[Albion] "Oi Stephens get it forward"

[Audax]

It's WOULD HAVE FFS

'Dale would have took him out'

'Dale would have taken him out'

 

[Icy Gull]

'Dale would have taken him out'

If he’d lost the ball like Mooy did you can pretty well guarantee he would have risked a booking to make up for it.

 

[Stat Brother]

If he’d lost the ball like Mooy did you can pretty well guarantee he would have risked a booking to make up for it.

Stephens getting booked is always the 7/1 banker in my bet builder!

 

[Weststander]

It's such a simple and obvious point. Yet many seem to fail to grasp it. If we play with a DM Stephens is our best option. Often (not always but often) when we don't play with a DM or with someone else filling in the role it's clear we miss Stephens.

He's struggled at times this season not because he's an inherently bad player but due to how open pour style of football is under Potter. It's exactly the same for the defence.

Couldn’t agree more.

Risks exacerbated by often playing a de facto back 2 of Dunk and one other, both pushed up. One blunder, and e.g. Grealish (first half) or McBurnie are clean through on goal.

It’s said that we’re playing a Liverpool/ManC style, but they ALWAYS have sufficient bodies back. Fabinho and Wijnaldum/Henderson patrolling in front of the CB’s, Fernandinho at Citeh.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Often slows down attacks or completely ruins them, good defensively though don’t think Watford would of scored Dale would of took him out.

You lost me at the first 'would of'

 

[Weststander]

Stephens getting booked is always the 7/1 banker in my bet builder!

Dunk does me well on that front.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Despite me comfortably sitting on the fence re Stephens even adding my own criticism to his playing style.

Yes, because you've taken the extreme position that people think he ONLY plays it sideways and backwards. Whereas, the online criticism I have read (and don't always agree with) suggests that he does not pass forwards enough.

There's a world of difference.

 

[Johnny RoastBeef]

Mugs

View attachment 120361

But only 1 assist, 0 goals and 13% shooting accuracy are a more telling reflection of his share of our lack of goals.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Couldn’t agree more.

Risks exacerbated by often playing a de facto back 2 of Dunk and one other, both pushed up. One blunder, and e.g. Grealish (first half) or McBurnie are clean through on goal.

It’s said that we’re playing a Liverpool/ManC style, but they ALWAYS have sufficient bodies back. Fabinho and Wijnaldum/Henderson patrolling in front of the CB’s, Fernandinho at Citeh.

I think there definitely is something of the man city in our style the difference is money(and therefore quality of player) and Guardiola. The man is able to create something phenomenal with the right ingredients but he very much needs the right ingredients. He took over a very decent Man City side and even then in his first season City looked very dodgy at times. He then went out and spent 120 million odd on three full backs plus another 80 million on Ederson and Bernardo Silva.

Potter doesn't have that luxury so we have to get cheaper players in. Hence Webster who would probably look pretty decent in a more restrained team ends up looking like our version of John Stones. Potter's style demands a lot from our players and it shouldn't be a surprise that at times they're going to struggle and be exposed.

Which means, getting back on topic, for all that he's not Fernandinho, Stephens is the best we've got in the position and has been for the past five years. He's been integral to the team's (near unprecedented) successes over that time. You'd think people would be able to work that out for themselves and give him the respect he deserves rather than continually denigrate him for the player he palpably isn't and isn't asked to be.

 

[Weststander]

I think there definitely is something of the man city in our style the difference is money(and therefore quality of player) and Guardiola. The man is able to create something phenomenal with the right ingredients but he very much needs the right ingredients. He took over a very decent Man City side and even then in his first season City looked very dodgy at times. He then went out and spent 120 million odd on three full backs plus another 80 million on Ederson and Bernardo Silva.

Potter doesn't have that luxury so we have to get cheaper players in. Hence Webster who would probably look pretty decent in a more restrained team ends up looking like our version of John Stones. Potter's style demands a lot from our players and it shouldn't be a surprise that at times they're going to struggle and be exposed.

Which means, getting back on topic, for all that he's not Fernandinho, Stephens is the best we've got in the position and has been for the past five years. He's been integral to the team's (near unprecedented) successes over that time. You'd think people would be able to work that out for themselves and give him the respect he deserves rather than continually denigrate him for the player he palpably isn't and isn't asked to be.

