[Albion] Dale Stephens

[trueblue]

Just unreal what game some people watch

We certainly agree on that!

 

[Exile]

I’d also add to this fine post that Stephens knows how to manage match situations. Controlling the pace and tempo when possible.

Knowing when to press and when to hold the shape of the team.

He has the ability to play forward but often decides to play back or sideways as the team need to retain possession, not just give it back, especially as we are a c.40% possession team on average.

Chasing the ball tires teams so ball retention becomes hugely important.

Bridcutt was a great holding player but he didn’t have the ability to pass the ball much further than 20 yards and creativity was generally non existent. Stephens is a much more rounded player, hence our better results with him in the team.

Agree with all this. However, I think Bridcutt COULD have been a fine, fine player, even at this level. Really not sure what went wrong for him - perhaps just the wrong move at the wrong time - but he was a much more talented player, than his recent career suggests.

Shame.

 

[Weststander]

Playmaker? I've never heard Dale Stephens referred to as a "playmaker" before, and I'm sure it would make him laugh too.

He's the defensive shield of the back 4. He's the water carrier. He plays in a position where - if he is to pass forwards - the pass has to be absolutely perfect, as otherwise it's a very risky pass to make.

I can understand the groans when he passes sideways or backwards, but the groans should be directed at the attacking players for not providing the movement, not at Stephens. I don't understand how people can't see that.

I can’t believe any Albion fans don’t get that, and the various nuanced positions in a modern centre midfield. DS has never been and never will be a Pirlo-esque CM ‘quarterback’. He doesn’t need to be.

Can only think that some people roll up at The Amex hoping that DS makes some ‘mistakes’, to memorise and then talk about until the next match.

 

[Icy Gull]

There has been some very articulate putting to bed of the “Stephens isn’t good enough if we want to progress” rubbish on this thread

 

[wealdgull]

The best way I can sum up my thoughts on Stephens is to say he's a better player than I think he is. Thinking about the last game as a whole, for example, he did really well in the mid third (he didn't just sit back, he pushed forward whenever he could in the second half) and wasn't shy of a forward pass when it was on, but the thing that leapt to mind first was a dodgy sideways pass that gave the ball away to the opposition.

For whatever reason his mistakes appear to have more prominence than those made by the players around him. Everyone gives the ball away, but his seem to stick in the mind. He is a great player for us, though, and I don't see us getting anyone significantly better without breaking our transfer record.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Lying deep or receiving the ball in deep positions doesn't make their role in the team as play-maker. Pirlo would hardly be categorised as doing a similar role as Fernandinho . I do agree that DS role is similar to a Busquets or even Fernandinho - neither of which would be described by anybody else as a playmaker in their respective sides, and neither of which are particularly well known for their forward play - doesn't mean that they can't do it, just that their primary role is not that. Your argument might have some legs if we played 4-4-2, but in a 4-3-3 you need at least one of your midfield 3 to do a defensive role 1st and foremost..

If you don’t think Busquets is a playmaker then there’s literally no point in us even having this discussion. Pirlo played as a deep lying playmaker in a midfield 3 at Juventus and as one at the bottom of a diamond at Milan. Being a playmaker doesn’t mean you have to be in a number 10 position behind a striker. You don’t even have to be central. It just means that you dictate much of your team’s play. Stephens does that. He does it by playing passes in all directions and changing the tempo as he sees fit and as the situation demands. He’s not at the level of the others mentioned and he’s also got defensive characteristics like the others, but he’s a playmaker nonetheless.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

I’d also add to this fine post that Stephens knows how to manage match situations. Controlling the pace and tempo when possible.

Knowing when to press and when to hold the shape of the team.

He has the ability to play forward but often decides to play back or sideways as the team need to retain possession, not just give it back, especially as we are a c.40% possession team on average.

Chasing the ball tires teams so ball retention becomes hugely important.

Bridcutt was a great holding player but he didn’t have the ability to pass the ball much further than 20 yards and creativity was generally non existent. Stephens is a much more rounded player, hence our better results with him in the team.

I’m glad someone else seems to be able to see his ability to control the tempo of a game. I thought I was the only one based on this thread.

