[Albion] "Brighton set for €10m Camarasa"

[Nixonator]

I couldn't disagree more.

If he has indeed 'upped' his game, well I dread to think what a standard Championship Dale would look like.

Nah - he's left me thinking his true level is somewhere in the league below us.

Not bad, but not great.

I don't think you need to dread thinking, he played a full season of the Championship last season and the season before. We finished 3rd and 2nd where he played most games, the games he didn't play in we mostly lost.

Perhaps the reason you don't seem to rate him is connected to the fact you thought we would finish 14th.

 

[Stat Brother]

Even though we're obviously no going to sign him now the rumour is out there, lets post these



View attachment 93456

Good effort, but you missed the new and very important metric:-

24.2k followers on Twitter.

Not bad but he's clearly no Bristol City defender.

 

[Kosh]

Serious question, how many games have you seen this season? You think he’s “totally out of his depth”, so why do you think our (arguably greatest) manager of all time has picked him for every minute this season.

If you look at any game we have picked up points this season the Stephens/Propper partnership has had a lot to do with it. Of course there have been some wayward passes and poor finishing but he’s involved so much and covers so much ground that is to be expected.

I honestly wonder what fans of teams who are (and are to be expected to be in) relegation battles expect. I imagine it must be quite disheartening for those two to work their bollocks off for 90 mins to see one of our forward players miss the chances that have been created, but shit happens.

If you honestly believe the tripe you posted then afraid football just isn’t the sport for you


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Brilliant! Your best work of the season Dale

 

[Kosh]

I don't think you need to dread thinking, he played a full season of the Championship last season and the season before. We finished 3rd and 2nd where he played most games, the games he didn't play in we mostly lost.

Perhaps the reason you don't seem to rate him is connected to the fact you thought we would finish 14th.

I'm not questioning his ability in the championship, clearly he's a wonderful player at that level. Sadly however, at this level, for me he's poor (along with several others) hence our perilous league position.

I've watched Dale go from a player who had a direct influence on our results in a positive way, to someone who looks like things are moving way too quickly for him.

Oh well, it's only my opinion and I'm sure he'll prove me wrong in the coming weeks.

 

[Kosh]

Absolutely, couldn't agree more. That Kosh has some kind of vendetta on Dale as he's slagged him off on several threads today, but he really has been very good for us this year

Yeah - separating the wheat from the chaff with all the efficiency of a post industrial revolution combine... I've not really slagged him off, have I? Merely said I don't think he's all that at this level... which he's not really, is he?

I've said elsewhere it's just my opinion and other's in the squad have also struggled with the step up. I'm unsure why so many feel Dale is actually brilliant at this level?!? where are his goals, assists and MOM performances to back it up?

Hmmmm nah, like Suttner; average at best - and at this level, we need better.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Yeah - separating the wheat from the chaff with all the efficiency of a post industrial revolution combine... I've not really slagged him off, have I? Merely said I don't think he's all that at this level... which he's not really, is he?

I've said elsewhere it's just my opinion and other's in the squad have also struggled with the step up. I'm unsure why so many feel Dale is actually brilliant at this level?!? where are his goals, assists and MOM performances to back it up?

Hmmmm nah, like Suttner; average at best - and at this level, we need better.

OK, its your opinion, I've been really impressed by him, thats mine. He's made mistakes, and he doesn't drive into the opponents box for strikes, which would be nice, but in the games where we have done well he has been at the heart of it and has had a few mom performances.

Assists? they're there, the nod back for Hemed's winner against Newcastle, the sweeping crossfield ball that sent us on the way for our opener against Bournemouth

But that's not what he does. Look at the stats: for this season's premier league he's in the top ten in successful tackles, the top ten in blocked passes, and the top 15 in interceptions.

Thats what he does. And he does it very well. And its what every team needs. Its not all about goals and assists, football teams need to defend as well. He's our Kante (disclaimer, I'd rather have Kante)

And he moves the ball around extremely well. He averages roughly 10 more passes per game than any other player. His 85.3% pass completion percentage is the best in the team. He doesn’t just recycle the ball. Only one midfielder in the league (Jonjo Shelvey) averages longer passes. He rates among the best of those who don’t just play the safe pass.

I got those stats from here http://www.football365.com/news/forensically-watching-an-ordinary-player-dale-stephens, but you already know that

 

[Kosh]

OK, its your opinion, I've been really impressed by him, thats mine. He's made mistakes, and he doesn't drive into the opponents box for strikes, which would be nice, but in the games where we have done well he has been at the heart of it and has had a few mom performances.

Assists? they're there, the nod back for Hemed's winner against Newcastle, the sweeping crossfield ball that sent us on the way for our opener against Bournemouth

But that's not what he does. Look at the stats: for this season's premier league he's in the top ten in successful tackles, the top ten in blocked passes, and the top 15 in interceptions.

Thats what he does. And he does it very well. And its what every team needs. Its not all about goals and assists, football teams need to defend as well. He's our Kante (disclaimer, I'd rather have Kante)

And he moves the ball around extremely well. He averages roughly 10 more passes per game than any other player. His 85.3% pass completion percentage is the best in the team. He doesn’t just recycle the ball. Only one midfielder in the league (Jonjo Shelvey) averages longer passes. He rates among the best of those who don’t just play the safe pass.

