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Dale Stephens







Mowgli37

Enigmatic Asthmatic
Jan 13, 2013
6,371
Sheffield
Loved him since he signed. I was absolutely gutted when he got injured, he's now looking exactly like the player who tore Leicester apart on their own patch.
 






Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,888
West west west Sussex
Where do you sit? Seriously. How you can view so many players so very differently to others is amazing.

But I don't though.
Any one of those nimrods driving DS around the country for £2.5m would be seeing things differently to us.
I'm saying now as I did then, I get DS, I see what he brings to the team, his relationship with Kayal, the fact he's a main part of the success. I'm just not seeing him as MOTM.

Playing like this last season, sure "The weeks winner of the honourary Dale Stephens MOTM award goes to ... Dale Stephens".
But luckily we're not the same team, clearly we're considerably better, with stand out performances all over the pitch.

If DS was MOTM answer me these:-

In the first half why did he lose possession and just chase the man without putting a tackle in, as he set up their first chance?
Greer certainly didn't think he was motm material.
Why did he loop header a speculative punt up field, over his own defence, to set up their second chance?
Why weren't we more threatening from cornering, many hitting the first man, or sailing over everybody?
And crucially why didn't he play the regulation pass through to Baldock, who was on the shoulder of the last man, and gagging for the ball?
It's a pass we already watched Holla and JFC play from harder positions.


DS scored a fantastic technically excellent goal.
The above is very much nitpicking, as he was certainly one of our better performers last night, playing better than Kayal.
He's a quality, combative player that has made a difference this season.
But when compared to other, also playing some of their best ever football, I'm not seeing what makes DS so much better than them.
 




Dick Knights Mumm

Take me Home Falmer Road
Jul 5, 2003
19,736
Hither and Thither
Of course you are nit picking. Over the course of 90 minutes a player as involved as Stephens who is always on the move, always, available for the pass, always prepared to close down, is going to make mistakes. If he didn't, he would hardly be playing for us.

Just appreciate him and stop being a miserable old sod.
 




Man of Harveys

Well-known member
Jul 9, 2003
18,869
Brighton, UK
Of course you are nit picking. Over the course of 90 minutes a player as involved as Stephens who is always on the move, always, available for the pass, always prepared to close down, is going to make mistakes. If he didn't, he would hardly be playing for us.

Just appreciate him and stop being a miserable old sod.

Well I think it's just great to have Mr Burns back, albeit with a different handle and victim.
 




Bwian

Kiss my (_!_)
Jul 14, 2003
15,898
A wonderful footballer and controls the game for us. If he and Kayal stay fit...

His corners were a bit off tonight (minor point)

A bit off?

Spoiled what was otherwise a very good performance.
 


Albumen

Don't wait for me!
Jan 19, 2010
11,495
Brighton - In your face
Definitely my MOM last night. I'd love to see his passing accuracy % last night, must be in the high 90s. And tackling, and breaking down play, and making us breathe. Conducting our orchestra, oh and a lovely goal.
 


Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,888
West west west Sussex
Of course you are nit picking. Over the course of 90 minutes a player as involved as Stephens who is always on the move, always, available for the pass, always prepared to close down, is going to make mistakes. If he didn't, he would hardly be playing for us.

Just appreciate him and stop being a miserable old sod.
Now I've woken up a bit, I realise I should have added:-

We are arguing over the fact that this season there are too many candidates for MotM, so it's hardly worth getting hot under the collar about.
4 months ago, we were watching the exact opposite.


I'm curious as to how I'm not appriciating him and am being a miserable sod, by saying Stephens played well but I think Bruno or Murphy hardly put a foot wrong, and Uwe only had one moment.

(I have no idea who lost their man for the Rotherham goal)
 




Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
57,283
Back in Sussex
First of all, I never said he was MotM last night. That said, I would probably have given it to him, but there were several players worthy including Kayal, Bruno and Murphy and I'd not take issue with any of the four getting the award.

I started the thread because I'm not sure I've seen too much praise for him (there may have been, and I've missed it) but he's just been quietly going about his business of dominating midfield with the more attention-grabbing Kayal.

He covers so much ground and keeps going until the 90th/96th minute.

