John Stones can be an England centre back for years, but can he stop being bullied, does he have the steel?

Anyone who is English should look at this deal and hope John Stones is a success at Manchester City. He can be an England centre back for the next 12 years.
There are lessons to learn — I want to see him loving blocks, headers, tackles, covers and clearances into Row Z as much as he likes to drop his shoulder and glide out from the back.
If he was in my stable, I would work on his strengths — his ability to create, pass, keep the ball — but also have a quiet word about the other side, areas he needs to improve on.

He can go missing from set-pieces and, although he is good in the air from kicks out from the goalkeeper, he can be beaten from corners and crosses.
He is still a baby; like the goalkeeping position, central defenders get better with age. Often it is when they stop trying to do everything because they realise that, by doing less, they can be more effective for their team.
People say we are looking at a modern-day Alan Hansen here, but I ask: can he carry his team into a battle, can he stop being bullied, does he have the steel?
City need to fire him up and teach him to do the stuff that hurts, because that is what wins titles — a late block away from home at Stoke or Sunderland to protect a 1-0 lead. Does he have that? City have signed him and paid this fee because Pep Guardiola recognises his elegance, but go and play in midfield if you cannot do the defensive work, too.

He had a disappointing season for Everton last season and spent long spells out of the team because they were conceding too many goals. I hope has learned from that.
I saw signs of improvement when he played for England against Portugal in a friendly. He started to make the right decisions and take fewer risks but England didn’t trust him in the summer at Euro 2016 as they did not pick him.
But no wonder he is smiling in yesterday’s newspaper — one of the world’s best managers likes what he sees, has spent almost £50million and will play to his strengths.
This move could be the making of him — Guardiola is not looking at what he cannot do, he is looking at what he can do.
City spent £31.8m on Eliaquim Mangala, but that player doesn’t make sense to Guardiola because he cannot play with the ball. Stones and Guardiola are potentially an ideal match.
I really hope we are writing more about him for the quality of his play and his success. Every Englishman should wish him well.

link: http://www.futbol2016.es/