Some ridiculous comments on here. Stephens has been one of our best players so far in the Champ.
Did you not see how badly we kept the ball against Forest?! Is it not obvious? Stephens keeps us "ticking" he is so important for our possession and gameplay and he was the first instigator of nearly all our meaningful attacks until Saturday.
Carrick has the same problem with Utd fans - everyone wants a Steven Gerrard all action superhero. Stephens isn't that
It's all about opinions loe. whatever. I've been to all 4 games and most of last season. Watched Charlton for over 43 years and IMHO do not rate Stephens.
Deal with it mate but bit offensive to say my comments are ridiculous because they disagree with yours. Anyone who didn't play Saturday will seem better based on that performance.
You seem to forget that we lost the midfield in the last two home games as well. Stephens subbed in first and should have been in the second but for SCP's decision (which I think was an error) not to use subs.
My opinion is that he was really missed Saturday, the team looked unbalanced without him, and a weakness for me was having two inexperienced players (Pritchard and Cook) in the middle against a very decent Forest side who I am pleased left Sharp on the bench, had he started I suspect the game may have been over by half time.
I don't think the argument is wether or not he's a good player. Rooney is a good player, but he was bloody awful in the Euros. Stephens might be, or might become a good player. But anyone who tells me he has been good so far this season couldn't have been there. What is his average marks for games so far?
Who knows what we were offered, or what the deal was, but we are a stronger side with him in the team and squad and late on Friday night our chances of getting in a decent replacement were zero.
Who knows also whether Stephens wanted to move - but it hasn't happened and if he was pressing for the move (and to be fair who could blame him?) then he has to knuckle down and keep playing well. That a decent Prem team came in for him suggests that despite the informed cack posted here that he is a decent ball player and some teams have recognised that.
The way I see it, if there is a single weak link in your side then you won't amass 101 points in a championship winning season. You have to have quality in EVERY position on the pitch to do that.
Regardless of how many years fans have been watching football, the fact above speaks for itself that he has something to add to this team as much as anyone else.
He was the one who rescued our up-until-that-point unbeaten home record against Bury, and he was also the one who scored the goal that sealed us the League One title.
Tell me one midfielder we have who is as creative on the ball as Stephens?
The way I see it, if there is a single weak link in your side then you won't amass 101 points in a championship winning season. You have to have quality in EVERY position on the pitch to do that.
Regardless of how many years fans have been watching football, the fact above speaks for itself that he has something to add to this team as much as anyone else.
He was the one who rescued our up-until-that-point unbeaten home record against Bury, and he was also the one who scored the goal that sealed us the League One title.
Tell me one midfielder we have who is as creative on the ball as Stephens?
Your last comment is I think the crux of the problem. I personally don't think Stephens is particularly creative and certainly doesn't dominate midfield.
All about opinions but i think dale is a really good player and so does Paul Lambert and so does Chris Powell with all due respect to everyone on CL, those 2 managers appear to know what they're doing!
The way I see it, if there is a single weak link in your side then you won't amass 101 points in a championship winning season. You have to have quality in EVERY position on the pitch to do that.
Regardless of how many years fans have been watching football, the fact above speaks for itself that he has something to add to this team as much as anyone else.
He was the one who rescued our up-until-that-point unbeaten home record against Bury, and he was also the one who scored the goal that sealed us the League One title.
Tell me one midfielder we have who is as creative on the ball as Stephens?
Yes he contributed last season, but so did Russell, Green, Waggy, DNG, Hughes etc. Indeed, his ranking in the 'Charlton Life' season stats was relatively low. Personally, from his play at the start of this season he shows potential, but nothing to suggest a stand out player that a PL club would want to snap up.
I'm glad that we have still got him. Can only see positives from this development. Hopefully he will see a premier club rated him and has until January to show others how good he is. I hope that he is back for Palace game as dismal showing at Forest (no adequate replacement for him). He had a decent game at Birmingham. Couldn't blame him for wanting Premier club's wages. Hope that he's got a better outlook than Scott Parker.
Traded him actually for a player who had half-a-season left on his contract. he has since tried to out him for a fee which could be a clever bit of business.
Players who keep a team 'ticking' are largely underrated by those watching. I'm bemused by the various Spurs fans who think losing Modric isn't a big deal because he didn't score enough goals. No. He kept the ball so others could.
Seems silly to compare Dale Stephens to that level, but the relative similarity is there. If football was a stats game it would be baseball. But it's not. Stephens plays a role that is largely unromantic and not particularly eye catching but plainly essential.
For me though, Jimmy, the crux of the matter is that whenever I've seen Stephens play he hasn't actually kept the ball that well and had been quite prone to misplaced passes.
Not trying to run the kid down or make him out as crap cos he has some decent attributes, but I don't really buy into this slightly snooty idea that only connoisseurs can see what he's doing or that he'll be a superstar in a years time.
Hope the kid proves me wrong but imho, no one will offer us 2 mill for him again (if in fact anyone ever has).
Previously we have lost playmakers from our team and have never recovered because they were not properly replaced: Murphy and then Reid are recent examples. While Stephens is not yet of the same class I am glad that he will get a chance to continue to improve with us ,until January at least .
For me though, Jimmy, the crux of the matter is that whenever I've seen Stephens play he hasn't actually kept the ball that well and had been quite prone to misplaced passes.
Not trying to run the kid down or make him out as crap cos he has some decent attributes, but I don't really buy into this slightly snooty idea that only connoisseurs can see what he's doing or that he'll be a superstar in a years time.
Completely agree. I'd like and enjoy watching a Michael Carrick type in our team - but Stephens isn't there yet when it comes to keeping the ball and reading the game.
Can see him really pushing on in time but wouldn't say I'm certain he will.
