[Albion] The king is dead

[LamieRobertson]

Out of all our signings, Bissouma is by far the most likely to be the real deal.

Started off raw, but now he's looking absolute quality.

Tenacious defensively, yet very good on the ball - beating players man for man... but he's also got an incredible pass on him.

Need to keep hold of this one.

Stephens, on the other hand, a bit of a liability, let's be honest. Seems to do more fouling than anything else.

Thought Bernardo was excellent today and Andone created the nervousness in the Chelsea defence that enabled us to get back in it

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Funny how people see the game completely different I thought Stephens was an absolute carthorse today

Totally agree. Slow, ponderous and gave the ball away more often than not

 

[WhingForPresident]

Much as I think Stephens had a poor game today, Groß is the one out of the central three I would be dropping for Bissouma.

 

[dingodan]

Yes - the one forward pass he made in the game. Why can't he do that more often



I have to say I don't understand that point of view. Every time he gets the ball he plays a simple ball, usually backwards to the defence. So does Stephens. Without the ball Propper marks space. Stephens tackles, intercepts gets stuck in, competes. Propper waits for someone else to win the ball, pass it to him so that he can then pass sideways or backwards to a defender.

His passes were all very neat. Is that what you call phenomenal? He played one awesome ball out to Gross which led to the goal. Stephens does that sometimes as well.

I just want one of them in the team, alongside Bissouma who has drive and pace. I'd rather it was Stephens, because if its Propper the opposition will just pass it around him

Well they have slightly different roles to play, Stepehens is probably more physical, but then I would put Bissouma in Stephens role and so would he be. I am not opposed to Proppers simple style of play, he keeps us possession and finds a quick pass even under pressure, he looks much more assured and composed this season than last, and it's not always a sideways or backwards pass, I don't see that. It might be true that Stephens tries a more direct pass more often, but he also gives the ball away an awful lot. Maybe there is a lesson there. If you've noticed, in the PL when you want to keep possession you need to be willing to be patient and sometimes play the ball sideways and backwards, because you move the opposition around and create space, then you try again for a more direct ball when that space has opened up, the point is do it quickly or the opposition just recover their shape. Propper plays his role in doing this really well, and he's got much sharper and quicker this season too. At times Stephens seems a little naive to me.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I’m not sure what game you was watching? Stephens kept losing possesion, passing sideways or backwards. It was mentioned by Danny Higginbotham, who was commentating on the game, of how poor Stephens had been today.

That’s the game that I was watching. There were loud groans when he gave the ball away, again.
Murray was nearly as bad.

 

[albionfan37]

Much as I think Stephens had a poor game today, Groß is the one out of the central three I would be dropping for Bissouma.

I’d rather drop knockeart and move gross to the right and let bissouma cause havoc through the middle. I didn’t realise just how quick yves is when he went past the Chelsea lot don’t the right that was a sight to behold

 

[HalfaSeatOn]

May be it’s a case of Stephens or Propper with Bissouma or Kayal.

 

[Nixonator]

Decent first game back. Could list far more accurate scapegoats (gross, propper, knockaert, murray etc)

 

[The_Viper]

Excuse me?

He was excellent today. Its Propper thats got to be benched, same as Stephens with the ball, but offers a fraction of Stephens when we don't

Disagree with this, I think Propper and Bissouma together is a blinding duo. Bissouma allows Propper to play a totally different game.

 

[HalfaSeatOn]

.....and with a fully fit squad both Knockhaert and Gross would struggle to get in my first 11 on current form.

 

[Billy the Fish]

I thought Stephens took far too long on the ball today and - contrary to the song - gave the ball away far too often.

This is how I saw it. Dale is always good when we don't have the ball, but when we have it he slows everything down and allows the opposition to set their shape.

Think Bissouma looks like our best midfielder at the moment and should be a shoe in to start from now on

 

[portlock seagull]

Around the 51 minute, Stephen's showed why we can't progress with him. A counter-attack, he got the ball on half way line and with 2-3 players breaking further forward he hesitated...enough to kill the attack with Chelsea on back foot, before the inevitable tidy sideways pass. All momentum dissipated in those 2-3 seconds. At this level, it counts. The top players would have first time passed it forward, even threaded it. But Stephens mentality is simply check side or back. Frustrating.

 

[albionfan37]

This is how I saw it. Dale is always good when we don't have the ball, but when we have it he slows everything down and allows the opposition to set their shape.

Think Bissouma looks like our best midfielder at the moment and should be a shoe in to start from now on

He’s very impressive at the moment sticks out like a sore thumb as a player that could be described as to good for us. In 18 months you wouldn’t be surprised to see him go for a huge amount of money

 

[Hugo Rune]

May be it’s a case of Stephens or Propper with Bissouma or Kayal.

Bissouma, Pröpper, and Kayal are all ahead of Stephens at the moment. Stephens has offered very very little offensively since we got promoted. For what he does, that’s fine in the bottom 6 of the Premier League but if we are to progress, we need others with more natural talent to be selected ahead of him.

He was not great today. I doubt he’ll keep his place.

 

[tigertim68]

Stephens was lucky to get his place back today , on today’s performance will be lucky to be in the team against Bournemouth ,
He was slow , gave away to many free kicks , passing is always backwards or sideways , disappointing today

 

[Stat Brother]

If Stephens didn't miss some passes, in the first hour, nobody would have said anything.

 

[OvingdeanSeagull]

Excuse me?

He was excellent today. Its Propper thats got to be benched, same as Stephens with the ball, but offers a fraction of Stephens when we don't

I really don't know how you can believe this, Stephens offers nothing apart from fouling the opposition and passing sideways. At least Propper tries to go forward with the ball occasionally. Propper and Bissouma is the way to go for sure.

 

[Djmiles]

Excuse me?

He was excellent today. Its Propper thats got to be benched, same as Stephens with the ball, but offers a fraction of Stephens when we don't

You thought Stephens had a good game? Good God....

 

[Eggman]

Propper good. Stephens not so much

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Excuse me?

He was excellent today. Its Propper thats got to be benched, same as Stephens with the ball, but offers a fraction of Stephens when we don't

Stop right there.
You have major visual issues.