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Dale Stephens


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In my opinion Stephens has not been as effective in the last few games as he was late last season/early doors vs Tranmere and Notts County.

I'm not slagging him off because I think he's a good player but I think maybe he has got into a comfort zone and thinks he is a definite starter?

Maybe a reality check and drop him to the bench would do him no harm, and then either bring JJ in as a straight replacement or bring Jones into the middle with Taylor right and Lewi left.

 

Thoughts folks?

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In my opinion Stephens has not been as effective in the last few games as he was late last season/early doors vs Tranmere and Notts County.

 

 

I agree on this point and have to relate this to when Lewi Allesandra has been on the pitch. Lewi has brought the midfield into the game better than any other player this season. Simple correlation for me, when Lewi is playing we play better. Would like to see Taylor on right and Lewi on left as I feel this will stretch opposition better than any other combination.

 

 

 

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In my opinion Stephens has not been as effective in the last few games as he was late last season/early doors vs Tranmere and Notts County.

I'm not slagging him off because I think he's a good player but I think maybe he has got into a comfort zone and thinks he is a definite starter?

Maybe a reality check and drop him to the bench would do him no harm, and then either bring JJ in as a straight replacement or bring Jones into the middle with Taylor right and Lewi left.

 

Thoughts folks?

 

 

Problem is i would sooner have Stephens than either Taylor or Jones in midfield on current form !!!!!!!

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In my opinion Stephens has not been as effective in the last few games as he was late last season/early doors vs Tranmere and Notts County.

I'm not slagging him off because I think he's a good player but I think maybe he has got into a comfort zone and thinks he is a definite starter?

Maybe a reality check and drop him to the bench would do him no harm, and then either bring JJ in as a straight replacement or bring Jones into the middle with Taylor right and Lewi left.

 

Thoughts folks?

 

He's not been as effective but I disagree that he's become complacent - just a marked man. Our midfield is pressurised now from the off, our mistake is sitting off and not picking up the second balls. Since Charlton away the midfield has gone off the boil collectively. I would be inclined to shake it up and bring Jones inside so we can accommodate Lewi.

 

Even from the brief highlights you can see Stephens and Furman are trying to dictate the tempo, the two moves early doors demonstrate this..

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In my opinion Stephens has not been as effective in the last few games as he was late last season/early doors vs Tranmere and Notts County.

I'm not slagging him off because I think he's a good player but I think maybe he has got into a comfort zone and thinks he is a definite starter?

Maybe a reality check and drop him to the bench would do him no harm, and then either bring JJ in as a straight replacement or bring Jones into the middle with Taylor right and Lewi left.

 

Thoughts folks?

ive only been to a couple of games so far so would be going off report from other people but didnt he sign his new deal just after the notts county game? Maybe he was just playing his socks to get the new deal?

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He's not been as effective but I disagree that he's become complacent - just a marked man. Our midfield is pressurised now from the off, our mistake is sitting off and not picking up the second balls. Since Charlton away the midfield has gone off the boil collectively. I would be inclined to shake it up and bring Jones inside so we can accommodate Lewi.

 

Even from the brief highlights you can see Stephens and Furman are trying to dictate the tempo, the two moves early doors demonstrate this..

Your ability to understand the workings of a midfield is better than that of most who've played the game and got themselves in to "pundit" land.

Edited by opinions4u
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He's not been as effective but I disagree that he's become complacent - just a marked man. Our midfield is pressurised now from the off, our mistake is sitting off and not picking up the second balls. Since Charlton away the midfield has gone off the boil collectively. I would be inclined to shake it up and bring Jones inside so we can accommodate Lewi.

 

Even from the brief highlights you can see Stephens and Furman are trying to dictate the tempo, the two moves early doors demonstrate this..

Jeez you can tell Lewi has done well to have Prozac waxing lyrical about him :wink:

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Jeez you can tell Lewi has done well to have Prozac waxing lyrical about him :wink:

 

He's impressed me with his improved attitude, he was never going to be a prolific striker but lacked a real work-ethic to add to his undoubted quality. He has skill in abundance and finds space with ease. Unlike one or two of our attacking players he has a footballing brain and well done to PD for having the sense to use him so effectively.

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He's impressed me with his improved attitude, he was never going to be a prolific striker but lacked a real work-ethic to add to his undoubted quality. He has skill in abundance and finds space with ease. Unlike one or two of our attacking players he has a footballing brain and well done to PD for having the sense to use him so effectively.

Indeed, some of his runs yesterday were brilliant

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Problem is i would sooner have Stephens than either Taylor or Jones in midfield on current form !!!!!!!

 

Jones has been one of our best players all season along with Lee & Furman.

Stephens for me needs a rest, was blowing out of his arse after 10 minutes at Peterborough. He was one of the reasons we got over run that day as he went missing. Young player though, barely played any first team games, never mind for us. Always going to be inconsistent.

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My sneak insider reckons that Stephens has dropped in form since we stopped playing Jarrett at centre-half. The inference being that his superior ability to play the ball out meant that DS and DF were picking the ball up further up the pitch and able to make the play. Factor in the issue that DS's biggest weakness (to my mind) is probably that he is a bit one-paced and you can see why getting dragged deeper and further from the business end of the pitch would be an issue for him. If you want to play good football you need full-backs who can play but also a centre-half who is comfortable on the ball.

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My sneak insider reckons that Stephens has dropped in form since we stopped playing Jarrett at centre-half. The inference being that his superior ability to play the ball out meant that DS and DF were picking the ball up further up the pitch and able to make the play. Factor in the issue that DS's biggest weakness (to my mind) is probably that he is a bit one-paced and you can see why getting dragged deeper and further from the business end of the pitch would be an issue for him. If you want to play good football you need full-backs who can play but also a centre-half who is comfortable on the ball.

While I think Jarrett does help both Furman and Stephens, some of Dale's less inspiring performances have happened with JJ on the pitch.

 

Regardless, Dale Stephens is possibly the most talented player we have. The sooner he returns to form, the better.

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My sneak insider reckons that Stephens has dropped in form since we stopped playing Jarrett at centre-half. The inference being that his superior ability to play the ball out meant that DS and DF were picking the ball up further up the pitch and able to make the play. Factor in the issue that DS's biggest weakness (to my mind) is probably that he is a bit one-paced and you can see why getting dragged deeper and further from the business end of the pitch would be an issue for him. If you want to play good football you need full-backs who can play but also a centre-half who is comfortable on the ball.

 

Perhaps Stephens would be better with Jarrett playing a holding midfielder, but that would probably mean leaving out Furman.

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While I think Jarrett does help both Furman and Stephens, some of Dale's less inspiring performances have happened with JJ on the pitch.

 

Regardless, Dale Stephens is possibly the most talented player we have. The sooner he returns to form, the better.

Dale's less inspring performances have been without Alessandra. Trannies and Notts he was outstanding, Bournemouth when Alessandra came on, Dale was alot better than he has been past few games. We also played our best football with alice on left and jj in cb

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