Stones facing defining season in Blues career
WHEN Aymeric Laporte returns from injury next year, John Stones will hope his City season doesn’t follow the same course as his last two campaigns at the Etihad.
This was billed as the most important year of the England international’s career, with the spotlight falling on Stones as the Blues began life without Vincent Kompany.
When City failed to land a replacement for the Belgian it was expected Stones would form a partnership with Laporte this season, but the former has had injury issues of his own, while Laporte has been out since August after sustaining a knee injury against Brighton.
The Blues’ injury issues at the back have taken the focus off individuals this term, but Stones needs to show over the course of this season that he has both the ability and consistency to replace Kompany as one of Pep Guardiola’s most reliable defenders.
Since returning from injury Stones has partnered Fernandinho in defence, with the Brazilian, converted from defensive midfield this season, ahead of Nicolas Otamendi.
But when Laporte returns the question will be whether it’s Stones or Fernandinho chosen to partner him. If it’s the latter then it would be another severe blow to Stones’ longterm prospects at the Etihad.
Stones was considered the future of the City and England defence when he joined the club, but at 25 there is a sense that he’s so far failed to kick on and fulfil that potential.
Last month Guardiola failed to guarantee Stones he was a first choice centre back, instead urging him to concentrate on maintaining his fitness and enjoying a run of games.
“It’s not about first choice, there are not a lot of first choices,” said Guardiola. “It’s about being fit, so for a long time he’s had many, many injuries.
“This season, injury after injury, sometimes it needs more time.”
Stones returned to the England team for last week’s 7-0 win over Montenegro, but he was on the bench against Kosovo last night as club and country attempt to manage his fitness.
If Guardiola’s faith in Stones is wavering then the former Everton defender faces a defining few months in his City career.
He will have two years left on his contract at the end of this season. With Laporte clearly the first pick for Guardiola, it will be intriguing to see whether the Blues look to sign a partner for him, either in January or the summer, or someone who can compete with Stones, but perhaps accept they won’t displace the England man. Stones will be determined to make sure his season doesn’t follow the same path the previous two have done, when he’s found himself out of the side when the pressure has increased.
In 2017/18 Stones started 11 of the first 12 Premier League games, but after suffering a hamstring injury in November he started only three of the final 17 league games.
It was a similar story last season, when Stones started just three of City’s final 19 games in all competitions, having started 21 of the Blues’ 30 games before Christmas.
The way Stones has drifted from view during the run-in in two successive campaigns doesn’t suggest he has yet earned Guardiola’s explicit trust. He will need to change that pattern this season to prove he has a long-term future at the Etihad.