Jack Charlton once admitted: “I’ve always had a distrust of centre-backs who can play.”
One can only imagine the disdain the former World Cup winner would hold for John Stones’ evolution this season.
The former Barnsley and Everton centre-back has been morphed into one of Europe’s most composed operators in central midfield by Pep Guardiola during Manchester City’s imperious march to the European treble.
On the grandest stage of all, Stones produced arguably the most impressive display of an exceptional individual and collective campaign. To capture just a snippet of the show Stones put on in the Champions League final against Inter, City’s number five completed all six dribbles he attempted – the last player to register more successful take-ons in the biggest game of European club football was a certain Lionel Messi in 2015 (per Opta).
6/6 – John Stones completed all six of his attempted dribbles against Internazionale (100%); the last player to complete more than that in a UEFA Champions League final was Lionel Messi in 2015 (10 v Juventus). Total. #UCLFinal pic.twitter.com/BYXf2kHZEQ
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 10, 2023
Messi didn’t get on the scoresheet against Juventus in 2015 but did rack up an obscene tally of ten completed dribbles as Barcelona wrapped up a European treble of their own. The only other player to hit double digits for successful take-ons in a Champions League final was Ronaldinho, again for the Catalans, against Arsenal in 2006.
Guardiola had never previously won the Champions League without Messi but found his own dribbling artist in the unlikely figure of Stones.
In the space of 81 minutes against Inter, Stones completed more dribbles than he had across all seven of his previous appearances in the Champions League leading up to the final (five). The so-called Barnsley Beckenbauer beat his man a total of six times during the entire Premier League season, averaging one successful take-on every two games.
Much has been made of the new role Stones has fulfilled under Guardiola this season, stepping forward from centre-back into midfield to create a solid 3-2 shape as the foundation for City’s attacking play. However, on Saturday, Guardiola had Stones wander infield from right-back – with Manuel Akanji holding a central role to guard against Inter’s front two.
Stones didn’t misplace his first pass until the 40th minute but the rest of his colleagues struggled against Inter’s stifling press on a sticky night in Istanbul. For the second half, Stones was shifted into a more orthodox full-back position. In the build-up to the only goal of the game, Stones is the widest City player on the right wing, planting a seed of doubt in the mind of left wing-back Federico Dimarco as Bernardo Silva snuck into a rare pocket of space inside Inter’s box.
The entire Inter team completed three dribbles between them – half as many as Stones.
While he has fallen out of favour under Guardiola in the past – notably nearing an exit in 2020 – Stones’ ability on the ball has been admired by the Catalan coach for years. Back in his first season at Manchester City, Guardiola told a packed press room: “John Stones has more personality than everybody here in this room. More balls than everybody. I love this kind of player.”
He may not have been to Charlton’s taste, but Guardiola has certainly transformed Stones into a player he cherishes.
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