Stones: ‘Telepathic’ City can better more records
Centre back talks about the 100-point barrier, his World Cup and dressing up as a white rabbit
John Stones laughs. “It’s not your typical English football, is it?” he says as he discusses himself, Aymeric Laporte and goalkeeper Ederson passing the ball across their own sixyard area at Liverpool this month.
“It’s what we worked on in training,” the Manchester City defender says. “And to have that trust in each other is massive. But also to have that trust in yourself to do it.”
There was method in the apparent madness. It was to draw out Liverpool’s intense press and “create more space”, Stones says.
“I don’t think we could do it with any other manager [Pep Guardiola] and how he coaches us. It’s down to him and his ideas. He’s so detailed in what he wants and we all know where everyone is going to be. We know telepathically.
“We all know where everyone is at the right moment, and without even looking, you can play a pass. I don’t really overthink what kind of situation I am in. For me to say that word [telepathically] is strange but it’s kind of the norm now because we are training that hard and staying that focused to keep getting better.”
How can City improve on last season’s record 100 points?
“It’s more of the same, really. It’s such a high bar to set ourselves but that bar is there to be broken and I don’t see why we can’t break it [100 points]. I’m not saying we will but it has to be an ambition.”
At Anfield, City earned a draw and also a clean sheet, which has become a regular feature of the season. They have stopped the opposition scoring in six of their nine league games so far, conceding just three goals. I tell him Leonardo Bonucci said he regards the goal like his home and will not allow any trespassers.
“It’s a great way to put it, from a top player, and I love that side of the game,” Stones says.
The issue of whether Stones is either the best ball-playing English central defender, or someone who makes too many errors, has framed the debate over his career.
“Being harsh on myself has got me where I am today. I’ve never hidden away from mistakes or the good things as well.”
So how do you stay friends with players when there is such an intense competition for places?
“It’s the norm for a footballer that you have to do it and have to fight and with respect as well. If we didn’t have that camaraderie, it could get bitter. I’ve been in some squads and people have been bitter and you can see it. I think here it all comes down to respect for everyone.”
England’s unexpected run to the World Cup semifinals also changed many things.
“I was on holiday afterwards and people were coming up to me saying ‘thank you so much’. And I was thinking ‘you don’t need to thank me’. I just wanted to make people proud and excited to watch England again. And I think we did that.”
And so what of the rabbit suit, one of the more curious moments in the Amazon Prime documentary All or Nothing following City’s title win.
“I rang Kyle and they were playing golf and I said ‘I’m going to come’ and he said ‘no, you’ve got to come in a three-piece suit or a [fancy dress] outfit’, so I went and found the outfit and drove to the golf. I didn’t realise the cameras were going to be there, so I’ve turned up and was walking down the fairway thinking ‘here we go, this is going to be everywhere’. We just want to have a laugh and do silly things like that. If we’d not won the league it might have been different.”