to do with making John Stones feel good about himself.

 

2. If John Stones has his confidence shattered because Martinez goes with a veteran English international in a must-win game against a powerhouse club then he needs major psychological help and a reality check.

Stones should play

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Knowing RM from his time in Wigan, and if he sticks to his usual policy, Jagielka will start. An England international and the captain v the 3rd choice youngster, in the most important match of the season.

 

A no-brainer. Experience and composure over fitness. Arsenal will test that defensive line and the offside calls will be important, so the defense needs to be perfectly timed and accurate.

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Don't get me wrong. I think Jagielka is a great defender but at this present time I think Stones is more than worthy of keeping his place.

 

He doesn't play like an inexperienced 19 year old. His confidence on the ball is reminiscent of a young Rio Ferdinand. He's hasn't put a foot wrong at centre half this season, making up for slight mistakes with recovering challenges.

 

I rate him very very highly.

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I think stones will play but if Roberto plays jags there will be no finger pointing from me if we get beat.

Yeah I agree. In a way they both deserve to play, as does Distin, so it's a bit of a dilemma for Roberto as there are pros and cons for both Jags and Stones. Whoever he picks will be there on merit

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Yeah I agree. In a way they both deserve to play, as does Distin, so it's a bit of a dilemma for Roberto as there are pros and cons for both Jags and Stones. Whoever he picks will be there on merit

 

time for the 352 with stones jags and distin at the back? i wouldn't be surprised if we use it in preseason or next year the way the 3 are player. stones right, distin left, jags center.

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The lad has come on loads. He, rightly or wrongly, got plenty of flak after 'that' derby game.

 

But see against Fulham, watching him carry the ball out from deep with those long controlled strides was mine blowing...jags cant do that. Distin cant do that. And did you see when he carried it out then pinged a pin point lofted cross field pass? My jaw swung open.

 

If he carries on improving like this, he will be THE england centre back.

 

But England squad now? Maybe for a bit of experience but to get a full sniff he needs to play more games. Which I think will happen next season.

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Will be playing Sunday.

 

Bobby just said he doesn't think Jags will play Sunday. That he is ready to step up but he wants to be careful there is no recurrence of injury.

 

In other words John Stones is more than worthy of keeping his slot.

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Good performance again against Arsenal. The one time he got into trouble was more Howard's fault really. He made no attempt to help the lad out or do anything pro-active at all and stood there almost disinterested in all honesty. A more alert keeper would have seen the problem, moved toward Stones and offered himself for the pass. Easy really....don't know why it wasn't done.

Edited by Oztoffee
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He always recovers from his mistakes. Always.

 

Unfortunately I don't want to see Jagielka back in the side ATM. It will disrupt our form and personally I don't think he offers anything more than Stones but experience. It's a tough one but Stones should remain first choice.

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