[Albion] Bissouma

[Megazone]

I wouldn't drop Stephens for Bissouma. I'd drop him for Kayal. Bissouma needs to be playing higher. Stephens position is a holding midfielder. Playing Bissouma there would be insane.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Still raw but looks to have so much potential he could be the best player we have ever had in a couple of years.

He is only 'raw' because he isn't getting proper game time. A run of games will lose that ridiculous tag.

 

[Blue3]

Should be the first name on the team sheet for the rest of the season.

Was outstanding today particularly in the first half against a poor Championship club

 

[The Tactician]

For a moment there I thought you were talking about Stephens.

Is that you saying you think Stephens is carefree on the ball and defensively lax? All our players have their qualities and their deficiencies, but I wouldn't agree with that assessment of Stephens (In the context of our other midfielders). He keeps possession very well playing in a very demanding and important position, and he is probably our best defensive midfielder, excellent at screening, intercepting and tackling strongly.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Ok, I really like Bissouma. I'll say it again though, if you want to pick Bissouma based on today, Stephens was perfect today.

I din’t just want to pick Bissoumabased on today, I’ve been banging on about it for months. He is in a different league to most of our players. And Stephens was good today but has been terrible most of the season and I don’t think he’s quite good enough for the premier league. He found his level today. Gross has been woefully out of form so either can be dropped.

Bissouma and Propper has the makings of a top half centre midfield, let alone fighting relegation.

On form, if playing a three, I wouldn’t be against Kayal coming in either, he hasn’t let us down at all this season.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Is that you saying you think Stephens is carefree on the ball and defensively lax? All our players have their qualities and their deficiencies, but I wouldn't agree with that assessment of Stephens (In the context of our other midfielders). He keeps possession very well playing in a very demanding and important position, and he is probably our best defensive midfielder, excellent at screening, intercepting and tackling strongly.

He’s obviously very talented, has a lot of technical ability and is very adventurous on the ball. Fans will obviously like him, his bravery on the ball, his confidence to take on player after player is great to watch. I do rate him, he clearly has so much potential to be an incredible player. However...defensively he is not disciplined. Tearing apart Derby, but that is far more difficult to achieve in the top flight and, more significantly, you are punished far more often in the PL. With that adventure, comes losing the ball too frequently. Being carefree on the ball puts the team in dangerous situations defensively, it puts the back 4 under pressure. He has a role to play in the team, but until he improves the defensive side of his game, just tweaks his approach and shows he can fit into a bottom half Premier League team, I can understand why he is left out of the midfield. I still believe he has the potential to be one of the best players to ever play for the Albion.

Losing the ball easily.
Being carefree in dangerous areas.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I wouldn't drop Stephens for Bissouma. I'd drop him for Kayal. Bissouma needs to be playing higher. Stephens position is a holding midfielder. Playing Bissouma there would be insane.

Well, obviously Bissouma wouldn't be a direct swap for Stephens. If he were to replace him, Propper would play more of the holding role.

But yes, I'd be happy to have Kayal there if Bissouma were to replace Gross.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

I din’t just want to pick Bissoumabased on today, I’ve been banging on about it for months. He is in a different league to most of our players. And Stephens was good today but has been terrible most of the season and I don’t think he’s quite good enough for the premier league. He found his level today. Gross has been woefully out of form so either can be dropped.

Bissouma and Propper has the makings of a top half centre midfield, let alone fighting relegation.

On form, if playing a three, I wouldn’t be against Kayal coming in either, he hasn’t let us down at all this season.

Been saying for ages too, this lad should be playing regularly. All this guff about losing the ball to easy, bad shooting, etc., it's like he's the only player doing this. Stephens loses the ball for fun. Gross is painfully slow and is easily read. As for the shooting, no-one complained when his 20+ yarder went in v Bournemouth. We need a player to shoot from distance, and he's the only one willing to give it a go. Shame he didn't have a shot for our second goal... oh.

 

[The Tactician]

So does playing with no pace or aggression up-front, passing sideways and back until the ball comes back to the back 4. Our back 4 has been under plenty of pressure this season playing behind no adventure at all, when all the other team, apart from the GK, have time and space to come up and play in our half of the pitch because they have no threat to deal with!

