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[Albion] Dale Stephens. Discuss...



beorhthelm

beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,303
Luke93 said:
All the CMs have looked poor recently. [...etc]
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think what this highlights is the players are individually hopelessly flawed but the tactics/balance of midfield and forwards isnt right. Kayal limited ability but fight is exactly what was needed last night (and arguably other games). Gross playing a deeper position but forward of midfield, rather than regular no10 would help link (deep) midfield and attack. defensive midfield 5 (even when supposedly 4-3-3) is not helpful to the players we have on hand. we seem to have some OK talent, fit them poorly to rigid system not making the system work to their strengths.
 








Pavilionaire

Pavilionaire

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
30,570
Dale Stephens has been a brilliant signing for the Albion and a key part of Hughton's side, one of the players that kick-started our rise out of the Championship. However, I don't want to criticise him for the attributes he hasn't got - we all know what his strengths and weaknesses are.

He is what he is and that is a top end Championship player plying his trade in the Prem. Indeed, you can say that about many of our 1st XI.
 








Silverhatch

Silverhatch

Well-known member
Feb 23, 2009
4,300
Preston Park
GJN1 said:
Yes, we've all had a pop at him for his crab-like tendencies but I genuinely fail to see why Chris Hughton's values him so much that he seems undroppable.

Last night took the cookie and in a cavalcade of crap, he stood out as the stinkiest of all.

I simply can't watch him play any more.

It's not good for my mental health.
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Propper was worse than Stephens last night (and it pains me to say it because i'm a big Davy P fan). As for Ali J he was the stinkiest to use your terminology by a mile.
 


Garry Nelson's Left Foot

Garry Nelson's Left Foot

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
13,118
tokyo
Luke93 said:
All the CMs have looked poor recently.

Yes, Stephens is ponderous and produced mistakes. He’s slow at making a decision when passing forward, but this isn’t down to just him. The team is set up with just an isolated Murray up front and out of form wingers either side. There is no movement. What is he supposed to do? He passes sideways to retain possession and everyone moans. He attempts to pass to the static spuds up field but the opposition can easily defend that.

Bissouma has the ability to produce something special. But have we seen this enough? No. Does he lose possession as much as Stephens in terms of loose passing and wild shots? Yes. He fails to track back too and leaves gaps in midfield, exposing the CBs. He is not a regular starter for me, yet.

Propper is our best midfielder, but horribly out of form. He’s not a fighter. Scared to tackle, reluctant to take it to the opposition and is awful at heading the ball. His form has made Stephens job harder. He had his worse game in an Albion shirt yesterday.

Kayal is a fighter. He never stops trying and will do his absolute best. Issue is, he’s not that good I’m afraid. It is time to start him though as everyone ahead of him have failed on too many occasions. He won’t shy away from challenging for the ball like Propper and will run into space unlike Stephens. He works well with Stephens as he drops back when he pushes into space. I won’t trust the other CMs to do that.

Groß can play CM. He can switch play and find teammates consistently with passes. Issue is, his best position is higher up the pitch without being shackled with protecting the defence. He isn’t quick and isn’t great in the air.

Pick your CM poison. They’re all out of form or not good enough for consistent Premier League performances. I’m adamant that if ANY of our CMs play the deeper CM position Dale Stephens plays, they’d actually do an inferior job.
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Good post, sadly wasted on a large number of people on NSC.

Stephens has a great game: he did ok, but x,y and z were much better.
Stephens has a good game: He was average at best.
Stephens has an average game: He was poor, shouldn't have started.
Stephens has a bad game: Worst player on the pitch, it's a disgrace how he gets anywhere near the squad let alone team.
Stephens has a shit game: See!!!! I knew he was shit! Worst performance in the stripes for 5/10/20years/ever! Sell him to a non league team.

The only thing more predictable than our current performances and results is that Stephens will be given shit regardless of whether he deserves it or not. It's not even as subtle as confirmation bias. It's outright dumb arsery.
 




Nixonator

Nixonator

Well-known member
Feb 8, 2016
6,733
Shoreham Beach
Garry Nelson's Left Foot said:
Good post, sadly wasted on a large number of people on NSC.

Stephens has a great game: he did ok, but x,y and z were much better.
Stephens has a good game: He was average at best.
Stephens has an average game: He was poor, shouldn't have started.
Stephens has a bad game: Worst player on the pitch, it's a disgrace how he gets anywhere near the squad let alone team.
Stephens has a shit game: See!!!! I knew he was shit! Worst performance in the stripes for 5/10/20years/ever! Sell him to a non league team.

The only thing more predictable than our current performances and results is that Stephens will be given shit regardless of whether he deserves it or not. It's not even as subtle as confirmation bias. It's outright dumb arsery.
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Indeed. Have been harping on about it for ages.

Appalling game but his confidence is shot, just like everyone elses. Somehow Propper avoids the same treatment (at least at the ground) despite being worse still.

I was hoping for the first time in a long time for Kayal to start last night to replace either of them. I leaned toward replacing Propper but only because of his demeanour, he doesn't give a shit.
 