Guardiola in effect said the same as you when they slaughtered us last autumn. We played a similar way to them, they just had far better players.

Some Brighton fans don’t do respect. Look at the anti Muzza posts over the last 4 or 5 years.

 

[LamieRobertson]

If he’d lost the ball like Mooy did you can pretty well guarantee he would have risked a booking to make up for it.

If he’d lost the ball like Mooy did there would have been a separate 50 page thread about it

 

[Icy Gull]

If he’d lost the ball like Mooy did there would have been a separate 50 page thread about it

Most suggesting “get rid” now

 

[Stat Brother]

If he’d lost the ball like Mooy did there would have been a separate 50 page thread about it

For the second time!!

 

[vagabond]

Define ‘forward’.

Forward can also be sideways at a very slight angle.

He’s a good pro, but ultimately if we want to progress as a footballing team we have to upgrade old Dale. I do admit he’s had a few good games this season, but that’s the exception. Take your Albion glasses off.

I’d really like to know which of the DS fans go to the Amex. Where I sit, ‘ffs Dale’ is often heard. Most moves seem to break down via his misplaced passes.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I know you can’t stand Stephens in the team or at our club.

But in our magnificent wins at Watford, at Arsenal, over Spurs, and so much more besides over the last 5 years DS was a key performer, outstanding. He’s a quality DM. Until we upgrade on that specialist role, he’s the best by far.

The others lack bite, power, positional sense and concentration to achieve that. They have other creative talents.

All of this.
Successive managers select him, Burnley were desperate to sign him, guess he does a fair amount right.....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Weststander]

Define ‘forward’.

Forward can also be sideways at a very slight angle.

He’s a good pro, but ultimately if we want to progress as a footballing team we have to upgrade old Dale. I do admit he’s had a few good games this season, but that’s the exception. Take your Albion glasses off.

I’d really like to know which of the DS fans go to the Amex. Where I sit, ‘ffs Dale’ is often heard. Most moves seem to break down via his misplaced passes.

Every PL match without fail, unless on holiday.

I’ve often sat near people saying stuff like that, but equally also about Propper, Muzza, Bong, Montoya, Hemed, March, lately Gross, David Lopez, Barnes, Webster.

This season, very prevalent when Montoya, Webster or Propper screw up.

It means absolutely nothing.

Some miseries go to games with a preset agenda that Muzza, Stephens, March, Duffy, Webster or Propper are shite. Almost delighted when evidence fits around their conclusion. You can always tell as they turn to their mate “There yago, he’s f*cking done that again”.

Empty vessels.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Stephens getting booked is always the 7/1 banker in my bet builder!

One yellow in his last 8 games. Not much of a banker, tbh.

 

[Machiavelli]

I'd rather believe the evidence of my own eyes thanks very much. When the going gets tough, Stephens invariably HIDES with sideways and backwards passes

Utter tosh. I think Stephens has got a few problems, but only him and Propper can play the DCM role and Stephens does it with more grit (while Propper is comfortably the better player). And Stephens is really good at setting the tempo, and taking the game by the scruff of the neck. There have been numerous games (most recently, West Ham away) when Stephens has shifted the direction of the game by hunting for the ball. Sometimes this has led to red cards (or challenges that ought to have warranted a red, eg Fulham away last season) but, more often than not, it works.

 

[sparkie]

When he is good, he is excellent.

When he is bad, he is woeful.

As an aside, I am not too impressed by his Booze Brothers membership, but c'est la vie ( say the old folk)...

 

[Stat Brother]

One yellow in his last 8 games. Not much of a banker, tbh.

Hence the poor use of an exclamation mark.


Stat's Betting Bankers really ought to be used as a guide more often on here.

Perfectly illustrated on Tuesday night by me starting a thread calling Maguire shitehouse.
Scholars of my posts should have instantly seen the natural progression of the evening and lumped every last penny on HM scoring with a Utd clean sheet!


This is life.



Dunno the 'rules' on double jinx.
But if Stephens is ever going to one touch ping a no look laser guided 40 yard assist, it'll be today.