It has been a season of comebacks for John Stones. After appearing to be on his way out of Manchester City, he is now a vital cog in Pep Guardiola's machine; it's likely to be the same for England and Gareth Southgate in the summer.
His recall to the England squad was a first inclusion in the national set-up since 2019.
Stones’ renaissance is one of the stories of the campaign. City’s 2019-20 campaign finished with a 3-1 defeat to Lyon. Guardiola played with three centre-backs.
Stones was not among them.
With one other central defender, Nathan Ake, already signed and plans to recruit another – eventually Ruben Dias – he felt, in effect, sixth choice.
He started two of City’s final 18 Premier and Champions League games, played fewer league minutes than in any campaign since 2011-12 and only begun two matches where they kept clean sheets after October.
Fast forward seven months and plenty has changed. City have conceded a mere six goals with Stones on the pitch in the Premier League, an average of one per 270 minutes. Only Raul Jimenez, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Mohamed Salah, Michail Antonio, Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw have found the net against City with Stones on the field.
He has scored four times himself, quintupling his career tally of league goals.
How good is John Stones?
A stopper who rarely resorts to the illegal has committed a mere five fouls. In all competitions, only one team – Manchester United, twice – have stopped City from winning when Stones has started; he has faced 17 other sides and beaten them all.
His win rate stands at a ludicrous 91%.
In one respect, he is no stranger to high percentages. Stones can tend to be a table-topper and, among Premier League regulars, he leads the way for accurate passes. His 94% completion rate puts him fractionally ahead of Dias (93.8).
It underlines Guardiola’s ethos that six players are above 90 and two more on 89; City defend by never giving the ball away.
And yet Stones’ precision in possession is nothing new. That 94% is actually his lowest in the last four seasons; he has been the division’s most precise passer in two previous seasons. He has always been a ball-playing defender.
But after one of his toughest games for City, the 4-2 defeat to Leicester in 2016 when Jamie Vardy scored a hat-trick, one from a misplaced Stones pass, Guardiola infamously said: “I am not a coach for the tackles.”
Four years on, that statement looks truer.
Why Stones is perfect for Guardiola
Stones’ total of 14 Premier League tackles puts him behind more than 250 players; that Joao Cancelo and Rodri are each on 69 shows more of the tackling happens in the midfield area.
The reality is that City’s centre-backs have less defending to do than many of their peers: Stones’ 28 blocks leaves him behind more than 125 other players, and so it goes on when he talk about interceptions (15) and clearances (57).
In part that is because he was not in the team earlier in the season and Dias, who has played more minutes, ranks above Stones in each chart, but it also underlines how the task is to remain reliable, rather than being busy.
But there is also a table he helps prop up: he has made no errors leading to shots, let alone goals, this season.
It is not actually as rare as it sounds.
Stones’ reputation for taking chances on the ball precedes him, but it is increasingly inaccurate.
Should Stones be starting for England?
Stones has only played once for England since he was caught on the ball by Memphis Depay in the incident that led to Kyle Walker’s own goal in the 2019 Nations League semi-final defeat to Holland.
In the last four Premier League seasons, however, he has only made one error, in official terms, that resulted in a shot. Over his top-flight career, he is debited with seven mistakes that led to goals: three in 2016-17, the other four when he was still at Everton.
"John's form is a huge plus for us, he has played a lot of internationals for us," said Southgate after recalling Stones to his squad.
"For a period we weren't sure if he would recapture that form, when you invest that much time and as many caps in players like that and he disappears, it is a huge disappointment.
"John deserves huge credit for turning that around and finding a level of consistency. He's played a big part in what looks like a hugely successful season for City, although they will say they've won nothing yet.
"He fits the profile of how we want to play, comfortable on the ball, speed in bringing it out, it's great to have him back.
“I think often we talk about coaches and managers, and the impact on players. But in the end you have to give players a lot of credit when they bounce back from disappointment, come back from difficult injuries, when they regain form."
The difference now lies in the way Stones commands Guardiola’s confidence, which he lost for a while, and his centrality in a partnership.
When Stones and Dias have been on the pitch together, City have conceded six goals in 1669 minutes in all competitions.
Whether his current flawlessness would stand up to being twinned with Harry Maguire, or, more likely being part of a back three as he was at the 2018 World Cup is the question for England.
What is beyond doubt is that Stones transformation from fringe figure into a talisman is shown by both the goals against column – City have never been as frugal when he has been on the pitch – and a personal league table.
They average 2.72 points when he plays. No Premier League regular can rival that.