Agreed, though it's a different kind of danger. Losing the ball high up the pitch out of position allows the opposition to counter, and leaves the team backpedalling and vulnerable. That is probably more immediately dangerous playing backwards and relying on the defence to clear the ball/retain possession. Hughton has tried to integrate a more aggressive press into our playing style this season, but it's not clear if we're ready as a squad to make this advancement. Safety first to an extent has to be the priority within our set-up and approach, mostly because our attacking players are not consistent and potent enough to play increasingly risky football.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Kayal, Biss, Propper makes perfect midfield three sense to me.

 

[Megazone]

At least he has the bollocks to take them on.

a shame he doesn't have the composure (yet) to hit them cleanly.

He shoots like a centre-back. Head down and whack it with hope.

 

[aolstudios]

He's gonna be great but his positivity is also reckless.
As people say, he's raw. Still too raw.
I believe Chris is getting it just right

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Agreed, though it's a different kind of danger. Losing the ball high up the pitch out of position allows the opposition to counter, and leaves the team backpedalling and vulnerable. That is probably more immediately dangerous playing backwards and relying on the defence to clear the ball/retain possession. Hughton has tried to integrate a more aggressive press into our playing style this season, but it's not clear if we're ready as a squad to make this advancement. Safety first to an extent has to be the priority within our set-up and approach, mostly because our attacking players are not consistent and potent enough to play increasingly risky football.

You are Chris Hughton and I claim my £5.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

a shame he doesn't have the composure (yet) to hit them cleanly.

He shoots like a centre-back. Head down and whack it with hope.

Yep, like the second goal for instance. I'd rather someone have a go then lose possession as we so often do in the final third.

 

[NooBHA]

I don't advocate for or against him in the team. Massively talented lad but team selection should always be based on the game plan for each match and as that will alter from game to game depending on the opposition. Consequently I would anticipate that the team selection will alter to accommodate that. But the lad is a real "Talented Powerhouse"

 

[Megazone]

Yep, like the second goal for instance. I'd rather someone have a go then lose possession as we so often do in the final third.

If you think his shooting/decision making isn't a concern, you must think we're playing rugby

 

[The Tactician]

Losing the ball easily.
Being carefree in dangerous areas.

I don't think that is true. Based off what I've observed, Stephens is not carefree on the ball. There is an absurd double criticism that exists concerning Dale, he is allegedly carefree and loose in possession, but also simultaneously negative and not forward thinking, too concerned with keeping the ball and so passes the ball sideways and back too frequently. In fairness, you have only made one of these claims, but it is important to identify the various contradictions that exist amongst the Stephens-bashers. If you believe he is carefree in such a crucial position, sitting in front of the back four, why do you think Hughton continues to deploy him in this position? It's almost as if he performs the job that is asked of him within the team and isn't a useless liability as people are desperate to prove.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

If you think his shooting/decision making isn't a concern, you must think we're playing rugby

So, what you are saying is... all the others decision making is spot on, but young Biss is still a graduate? I'll say it again, who else takes on shots for us? Apart from no-one. I'll say again, again, no-one had a bad word for his 20+ yarder v Bournemouth. Strange how the North Stand tend to shout shoot when he is anywhere clear in the 20-25 yard zone, but they, like me, are wrong, and you are right.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

I don't think that is true. Based off what I've observed, Stephens is not carefree on the ball. There is an absurd double criticism that exists concerning Dale, he is allegedly carefree and loose in possession, but also simultaneously negative and not forward thinking, too concerned with keeping the ball and so passes the ball sideways and back too frequently. In fairness, you have only made one of these claims, but it is important to identify the various contradictions that exist amongst the Stephens-bashers. If you believe he is carefree in such a crucial position, sitting in front of the back four, why do you think Hughton continues to deploy him in this position? It's almost as if he performs the job that is asked of him within the team and isn't a useless liability as people are desperate to prove.

Are you basing this on a game v a championship side today? I prefer to call it criticism of a player that quite clearly isn't a good Prem midfielder. Is 'bashing' a derogatory word for criticism?

 

[jasetheace]

When both are fit, Bissouma and Propper should be our first choice midfield partnership in my opinion.

If he continues to develop as he has done/is doing we may well end up losing Bissouma to a VERY big club, possibly even someone bigger than Sheffield Wednesday.

Indeed. Propper at the base, Bissouma bombing on.