I got those stats from here http://www.football365.com/news/forensically-watching-an-ordinary-player-dale-stephens, but you already know that

Fine. He's clearly a world beater.

I prostrate myself before your superior opinion.

Of yourself too.

There is no more.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Fine. He's clearly a world beater.

I prostrate myself before your superior opinion.

Of yourself too.

There is no more.

Thanks. Knew we'd get there in the end.

 

[Mellotron]

Fine. He's clearly a world beater.

I prostrate myself before your superior opinion.

Of yourself too.

There is no more.

I suppose you could react like that. Or you could just acknowledge that he's made some good points, backed up with cold hard stats.

Stephens isn't a world beater, but he's not been half as bad as some on here make out.

 

[jamie the seagull]

Which does rather beg the question that if Naylor gets his info from the club, why they're so happy to give him a categorical NO when they then go ahead and sign the player - and indeed if they keep doing this to him this on several occasions, why he keeps taking their word for it...

Let's not forget that NSC broke the Locadia deal 2 hours before Naylor woke up and claimed the same breaking news...

 

[Triggaaar]

Let's not forget that NSC broke the Locadia deal 2 hours before Naylor woke up and claimed the same breaking news...

How often does he break news of a signing before it's already on here? Is it roughly never?

 

[Richy_Seagull]

Fine. He's clearly a world beater.

I prostrate myself before your superior opinion.

Of yourself too.

There is no more.

Classic “oh shit, someone has made a very good argument against me” response.

 

[The_Viper]

Naylor "Chris, there are a couple of reports from Spain that we are close to signing Camarasa from Betis, anything in this?"

Hughton "Not at this moment, he is a player we are aware of but no more than that."

Naylor then reports Argus sources say no, meanwhile Hughton gets on the phone to Barber and tells him the story is out, get it finalised.

Barber to his Spanish counterpart "word has got out to the media, so we are now withdrawing our previous offer"

Last day of the window

Barber to Spanish counterpart " ok lets talk again"

Spanish counterpart "look you ****in lemon, we now have no time to get our replacements in, if we can in the short time left, then yes we will sell"

Following day club releases statement, we all know what it says.

 

[Kosh]

I suppose you could react like that. Or you could just acknowledge that he's made some good points, backed up with cold hard stats.

Stephens isn't a world beater, but he's not been half as bad as some on here make out.

Or I could have said: Are we really saying that DS is better than many of our other players? Based purely on some decent passing/tackling stats? The BIG issue is this idea that DS doesn't just recycle the ball, he sodding does - his longer passing is good, but totally ineffectual in our current system and borne from need as he plays sooooo deep. If he's such an integral cog in our system, where is the success that should be coming from his influence as the go to guy in Midfield? He's picking passes, as the stats back it up but clearly he's picking the wrong passes as the goals scored column confirms. Is he making a good fist if things in a difficult offensive system? Yes, BUT he isn't able to undo the opposition enough and is relying on his long cross field balling to disguise the fact he can no longer influence things in a telling way through the middle.

In addition I'm pretty sure all of our defenders, if not the whole team, are also making and winning more tackles - We hardly have the ball at times!

Overall the consensus seems to be that It's the wingers and strikers fault, but Dale is a blameless footballing genius on the level of Shelvey... oh great.

I see, now I see.

 

[Mellotron]

Or I could have said: Are we really saying that DS is better than many of our other players?

Didn't read past this, because no, we're not saying that particularly. Nice straw man effort though.

 

[Kosh]

Classic “oh shit, someone has made a very good argument against me” response.

Yeah whatever genius.

 

[Kosh]

Didn't read past this, because no, we're not saying that particularly. Nice straw man effort though.

Yeah likewise - I'm not saying DS is the biggest culprit, but why people insist on saying he's not culpable is utterly beyond me?!? He's a major part of a failing team, and if we think he's going to save us this season, in any system... well, I'll see you at Burton

Which is fine by me, as they're plucky and do decent beer.

Dale will rip 'em to shreds mate!

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

You'd think he'd be contacting journalists local to the clubs we're dealing with, possibly agents and other contacts to find out if there's any truth in rumours etc. The club wouldn't give him the nod shortly before a player signs anyway, what would be the point in that? The club get no benefit from Naylor saying something shortly before the dead is done, and it increases the risk of a player being contacted by another club.

It would be more understandable if the club leaked info about a player leaving, if the club wanted to invite offers from other clubs, but I don't get the feeling our club is particularly into that.

Because they'll know more about the clubs they cover than AN knows about the Albion? If AN's source is good, I have no problem in him knocking down made-up stories but refusing to confirm ones with some truth in them. As you say, why would any senior employee of a company give away commercially sensitive information to a third party?

 

[Mackenzie]

Thanks. Knew we'd get there in the end.

Boom.

 

[Triggaaar]

Because they'll know more about the clubs they cover than AN knows about the Albion?

Partly yes, some other journalists will have better relationships with their local club than Naylor has with Brighton. But more importantly, when a club wants to sell or a player wants to move, it's more likely they'll leak information than a club that is trying to buy and keep the deal quiet until it's done.