Pep’s rolling Stones
City boss keeps two-goal defender rocking by urging him to win more duels
ROTTERDAM: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola hailed his two- goal Champions League hero John Stones – but warned he has some way to go before he can be called world class.
England defender Stones found the net with two powerful headers as City thrashed Dutch champions Feyenoord 4- 0 in Rotterdam on Wednesday to send a message of intent to their European rivals.
After a stuttering progression through the group phase last year, Guardiola was delighted at the strong start.
“Last season we were not able to win one game away (in the group stage),” he said.
“If you want to win, you have to beat them at home.”
Hard-working midfielders Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne punched holes in the Feyenoord defence on a stormy evening at a packed De Kuip.
Sergio Aguero followed up Stones’ opener to make it 2-0 after 10 minutes when he hammered in a half-volley from a Kyle Walker cross.
Gabriel Jesus finished off the game as a contest with a tap-in on 25 minutes before Stones’ blistering second-half header from a finely-floated De Bruyne corner.
Guardiola said while Stones’ attacking threat was valuable, his main job remained improving his defensive play.
“John Stones, there is no doubt about his quality,” he said.
“But he knows what the gap is to improve as a football player, he has to win the duels.
“When he will be able to do that he will become an exceptional central defender.”
In Rotterdam, City tore Feyenoord to pieces as hard-working midfielders Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne punched holes in the home defence, which was in all sorts of trouble on a stormy evening at a packed De Kuip.
Stones headed home on two minutes after a sublime chip by skipper David Silva. Aguero made it 2-0 after 10 minutes when he hammered in a half-volley from a sublime cross from Kyle Walker, which flew past goalkeeper Brad Jones.
The Argentinian striker has now scored 172 goals for Manchester City and is only five short of former England international Eric Brook’s all-time record of 177.
City continued the ir merciless onslaught, giving the hosts very little space to create chances while continuing to threaten with lightning-fast attacks down the right flank.
The weather did little to improve the fanatical Feyenoord supporters’ mood, as the fans began jeering the players each time the ball was passed back to Jones, who had a busy evening.
The keeper blocked a blistering shot from Aguero which rebounded for Benjamin Mendy to take another shot, bouncing off the Australian again.
Jones could not hold on, however, and an unmarked Jesus performed the simple task of booting the ball into the back of the net for a debut Champions League goal.
Feyenoord regained some composure in the second half, but it did not take the visitors long to find the back of the net again, this time in the form of a blistering header by Stones from a finely-floated De Bruyne corner.
Feyenoord coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s conceded that his players were outgunned.
“Yes, I think so,” Van Bronckhorst said when asked whether he thought City could win the Champions League.
“As I said before, it’s a very good team. They have a lot of qualities, a lot of speed, they have everything to be a tough team.
“Today we were not ready for them.” — AFP