John Stones so streetwise under Pep Guardiola as the ex-Barcelona boss teaches him to mix skills ‘n thrills with bashes ‘n smashes
New Manchester City chief educates England's most cultured defender... in putting his foot through the ball when it's needed
THE great Pep Guardiola has been busy teaching his £47.5million defender John Stones a new pass.
It is called the one into Row Z.
Guardiola may have taught tiki-taka at Barcelona but at Manchester City he is educating Stones to put his foot through it from time to time.
Stones, this cultured, ball-playing defender, even made it sound like he enjoys whacking it into the crowd from time to time.
The England defender, who starts alongside Gary Cahill against Slovakia tomorrow, said: “From last season to the start of this season, I’m realising when to do it.
“That’s where I believe I have come on quite a lot as a player.
“I was doing things before and then afterwards I would think, ‘Why have I done that? Why haven’t I just put it out in Row Z?’
“Already I see a difference in my decision-making. We can all regroup from putting it in Row Z sometimes.
“On Sunday, I did it a few times, then the guy absolutely smashed me.”
That was in their 3-1 win over West Ham, when he was caught late by left-back Arthur Masuaku.
Stones, 22, is toughening up, muddying his shorts now that he is playing for one of the great coaches in the modern era.
He claims to “love a tackle”, something that will surprise his detractors after a difficult last season at Everton.
His Goodison form provoked such furious debate that Rio Ferdinand careered off the M1 on his way back from Everton last season to demand to be put on a radio phone-in.
Ferdinand told listeners Stones, so elegant when he is on the ball, needed to be “cherished”.
Stones said: “I didn’t know Rio did that. I’ve met him a few times and he has always been passionate about football.
“To get that backing from him gives me great confidence. He was a top player and I’m striving to be a top player.
“I will always try to be true to myself and keep doing what I do. Things aren’t always going to work out the way you want them to.
“That’s when I know I’ve got to evaluate myself, watch things back, and realise when I can do things and can’t do things.
“That’s where I think I have grown in the last 12 months or so.”
He certainly needed to. Stones was under the spotlight last season, with questions about his physique after he was bullied by Sergio Aguero in last season’s League Cup semi-final exit.
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It is no secret that his relationship with Roberto Martinez deteriorated during the former Everton manager’s last, desperate throes at Goodison.
Stones also hinted at “personal issues” off the field as one of the reasons why his form tailed off at Everton but he insists this is not the right time to open up about them.
A tattoo on his left arm — “love you always” — hints at the troubles.
He added: “I had a lot of problems outside of football and everyone’s going to make mistakes. I know that.
“I will be the first person to own up to that, and that’s how I can grow as a player.
“Things can get taken out of context sometimes, that I wasn’t happy.
“But I was always enjoying my football and I always gave 100 per cent for everyone.”