Given there were times last season when there were genuine doubts that he could ever play again, it's fantastic to see him back but also to be playing so bloody well too. He IS like a new signing (see also: Baldock, Sam).
 


Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
Now I've woken up a bit, I realise I should have added:-

We are arguing over the fact that this season there are too many candidates for MotM, so it's hardly worth getting hot under the collar about.
4 months ago, we were watching the exact opposite.


I'm curious as to how I'm not appriciating him and am being a miserable sod, by saying Stephens played well but I think Bruno or Murphy hardly put a foot wrong, and Uwe only had one moment.

(I have no idea who lost their man for the Rotherham goal)

There is no shame in changing your mind, you championed CMS way past a sensible length of time and now you are refusing to just accept that you were wrong about Stevens. Just do it and stop digging :smile:
 


Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,888
West west west Sussex
There is no shame in changing your mind, you championed CMS way past a sensible length of time and now you are refusing to just accept that you were wrong about Stevens. Just do it and stop digging :smile:
I'm not digging.

All I have done is heap praise on Stephens this season.
 




goldstone

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 5, 2003
7,177
....
If DS was MotM
Why weren't we more threatening from cornering, many hitting the first man, or sailing over everybody?

At one point we had three successive corners all taken by Stephens. The first was underhit straight to a defender, the second was good, the third overhit and straight out of play. I gave him MOM, but on reflection many of his corners were not up to standard. Apart from that an excellent game.
 


Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,888
West west west Sussex
I guess this is the kind of problem Galitico Madrid fans had when Figo was playing with Zidane :lolol: :thumbsup:
 


LamieRobertson

Not awoke
Feb 3, 2008
48,410
SHOREHAM BY SEA
I'm not digging.

All I have done is heap praise on Stephens this season.

Hmmmm

from last night

''Nope, I'm not having it.

I'm not having these week in week out MOTM performances.
Don't get me wrong, he good, he's getting better, he's performing really well in a strong team.
But he's not out performing everybody else.

Tonight his forward distribution was so-so, break up play great, side ways movement also great, but still no assists.
Fantastic goal, if only Solly could strike the ball like that.
But Stephens was responsible for both Rotherham's first half attacks.
And he's just a smidge slower on the ball than everybody else.


He's a very good player, currently playing very well.
Had he played like this last year he'd be Player of the Season, already.

But we're different gravy this year, Baldock, Bruno, Murphy, Uwe, means I'm just not seeing Stephens as MotM.
We're incredibly lucky he's not usually our best centre midfielder. (although he was tonight)''

Keep digging :)
 


LamieRobertson

Not awoke
Feb 3, 2008
48,410
SHOREHAM BY SEA
First of all, I never said he was MotM last night. That said, I would probably have given it to him, but there were several players worthy including Kayal, Bruno and Murphy and I'd not take issue with any of the four getting the award.

I started the thread because I'm not sure I've seen too much praise for him (there may have been, and I've missed it) but he's just been quietly going about his business of dominating midfield with the more attention-grabbing Kayal.

He covers so much ground and keeps going until the 90th/96th minute.

Given there were times last season when there were genuine doubts that he could ever play aga[/B]in, it's fantastic to see him back but also to be playing so bloody well too. He IS like a new signing (see also: Baldock, Sam).


I remember when he came back, he almost seem scared to put his foot in...his confidence seemed very low
 




Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,888
West west west Sussex
Hmmmm

from last night

''Nope, I'm not having it.

I'm not having these week in week out MOTM performances.
Don't get me wrong, he good, he's getting better, he's performing really well in a strong team.
But he's not out performing everybody else.

Tonight his forward distribution was so-so, break up play great, side ways movement also great, but still no assists.
Fantastic goal, if only Solly could strike the ball like that.
But Stephens was responsible for both Rotherham's first half attacks.
And he's just a smidge slower on the ball than everybody else.


He's a very good player, currently playing very well.
Had he played like this last year he'd be Player of the Season, already.

But we're different gravy this year, Baldock, Bruno, Murphy, Uwe, means I'm just not seeing Stephens as MotM.
We're incredibly lucky he's not usually our best centre midfielder. (although he was tonight)''

Keep digging :)
why didnt you highlight the rest of it?
You know all the stuff praising Stephens.
 




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