Tony Cascarino tells England defender John Stones: You’re not Bobby Moore, so don’t try to play like him
Tony Cascarino has slammed John Stones for overplaying during England’s 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands on Thursday night.
The Three Lions collapsed in extra-time of the Nations League semi-final, with John Stones and Ross Barkley making costly errors while trying to play out from the back.
Questions have been raised against Gareth Southgate’s possession-based philosophy – and Cascarino argues Stones does not have the ability to play in this system.
“The biggest problem I had with him was trying to nutmeg a Holland player in his own 18-yard box,” the talkSPORT host said.
“You’re not Bobby Moore and you’re not Franz Beckenbauer. They were the top footballing defenders at playing out from the back over the last few decades. Ronald Koeman could do it.
“If you’re going to decide to try and nutmeg someone in your own 18-yard box, that’s being negligent.”
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher also criticised Stones for his ‘stupid’ decision making.
He said: “The goals never came from risks, or playing out from the back, they came from stupid decisions.
“That [the error] is stupid. He’s made a stupid mistake and a stupid decision.
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“That’s nothing to do with playing out from the back. Pass it to your goalkeeper and make another angle.
“As a centre back, you play what’s on. You’re taught from a very young age, play the way you’re facing.
“When you’re facing your goalkeeper and there’s nothing on, you start again.
“It’s not about playing or playing wrong. Forget this talk about playing out from the back [being wrong].”