Dale may stay....

[Weststander]

Record with DS starting this season : W21 D4 L3 - champions with several games left form
Record without DS starting this season: W4 D4 L4 - bugger, we missed the POs form

Nuff said, sign him up, move on.,,,

Lies, lies and statistics. Didn't someone say the record was pretty much balanced with or without?

Stephens is our best CM. This season, it's a question of whether Kayal, Norwood or Sidwell should accompany him.

 

[Nixonator]

Lies, lies and statistics. Didn't someone say the record was pretty much balanced with or without?

They were talking horse shit if they did.

 

[Tarpon]

Nearly all of them are untested then, in fact some of them you could argue have already been tested and failed....but out of the lot Stephens has one of the best chances of cutting it. Who do you think CH is going to want to replace him with if he does go? Kroos? He will be after someone like Howson who will cost a fair whack, demand wages higher than Stephens and want a hefty lump sum himself.

Losing Stephens IMO is breaking up the unit we have, the way we play and the formation we play. If you don't think our 442 hinges on Dale Stephens then you haven't been watching for 2 years. That wouldn't be the end of the world if CH will change things up, but he does love a 442. And that's also not to say that Stephens wouldn't be decent in a 3.

Disclaimer: IF....

This.

 

[Weststander]

In the Championship, yes. The point being made here is perhaps we wouldn't miss him in the Premier IF he chose to go i.e. a replacement might be as good if not better. Or, even if he stayed, he may not be as good as the pinnacle we've placed him on. Basically he's untested.(and for the dumb out there, I'm not saying he's shite, I think we're better off, can do better etc. So feck off with your phoney outrage!)

If Stephens or his mooted replacement (such as Howson mentioned in this thread), got injured or suspended, we'd be stuffed in the PL midfield battle.

Therefore the club will seek to keep DS and get quality additions in CM too. I can't see Norwood being kept and Sidwell unfortunately is slightly too slow now. The club will aim to stay up, not do a Middlesbrough.

 

[Machiavelli]

He should be and probably will be the no 1 target for a signature for us along with Stockdale. Others like another no 10, can then fall into place as required.

I actually agree with you on this BG, but I'm surprised to hear you say this given that Gaetan Bong is out of contract in the summer.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Can't believe no-one asked him how many points we needed for promotion, or which game will it all be done and dusted by

 

[crasher]

He's obviously going to see what offers he gets at the end of the season. IF we're in the Prem I'm sure we'll make a competitive offer and he'll seriously consider it. But his agent will also see who else in the Prem is interested.

I'm sure that, if we clinch promotion, the club will be straight in with a serious offer to try and seal it while everyone's still on cloud 9.

 

[the right footed denilson]

NO I disagree Ernest

He is good enough for the PL

Don't assume that a lot of the players up there are world beaters. They are not. Players play a role in a team and Dale plays a superb role in this Brighton side. He is the type of player that CH likes. Someone who can get the ball down and distributed quickly. He plays the same role that CH had Johnny Howson playing for Norwich.

Howson is a superb player and I think just slightly better than Stephens but make no mistake about it. Dale is definitely good enough for the PL

Any idea of the sort of play CH is likely to be targeting when we're up?

 

[Driver8]

Any idea of the sort of play CH is likely to be targeting when we're up?

 

[B52]

Brilliant!!

 

[Bigtomfu]

I know you're being sarchy but...I've not been THAT impressed with him on many occasions this season. I think he's below what we saw in previous two. At times, our midfield has been BANG AVERAGE as you say. So, though like him to stay, is that because we know no better? Could we improve? Would we really miss him, relatively? I'm not so sure. Saying that, bringing in a new player is always risky so who really knows? Chris probably! But I won't lose any sleep if Stephens does decide to move on and every faith we'd replace him adequately - providing we're in the Premier of course. Which.We.Are.Not!

This. He took a risk, as did we. I still feel we may say thanks but we can do better now.

He's a cracking player at this level but entirely untested at PL level. I think he may become the equivalent of Dicker at Championship level - plenty of skill but just a couple of yards short of the required pace.

Time will tell but unlike last Summer it won't bother me as much because I know he'll only leave if we have someone better come in.

 

[Weststander]

This. He took a risk, as did we. I still feel we may say thanks but we can do better now.

He's a cracking player at this level but entirely untested at PL level. I think he may become the equivalent of Dicker at Championship level - plenty of skill but just a couple of yards short of the required pace.

Time will tell but unlike last Summer it won't bother me as much because I know he'll only leave if we have someone better come in.

Good analogy with Dicker, but I don't think DS's pace will be inferior to other mid/lower PL table combative midfielders.

After all, Dyche has a good record on PL signings, and he wanted to add DS to his PL team.

 

[Weststander]

Created by an angry Man City fan after Conte's rope-a-dope win there?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I think Dale is a massive talent and as has been discussed earlier he still looks decent just strolling about, as he has been, with half his mind, perhaps, elsewhere. The question for me is whether he can recalibrate his play to meet the needs of next season, having acquire his current que sera mojo.

Also, to be fair, what PL club, obviously a step up from ourelves, would be willing to give him regular football, and a bigger salary than we could offer in the PL?

Anyway, for now I'm happy to park this.

 

[Driver8]

Created by an angry Man City fan after Conte's rope-a-dope win there?

Probably. I just googled parking the bus!

 

[Murray 17]

He wanted to move up north when he left Charlton for ... the south coast!

Can't see him going to West Ham as he would probably not be a regular there. And as long as we offer similar to Burnley (if they still want him), who in their right mind would move to Burnley from Brighton? Be a bit like wanting to live in Middlesbrough!

 

[Bold Seagull]

He's been superb, a rock with various partners this season. Absolutely confident he will be superb in the PL.

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

May Dale stay or will there be a stalemate with Dale?

I should write for the Argus.

 

[BensGrandad]

I actually agree with you on this BG, but I'm surprised to hear you say this given that Gaetan Bong is out of contract in the summer.

I


I think that GB is the best that we have but feel that he could become a back up as I am a litte concerned as to whether he will be good enough for the premier.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

He wanted to move up north when he left Charlton for ... the south coast!

Can't see him going to West Ham as he would probably not be a regular there. And as long as we offer similar to Burnley (if they still want him), who in their right mind would move to Burnley from Brighton? Be a bit like wanting to live in Middlesbrough!

The countryside near both Burnley and Middlesbrough is lovely. You don't think our players actually live in Brighton, do you? I can only think of two.

It's all down to money.