 

[Weststander]

There has been some very articulate putting to bed of the “Stephens isn’t good enough if we want to progress” rubbish on this thread

....

 

[amexer]

Nobody is saying Stevens is rubbish. May I ask all those who think Stevens is the bees knees how they think our midfield could be improved

 

[Skaville]

I’ll also take former professionals opinion that Brighton don’t score enough from midfield 2 goals in a season and a half.


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An observation that I made myself earlier today, but Stephens role now is to sit and shield so the other two in the three can attack. You should be pointing your finger at Bissouma, Propper, Gross and Kayal, not Stephens.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Nobody is saying Stevens is rubbish.

This. All I’ve said is that his position is one where we could upgrade yet many take this as heavy criticism and that I don’t understand the holding midfielder role.

 

[doogie004]

An observation that I made myself earlier today, but Stephens role now is to sit and shield so the other two in the three can attack. You should be pointing your finger at Bissouma, Propper, Gross and Kayal, not Stephens.

Bissouma and kayal have barely played
Propper I think has improved
Gross out injured so maybe biss and Kayal will get more game time
Stephens still not good enough though wasnt protecting anyone earlier in season when we were losing and conceding goals waste of time


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[Herr Tubthumper]

An observation that I made myself earlier today, but Stephens role now is to sit and shield so the other two in the three can attack. You should be pointing your finger at Bissouma, Propper, Gross and Kayal, not Stephens.

But how can Bissouma, Propper, Gross and Kayal score if Stephens has just tapped the ball back to Duffy?



(Joke)

 

[Weststander]

Nobody is saying Stevens is rubbish. May I ask all those who think Stevens is the bees knees how they think our midfield could be improved

Gary Stevens didn’t really feature in CM.

 

[Weststander]

This. All I’ve said is that his position is one where we could upgrade yet many take this as heavy criticism and that I don’t understand the holding midfielder role.

There are mix of negative views:

a) People who’d love to see an upgrade this summer over DS as our defensive midfielder. Yet respect he’s the best in that role just now.

b) People who can’t stand the player, feel he’s holding the team back and are angry every time CH picks him.

(Plus many of us who rate him).

 

[Skaville]

Bissouma and kayal have barely played
Propper I think has improved
Gross out injured so maybe biss and Kayal will get more game time
Stephens still not good enough though wasnt protecting anyone earlier in season when we were losing and conceding goals waste of time


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Nonsense. He played in all the narrow defeats against the bigger clubs this season. Clearly did his job. We’ve been more porous lately, partly because he is trying to do the job that he and Propper were sharing up until mid December. I can think of one goal in nearly two seasons that I would attribute to Stephens, the second Burnley goal at the Amex.

Come on, point your scapegoating finger more specifically.

 

[Skaville]

There are mix of negative views:

a) People who’d love to see an upgrade this summer over DS as our defensive midfielder. Yet respect he’s the best in that role just now.

b) People who can’t stand the player, feel he’s holding the team back and are angry every time CH picks him.

(Plus many of us who rate him).

For the record, i’m somewhere between A and C, he’s perfectly okay in that role for a club of our stature. Pretty much anyone in our squad could be upgraded.

One thing I can’t stand is the pointless negativity and scapegoating that people like Barnes (in the past) Bong and Stephens face

 

[Weststander]

Nonsense. He played in all the narrow defeats against the bigger clubs this season. Clearly did his job. We’ve been more porous lately, partly because he is trying to do the job that he and Propper were sharing up until mid December. I can think of one goal in nearly two seasons that I would attribute to Stephens, the second Burnley goal at the Amex.

Come on, point your scapegoating finger more specifically.

This.

 

[Gwylan]

I can think of one goal in nearly two seasons that I would attribute to Stephens, the second Burnley goal at the Amex.

Man City's first in the home game last year: he lost possession in our own half.

But I agree with the general thrust of your argument, he's one of our most important players. I don't think we'll find it easy to replace him for the money the Albion has

 

[Skaville]

Man City's first in the home game last year: he lost possession in our own half.

But I agree with the general thrust of your argument, he's one of our most important players. I don't think we'll find it easy to replace him for the money the Albion has

Didn’t Burnley offer us £8m. What does that get you in today’s market?