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[Albion] Dale Stephens



Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,888
West west west Sussex
Exactly this.

Hit one floaty pass in the first 10 minutes, but after that gave a master class in passing.

Heard a few moans from the West upper when he went backwards, but if they’d bothered to look at the pitch, there was literally nothing on, and a square pass would have been intercepted and we’d have been open.

Great player.


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I certainly enjoyed a long Locadia pass that was getting moaned and groaned at until the moment it arrived on Solly's toe.
 




Nixonator

Well-known member
Feb 8, 2016
6,737
Shoreham Beach
Exactly this.

Hit one floaty pass in the first 10 minutes, but after that gave a master class in passing.

Heard a few moans from the West upper when he went backwards, but if they’d bothered to look at the pitch, there was literally nothing on, and a square pass would have been intercepted and we’d have been open.

Great player.


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One of them was quite late on when he was being charged down by 3 players and no other was pass on. Didn't stop the ball watchers groaning, there's a few on here.
 


spence

British and Proud
Oct 15, 2014
9,953
Crawley
Stephens hasn’t changed. He’s been a quality DM for us for many seasons now, one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Agree but his lack on pace now is starting to show.
 








One Teddy Maybank

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 4, 2006
22,997
Worthing
He never had it in the first place particularly. But his positional sense and positional disipline enables DS to keep doing his sitting role expertedly.

As usual spot on.

Pace wise, the only time he has been exposed at this level, was probably Chelsea at home in the last game (when he was poor), but the player who outpaced him was..................


Eden Hazard



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Bodian

Well-known member
May 3, 2012
14,265
Cumbria
Exactly this.

Hit one floaty pass in the first 10 minutes, but after that gave a master class in passing.

Heard a few moans from the West upper when he went backwards, but if they’d bothered to look at the pitch, there was literally nothing on, and a square pass would have been intercepted and we’d have been open.

Great player.


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Just watched the highlights again https://www.ngolos.com/videos/2018-12-26-brighton-arsenal

- build up to Murray's non-goal: two great raking passes from Stephens
- the ball through to Solly in the second half for his big chance? - Stephens
- the ball to Locadia when he dragged it wide? - Stephens

Anyone complaining that he's always defensive should be made to watch this over and again. As you say: great player.
 


Nixonator

Well-known member
Feb 8, 2016
6,737
Shoreham Beach
Just watched the highlights again https://www.ngolos.com/videos/2018-12-26-brighton-arsenal

- build up to Murray's non-goal: two great raking passes from Stephens
- the ball through to Solly in the second half for his big chance? - Stephens
- the ball to Locadia when he dragged it wide? - Stephens

Anyone complaining that he's always defensive should be made to watch this over and again. As you say: great player.

I did mention those 3 passes a few times. If you watch the full match back he also defends more than half our corners, and turns defence into attack a few times by winning us possession.

In fact, the only thing you can fault him on in the entire 90mins is an attempted volleyed cross field pass that he gets horribly wrong in the first 10mins.

It's truly amazing how people see what they want to see based on their pre-determined bias, and in some cases fabricate entirely.
 




Is it PotG?

Thrifty non-licker
Feb 20, 2017
25,472
Sussex by the Sea
All down to opinion I guess, but the fact is we are so much better with DS in the side. He is. on the whole, going toe to toe with some of the best midfielders around. This ain't The Championship.

Long may he reign.
 


HalfaSeatOn

Well-known member
Mar 17, 2014
2,088
North West Sussex
The recent Bournemouth away match showed the need for Stephen's sitting in front of the back four. He's had a stop-start first half of the season with injury and suspension but back to doing his job against Arsenal.
 


One Teddy Maybank

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 4, 2006
22,997
Worthing
It's truly amazing how people see what they want to see based on their pre-determined bias, and in some cases fabricate entirely.

So true.

But, do you find yourself less tolerant with certain players?

I know I do, the last one was probably Gardner during his loan period, as yet another opposition player sprinted past him as he ambled back....


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Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,297
Withdean area
So true.

But, do you find yourself less tolerant with certain players?

I know I do, the last one was probably Gardner during his loan period, as yet another opposition player sprinted past him as he ambled back....


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I found myself having little patience with Obika or later Akpom. Just me I guess.
 


Nixonator

Well-known member
Feb 8, 2016
6,737
Shoreham Beach
So true.

But, do you find yourself less tolerant with certain players?

I know I do, the last one was probably Gardner during his loan period, as yet another opposition player sprinted past him as he ambled back....


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Oh no doubt there's a certain amount of bias from all of us, loan players in particular have to set the world alight to be tolerated.

I was never big on Lingard but admit he could probably do a job for us now :lolol:

Gardner I had very little patience with from the start. Watching him line up another free kick was soul destroying.
 


Two Professors

Two Mad Professors
Jul 13, 2009
7,617
Multicultural Brum
Stephens plays more forward balls than Kante. People here would HATE Kante, nearly half his passes are backwards.

And sometimes reaches one of our players.He is much better passing sideways or backwards(and I think he's our best midfielder).
 






Sirnormangall

Well-known member
Sep 21, 2017
3,182
Just watched the highlights again https://www.ngolos.com/videos/2018-12-26-brighton-arsenal

- build up to Murray's non-goal: two great raking passes from Stephens
- the ball through to Solly in the second half for his big chance? - Stephens
- the ball to Locadia when he dragged it wide? - Stephens

Anyone complaining that he's always defensive should be made to watch this over and again. As you say: great player.
Very true - had those passes been made by Hazard, Pogba, Ozil or any other “big six” midfielder, the pundits would have been drooling over it. But he’s Dale Stephens who plays for little old Brighton.
 








Cozzy

New member
Jul 26, 2018
869
Grimsby
one of his better games , no silly passing and no really silly free kicks given away topped off by a super goal
 


Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,464
Hove
He got some stick from the crowd yesterday, and he did make some mistakes, but I actually thought him and Propper had really good second halves. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had the most tackles and interceptions on the park. We can’t afford to get on players backs though, and I was pleased he got some big claps when he sprayed some excellent long passes out to our wings. Under appreciated for me.
 


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