West Ham make a new £32m bid for Lacazette [Di Marzio]

Bilic has also said they want Hutchinson and Töre from Besiktas. Seems like they're spending a shit load this Summer.

W.Ham are in a very nice position. Massive money boost from their PL finish/new stadium/PL tv deal.

They'll want to improve massively to cement themselves as a top 7 team.

Pjanic signs for Juventus. (Juve.com)

Pjanic/Pogba/Khedira/Marchisio. Nice quartet.

Gunner89 wrote:

Stones and Ferdinand can't be compared.

Ferdinand had in excess of 170 top flight league appearances and had helped Leeds get to the CL semis.

Stones is nowhere close.

Very talented in his passing ability but let's be clear- Everton rejected 40m for him last summer.

He's not worth it at this moment. He should get 1-2 years of learning and developing under Koeman first.

Most people do compare them because Stones is a massive talent. Fantastic composure with and without the ball and ability in possession, excellent pace too. Reminiscent of a young Rio.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/679381/Arsenal-Transfer-News-Walcott-to-Liverpool-Mahrez-on-future-huge-Mkhitaryan-update ... yes. please get rid of Wally.

Stones shouldn't be compared to Ferdinand at all. Rio Ferdinand was a top class defender, and defending is actually the main job of a CB, and Stones is mediocre defensively. Stones is exactly half of a top class CB.

Stones is like most young England players, ridiculously overhyped.

Leroy sané heavily linked with city

Rex wrote:

Stones shouldn't be compared to Ferdinand at all. Rio Ferdinand was a top class defender, and defending is actually the main job of a CB, and Stones is mediocre defensively. Stones is exactly half of a top class CB.

Do you know where the future of football lies when it comes to CB's? I've said it twice on here already. To be good at defending and competent at bringing the ball out of defensive and using the space ahead of you wisely. Stones might not be Nesta, but he's a solid young CB with a big future. You'll be paying a large some for the future not just what he'll give you in the first 6 months.

To which the reply was that Stones was not all that defensively. Don't know how anything you just said contradicts and proves Rex wrong.

It's the negative tone regarding Stones that I take a distaste to when he has everything in his locker to reach the very top. He needs a top manager to take him under his wing and to play alongside a polished CB. Give him Pep or Jose and he'll flourish.

He has everything in his locker the same way Oxlade-Chamberlain has.

Oh, and distaste for the negative tone? Towards an Everton player?!

he's an english everton player.

Rex wrote:

He has everything in his locker the same way Oxlade-Chamberlain has.

What's Oxlade got to do with Stones?

just because a player has everything in his locker doesn't mean he's above criticism (or a negative tone).

I agree.
But to say he's not a good defender because his defending isn't great doesn't bode well with me, especially considering the future of football will lean towards your CB's attacking the space in front of you, which is what Stones is great at.

If United/City/Chelsea spend £50m on him it'll be because they see him as the future and he'll be a CB that can really advance with the ball when it's moved across the field, providing he has adequate cover.

The game has already evolved over the last 10-15 years so that fullbacks have to be just as good at attacking as they are at defending, as you all probably know unless you've been living under a rock. That obviously cannot happen with centre backs, but there's many occasions during a game that the CB will receive the ball with space to run into but will simply move the ball on due to his manager not allowing him to roam forward OR for just being limited technically to do that.

The next time Germany play, just watch whenever Jerome Boateng has the ball at his feet and space in front; he's going to attack it to the point he's playing where a normal CM would be.

The best defenders nowadays are required to be good on the ball so that teams can keep possession better than ever before.

We're even seeing midfielders converted into CBs sometimes because of that. With John Stones, I see him as the future. Whether or not he'll fulfill his potential is yet to be seen, but the huge fee's will be because of this change in the way football is heading + His age + English quota + Speed + Ability to attack space = Large fee.

I posted a video of a young Ajax defender Jaïro Riedewald who is another one to watch who does just that, take the ball forward, spray passes around.

Laporte has signed a new deal with Bilbao. So that's his move to City not happening.

City could move for Stones.

Savz, you are totally disregarding the main job of a CB, which is to defend. Stones isn't very good at it. His positioning is often suspect, he loses his concentration too often, and he takes unnecessary risks. He is great on the ball, but that is neither here nor there when his defending is subpar.

Also, just because you say what the future is for a CB doesn't make it so.

Sounds like liberos and back 3s are making a comeback

#retro

Big Willie wrote:

Savz wrote:

I agree.
But to say he's not a good defender because his defending isn't great doesn't bode well with me

I've explained it but I will spell it out.

Defenders nowadays need to do more than just defend. They need to be ball players and have better technique than ever before.

You can be a defender that is rated 6/10 at defending but 8/10 technique, 9/10 speed and 9/10 when it comes to passing and you will be valued rather highly.

Overall you may not be a T.Silva or a Bonucci when tackling, but being fantastic in other aspects make's you a sought after defender. Stones is the prime example of that.

Savz wrote:

Big Willie wrote:

I've explained it but I will spell it out.

Defenders nowadays need to do more than just defend. They need to be ball players and have better technique than ever before.

You can be a defender that is rated 6/10 at defending but 8/10 technique, 9/10 speed and 9/10 when it comes to passing and you will be valued rather highly.

Overall you may not be a T.Silva or a Bonucci when tackling, but being fantastic in other aspects make's you a sought after defender. Stones is the prime example of that.

Thanks for spelling it out. It wasn't clear. I'm still a little unsure though, does the future of defenders require a defender for the position or a midfielder that just happens to be playing deep? 

Also what methodology is used to come to these ratings? Is there a barometer for 1/10 and 10/10? Or is it just subjective?

The /10 thing was just random, but you surely understand the point; Even if John Stones isn't the next Baresi, he will be picked up by a big team for multiple other reasons. Last year he finished with the highest average pass length and highest pass accuracy. 89% Pass Accuracy with 1340 Completed Passes.

He's actually a very underrated defender, gets overly exposed for Everton when they throw too many men forward.

Thanks pal, I get it. But really, do you really think a ball playing defender who's good at the playmaking side of things but not so good at the defensive side of things is more valuable than one who is the opposite? If so don't you think it'll result in people skinning each other inside, outside, left, right and centre?

I'm not saying it's more important it's just one of the 2 options at CB. One rock+One with more natural ability.

Stones+Kompany/Otamendi would be good for Pep if he were to go for it. Let's see though, I'm hoping he moves so I can see him in a better environment than just Everton, has all the ingredients..

Savz wrote:

Do you know where the future of football lies when it comes to CB's? I've said it twice on here already. To be good at defending and competent at bringing the ball out of defensive and using the space ahead of you wisely.

More note should have been made of this. A historic moment! Finally the ball-playing centre half has been invented, and in a forum post on OMITT too.

Stop with the wind ups mate. They've been around for a decade but in the coming years one of the two cbs will be better technically.

I believe the ball playing cb has been around rather longer than a decade. Franz Beckenbauer, for instance, total football, Brazil in the 60's, etc

A decade

IMore prominant.

What I'm getting at is total football, you'll see them everywhere rather than a few instances like back in the 60s and 70s.

True, true. Don't mind me.

Laporte has renewed his contract with Bilbao, €70m release clause. Delighted for Bilbao, added bonus of it being bad news for City.

Savz wrote:

I agree.
But to say he's not a good defender because his defending isn't great doesn't bode well with me

Keep up you two, that quotes already been taken care of at the top of the page.

Amazing coup, that guy is easily good enough for us.

Payet and Feghouli on their wings. Huge upgrade.