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[Football] Stephens



One Teddy Maybank

One Teddy Maybank

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 4, 2006
21,603
Worthing
Seasider78 said:
No it’s not he is marking Ritchie on the touch line if he commits Ritchie has a free run at our penalty area from the touch line
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Sorry, just looking at Gross again (it's a great discussion by the way). He is way too square to Bruno. Assuming that is Ritchie, Gross should also be five yards further forward. That's what happens when a central midfielder who knows he has limited pace, plays on the right, totally mystifying.
 






Is it PotG?

Is it PotG?

Thrifty non-licker
Feb 20, 2017
23,299
Sussex by the Sea
peterward said:
He was totally awful first half, better second.

The problem with DS is not his ability to pass or break up play, it's often his lack of speed and speed of thought.

He slows things down to much, goes backwards or sideways when forward options exist, he rarely drives us up the pitch, to pedestrian and slows us down.
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All about opinions. Totally disagree with you there.
 


The Wizard

The Wizard

Well-known member
Jul 2, 2009
18,383
Stephens is our player who seems to be most affected by crowd unrest, he went backwards to Bernardo at one point yesterday towards the end of the first half and the crowd were on his back, with a general lack of confidence in the team at the moment a certain % of our crowd are utter cretins, as soon as we went 1-0 down the atmosphere started to turn sour and it affects certain players a lot.
 


S

Sue1983

Well-known member
Aug 15, 2018
552
peterward said:
He was totally awful first half, better second.

The problem with DS is not his ability to pass or break up play, it's often his lack of speed and speed of thought.

He slows things down to much, goes backwards or sideways when forward options exist, he rarely drives us up the pitch, to pedestrian andslows us down.

Some good long passes second half to the wings.
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This!

As the holding midfielder surely he is the one that should be shutting down the threats in midfield. Where was he for their goal? For me he didn't do the job he was therefore and this is not the 1st time either. Yes in the 2nd half he made a few forward passes but surely his main role is to protect the defence. This is something he is not good at!
 




S

samtheseagull

Well-known member
Sep 15, 2010
1,599
Stephens was my MOM yesterday, fantastic second half. Not sure what to say to anyone that thought he was poor? He could bang in a perfect hat trick and still wouldn't get praise. One midfielder I want us to keep for next season. Where's all the people saying Kayal should take his defensive midfielder spot? it was clear in the last few games why hasn't featured much this season.
 


Stat Brother

Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,664
West west west Sussex
Bladders said:
There was a Newcastle player hugging the touch line out of shot which is why Gross is where he is


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Facts facts facts - Take your facts and stick'em where the sun don't shine. :lol:
 


Johnny RoastBeef

Johnny RoastBeef

These aren't the players you're looking for.
Jan 11, 2016
3,157
I think, upon reflection that what divides opinion regarding Dale is not the quality or direction of his passing, but the pace of his play. As the fulcrum of our team it is him who dictates the tempo of the whole team. When he gets his head up he can spray the ball about beautifully. But because teams in the Premier League press much faster, he doesn't have time and is forced to play safe to retain possession.

Getting caught in possession, leading to a goal, in that first Premier League game should have been a lesson to pass the ball quicker, instead it has lead him to be overly cautious.
 




peterward

peterward

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NSC Patron
Nov 11, 2009
11,347
Icy Gull said:
Some of us have always rated him, myself included. Yes he’s had some bad games, Cardiff in particular, but over the season he has been one of our better players imo.
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I think we can do better than DS...... ship out Kayal, and bring in someone better quality for the DM role, then Dale can become the new back up.
 


Icy Gull

Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
peterward said:
I think we can do better than DS...... ship out Kayal, and bring in someone better quality for the DM role, then Dale can become the new back up.
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As long as we continue to play as the away team in every game we need Stephens.
 






B-right-on

B-right-on

Living the dream
Apr 23, 2015
6,171
Shoreham Beaaaach
Definitely the highlight of the season was the win away at Smellhurst.

Tactically we were brilliant, Stephens a key part of that. This is what we need to replicate this season. :albion2:
 




P

Palacefinder General

Well-known member
Apr 5, 2019
2,594
Icy Gull said:
Interesting looking back over this thread having read what Potter has to say in today’s Argus. It seems that he has benefited the most from the change in playing style

https://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/17994904.graham-potter-heaps-praise-intelligent-dale-stephens/
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An interesting, and somewhat surprising read seeing as GP always reiterates in interviews that he doesn’t like singling any particular player out. At least any regrets on Stephens’ part that he didn’t get the Burnley move are, I imagine, long forgotten, him now playing under a manager like GP rather than CH.
 








B

BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
Icy Gull said:
Brilliant he wasn’t but he was one of our better players in that dire run.
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He was in comparison to those around him and has been our most consistent performer this season again. Not a player liked by supporters who do not always appreciate what he brings to the team but very highly rated by his team mates and fellow players.
 


Hugo Rune

Hugo Rune

Well-known member
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Feb 23, 2012
21,612
Brighton
Icy Gull said:
Brilliant he wasn’t but he was one of our better players in that dire run.
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Not in my view. He had some real stinkers like the rest of them. What he did so well was to play to Hughton’s instructions to the letter meaning that our central midfield had absolutely no attacking threat all season. I was dreading each time he got the ball as he’d either play backwards or give it away. Dunk n’ Duffy had him on a very short leash. I really wouldn’t have been surprised if Potter had ditched him when he first came in.

How different he looks this season reprogrammed by Potter back to his brilliant Championship best.
 




Monkey Man

Monkey Man

Your support is not that great
Jan 30, 2005
3,157
Neither here nor there
Stephens is one of my favourite players and gets a lot of unfair stick in my opinion. I know it's his job, but I'm impressed that he always seems available to receive the ball, however much pressure we're under, and willing to take responsibility.

This stuff about "always passing it backwards or sideways" really says more about his teammates at times than it does about Stephens. He's bright enough, most of the time, not to risk giving away possession in the middle of the park when there's a safer option.

Great to see him having some shots this season too.
 




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