Good post. Interesting that you can see the excellence of DS from afar. Players in the Stephens / Jordan Henderson role often get slagged off by "What exactly do they do?" observers, probably because they rarely score or provide defence splitting passes.
Both were outstanding, Bridge was a brilliant fullback.
At that time we getting outgunned by clubs with PL parachute money, who were able to pay three times as much.
Plus Knockaert injured just before the season began, which at the time (based on his incredible promotion season form) seemed a major setback for the club and its vital first set of PL games.
http://www.northstandchat.com/showthread.php?353892-Knockaert-injured
In the end he was back pretty...
Stephens is key any Albion midfield. Hudd, Burnley and Palace all play 5 in CM, obessing with overloading that department, so I really hope DS is a starter in all 3 matches. We need him.
Coutinho took about 10 minutes to get into the Amex game, then it was ridiculous how good he was with the ball, without ever getting into top gear. Good enough to play with Suarez and Messi at Barca.
Yep, it can be, what they do with the ball. Players such as Hazard, Willian, Oxlade take risks in trying to create chances, necessarily giving the ball away more than DMer’s.
Henderson and Dale are both quality CMers. Henderson drives play forward, shields the back 4, has a great pass and is very mobile about the pitch. Both players know their limitations, passing to ‘game changers’.
It’s always been that way with the contrary lynch mob. Murray by scoring recent PL goals, has temporarily taken himself off their agenda. But they await a couple of missed half chances, to get stuck into him again.
With Dale, I simply take comfort that CH, 95% of fans and outsiders such as...
If he was injured, that's good news for the tiny group of posters who reckon he's a liability to the team and a Championship player at best.
Meanwhile .... in the real world.