[Albion] Bong's performance today.

seagull winners said:

As for passing forward and tackling Stephens managed no tackles and only 2 passes forward the whole of the second half but at least one was a goal.Neil McNab was called sideswipe, thinking of calling Dale back swipe.Would really like to see Gros play alongside Davy and put Locadia up top with Glenn.

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Stat Brother said:

You now I have problem, you've got some reading to do.

I'm not Team Stephens but he was much needed for me on Saturday.

Jnr (13) isn't as good a footballer as he thinks, but frustratingly he is a very good footballer.
Sadly though his opinion of himself stops him from reaching his full potential.
To him football is all about 30 second Youtube clips and 'awesome mega skillz'.

I watched the second half of his game on Sunday (post hot chocolate with Lil Miss Stat) where as usual he constantly tried to be the player he isn't, but laced that with a couple of sublime simple passes.
His first words after the game were "oh it's a shame you missed my Cruyff Turn, it was epic".

So that's the preamble as to why I insisted while we watched the game we made a point of studying Stephens.

In the first half DS was the very definition on consummate pro.
He did everything required of him, breaking up play, and moving the ball on.
He misplaced 2 passes and was also behind the play only twice.
Unsurprisingly he didn't perform a single 'skillz'.

Anyone wanting to drop Stephens and play Gross further back, has an odd appreciation of Saturday's, and the season as a whole, game.

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Nixonator said:

An excessive, but less crude way I suppose, of saying he's talking shit.

You need to teach your boy the ordinary bits are what make football fun, which make the extraordinary that much better.

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Stat Brother said:

I'm really struggling with this.

For other reasons he has a wall around him and can't be anything other than the best and perfect, in his mind eye.
I can't praise him to a level he'll hear because he's already praised himself to a Messiesque level.
So I end up really frustrated because what he thinks is happening on the pitch and what actually happens couldn't be further from the truth.
But all of that comes with the even greater frustration caused by the moments when he's 'switched off' receives the ball, and plays a defence splitting, inch perfect, 30 yard pass.
A pass I know he takes no joy from because in his mind it didn't have a moment of flair that marks him out as the best (and considerably better than me at that, or any age).

Sorry about that. I bet you wished you'd never replied.

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Stat Brother said:

I'm really struggling with this.

For other reasons he has a wall around him and can't be anything other than the best and perfect, in his mind eye.
I can't praise him to a level he'll hear because he's already praised himself to a Messiesque level.
So I end up really frustrated because what he thinks is happening on the pitch and what actually happens couldn't be further from the truth.
But all of that comes with the even greater frustration caused by the moments when he's 'switched off' receives the ball, and plays a defence splitting, inch perfect, 30 yard pass.
A pass I know he takes no joy from because in his mind it didn't have a moment of flair that marks him out as the best (and considerably better than me at that, or any age).

Sorry about that. I bet you wished you'd never replied.

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Bold Seagull said:

There is no way a parent can even begin to have that kind of influence over a 13 year old on a football pitch. In the meantime, as I am managing my daughter's u14 girls team and I might hazard a reasonably toned 'keep it simple' I merely get a stern look at a single finger to the lips. So while you're looking for Stevens-esque on the pitch, I am confined to Hughton-esque on the touchline.

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Bold Seagull said:

There is no way a parent can even begin to have that kind of influence over a 13 year old on a football pitch. In the meantime, as I am managing my daughter's u14 girls team and I might hazard a reasonably toned 'keep it simple' I merely get a stern look and a single finger to the lips. So while you're looking for Stevens-esque on the pitch, I am confined to Hughton-esque on the touchline.

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drew said:

Out of interest, which girls team is that?

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