Cozzy

Cozzy

New member
Jul 26, 2018
869
Grimsby
Sadly Dale Stephens has been off form for most of the season much like the rest of the squad. As the key link man from defence to midfield and attack he has failed in most games to provide those inch perfect passes which he has in his locker & even worse has actually given possession away a lot with his forward & sideways passes.
We actually looked a much better team when Stephens was suspended & Propper played the holding role with Kayal or Bissouma though in truth none have them have covered themselves in glory this season. But for such a key role Stephens has lacked the quality needed & CH must take some blame for keep picking him despite the lack of form.
Too much loyalty shown to a player who has served the club well in the past but just has not looked right all season.
 


seagull_special

seagull_special

Well-known member
Jun 9, 2008
2,931
Abu Dhabi
He has been badly out of form and deserves to be dropped and I mean that as a favour to him not a punishment. Last nights performance was his very worst and sad to see.Time to recover, rest up and recharge his batteries, he is not the only boy one. Murray has been non descriptive since the turn of the year, Andone is not the Messiah and Dunk and Duffy the rocks our survival was built on have begun to crumble andvat no time have we given the arrogance of youth the chance to shine Ajax have no fear in blooding young players and this season it has paid dividends.
 




Tony Meolas Loan Spell

Tony Meolas Loan Spell

Slut Faced Whores
Jul 15, 2004
18,067
Vamanos Pest
Having a bad patch. No he isnt shit but is clearly out of form. Now Propper who was looking POS contender has joined him. So what does Clueless Melchett Hughton do?

Select them for the next game! You couldn't make it up and there is Kayal on the bench, who last nite threw his bib down as YET ANOTHER aimless pass was made to no-one.

I blame CH firmly. This in itself isn't harmonious to the squad. I can still play shit as I know I will be in next week. #Together my arse. Keep the shirt? Only if you are not playing well.
 


R

ROSM

Well-known member
Dec 26, 2005
6,200
Just far enough away from LDC
Stephens was pony last night. End of.

He isnt always Pony, and does at times get the flak when he doesnt deserve it. He makes a lot of psses which means there is more chance of them going wrong. Last night he had spherical constipation - he simply couldnt pass the ball. Easy ones, hard ones, short ones, long ones, nothing was working. He needed to be subbed for his on sanity and to show that if levels drop, you will be off.

But Propper over the last month has been worse!
 


BUTTERBALL

BUTTERBALL

East Stand Brighton Boyz
Jul 31, 2003
10,255
location location
I thought he was actually okay on Saturday but poor last night. He's obviously low on confidence. I would drop Propper right now who is also out of form and play Kayal with him. It's a tried and tested formula and the 2 players work well together.
 




A1X

A1X

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 1, 2017
17,764
Deepest, darkest Sussex
I'm not sure how or why it has become a contest between Stephens and Propper in "who has been worse" among many of the posters on here. The fact is both were utterly terrible last night, and both have been on & off terrible for a while, with each having the odd half-decent game. Neither is doing well, both look short of confidence and frankly neither is contributing much to the team at this moment in time.

Bin both of them. Bring in Bissouma and Kayal. They can't both do worse.
 






Weststander

Weststander

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 25, 2011
63,938
Withdean area
Pavilionaire said:
Dale Stephens has been a brilliant signing for the Albion and a key part of Hughton's side, one of the players that kick-started our rise out of the Championship. However, I don't want to criticise him for the attributes he hasn't got - we all know what his strengths and weaknesses are.

He is what he is and that is a top end Championship player plying his trade in the Prem. Indeed, you can say that about many of our 1st XI.
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Agree with most of your post, but I can see him featuring in a Burnley PL first team for example, no problem. Their creative and box to box CM’ers, who’d dovetail with him are very good.

I almost want him to move on, to do an Ashley Barnes.

Since summer 2017, many NSC’ers have pointed out so many times that our ACM lacks pace and mobility. Four windows and £220m of PL extra income, but never addressed. Chickens coming home to roost, our one paced team has been found out.
 




Spiros

Spiros

Well-known member
Jul 9, 2003
2,361
Too far from the sun
Marshy said:
Simply put when Stephens and Propper got the ball last night the front 4 were so far away it was impossible for them to find a forward pass of any note.

The shape of the side is awful when we are expected to go forward.

Even with effectively 4 up front there was still a 50 yard gap between the back 6 and front 4.

We cant chase a game is the crux of it, we have no pattern of attacking play.

When we have to sit in and counter occasionally we have a shape.
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This. Yes Stephens was poor last night but every time he got the ball the only real pass that was on was either sideways/back to an available defender or a risky one forward to try and find one of our missing attackers. Most of the risky ones went astray. IMHO Propper was worse, but both he and Stephens looked knackered to me. I dread to think what will happen at Wolves and Spurs if we don't freshen up the midfield. I really couldn't understand why Kayal didn't replace Propper at some stage last night if only for the fresher legs
 


S

sagaman

Well-known member
Dec 25, 2005
1,085
Brighton
LamieRobertson said:
Is it PotG? said:
His passing options are less than #### all.

Movement around him is shite, no runners with any pace whatsoever.[/QUOTEn

Ain’t that just so
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Totally agree. Dale is a key man but sadly his confidence and form is being dragged down like others. Lewis is another example

Sadly our really poor recruitment in the last two years is a major factor in the current mess
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