I don't see why "keeping the ball" is so hard. Not passing it to the oppo, or hoofing it upfield or into the stands seems to be the key.
Creative is something else. Reid showed us on Saturday what we are lacking. Can Dale do that? Not on the evidence I've seen so far but he is young and we can hope.
When Dale first arrived he was running the side and doing all the things that people are praising him for.
Since his injury he doesn't appear as sharp. That maybe that other teams were, having realised his importance to the side, were closing him down quicker but he doesn't dominate as much.
Previously we have lost playmakers from our team and have never recovered because they were not properly replaced: Murphy and then Reid are recent examples. While Stephens is not yet of the same class I am glad that he will get a chance to continue to improve with us ,until January at least .
Well we lost Stephens through injury for a large part of last season, and our midfield didn't seem to suffer, indeed we played some of our best football when Hughes was in midfield with Hollands, and if it wasn't for the sendings off I'm sure we would have signed Russell...
Murphy, during his golden 2 month period was playing in a much more advanced role, effectively playing at the head of a diamond midfield behind Darren Bent, where he could dictate play, Ambrose's best position is there as well; Stephens at the moment is deeper, tending to spend much of the game around the half way line.
My only reluctance with Stephens is that he frequently slows our game right down, allowing opponents to get more defenders behind the ball - especially when there is the chance of a speedy counter attack.
Sure he's no doubt playing to instructions to hold possession, which manifests itself in a little turn with his playing the ball back or square.
But there are times when a little more awareness on the counter would surely play dividends.
Stephens without doubt divides opinion , one guy will think hes had a brilliant game and the next will say hes been poor. I personally think Stephens is class and is only gonna get better. You have to remember the guy is still only 22. I believe he is the only midfielder we have who can put his foot on the ball and dictate the speed of the game. He maybe more effective if he was to play further up the pitch but that is not the role Powell chooses to play him and I agree with that as it would leave us to open in the middle.
I hope fans do not get on his back for wanting to go to Villa because who can blame the lad wanting to play premiership football.
If they are spending £2m on a player just out of League 2, we were right not to accept whatever they offered, assuming it was less than £2.5M.
Can't say I'm a big Stephens fan though. He didn't shine in League One like a Lallana, and seems very lightweight and careless in possession. Of all the players we have with a good marketing value, he's the one I would have sold for the right amount.
That said, I was glad he stayed as I would have wanted us to sign a midfielder even with him still in the squad, so one in, one out, assuming we'd got one in, wouldn't have been enough
I like Stephens and I think he has potential but I do think a lot of the metronomic control he exerts over a game is mostly theoretical. Looking at his attributes he could be that Carrick-style player, passing accurately, putting himself about the pitch, sitting deep and arriving late in the area to score, but he rarely seems to do all of that, and never all at the same time. He often sits too deep, or doesn't harry and tackle enough when we need it, or his touch leaves him and he fires simple passes out of play, or he attempts to be too clever on the ball and costs us possession in the midfield. This is all sounding quite negative, and I do think he's a good player, but I think often he has his best game in the eyes of the fans when he doesn't play - 'we could have used Dale in that one' is rarely met with 'Dale had a stormer there'. I would have liked to see a new midfielder brought in to play alongside Hollands while Dale develops
All about opinions but i think dale is a really good player and so does Paul Lambert and so does Chris Powell with all due respect to everyone on CL, those 2 managers appear to know what they're doing!
He was worth the gamble for Lambert as the down payment was only 400k the rest were add ons including one for Villa getting into Europe which is never gonna happen
Deep lying play maker is definitely his best position. Glad to hear he played well. Our problem is to get the best out of him we'll need to continue with this 4-5-1/4-3-3 - do we have the right players in attack to play this formation?
Comments
Did you not see how badly we kept the ball against Forest?! Is it not obvious? Stephens keeps us "ticking" he is so important for our possession and gameplay and he was the first instigator of nearly all our meaningful attacks until Saturday.
Carrick has the same problem with Utd fans - everyone wants a Steven Gerrard all action superhero. Stephens isn't that
Deal with it mate but bit offensive to say my comments are ridiculous because they disagree with yours. Anyone who didn't play Saturday will seem better based on that performance.
You seem to forget that we lost the midfield in the last two home games as well. Stephens subbed in first and should have been in the second but for SCP's decision (which I think was an error) not to use subs.
Who knows what we were offered, or what the deal was, but we are a stronger side with him in the team and squad and late on Friday night our chances of getting in a decent replacement were zero.
Who knows also whether Stephens wanted to move - but it hasn't happened and if he was pressing for the move (and to be fair who could blame him?) then he has to knuckle down and keep playing well. That a decent Prem team came in for him suggests that despite the informed cack posted here that he is a decent ball player and some teams have recognised that.
Regardless of how many years fans have been watching football, the fact above speaks for itself that he has something to add to this team as much as anyone else.
He was the one who rescued our up-until-that-point unbeaten home record against Bury, and he was also the one who scored the goal that sealed us the League One title.
Tell me one midfielder we have who is as creative on the ball as Stephens?
Next.
;o)
Seems silly to compare Dale Stephens to that level, but the relative similarity is there. If football was a stats game it would be baseball. But it's not. Stephens plays a role that is largely unromantic and not particularly eye catching but plainly essential.
Not trying to run the kid down or make him out as crap cos he has some decent attributes, but I don't really buy into this slightly snooty idea that only connoisseurs can see what he's doing or that he'll be a superstar in a years time.
Hope the kid proves me wrong but imho, no one will offer us 2 mill for him again (if in fact anyone ever has).
Can see him really pushing on in time but wouldn't say I'm certain he will.
Creative is something else. Reid showed us on Saturday what we are lacking. Can Dale do that? Not on the evidence I've seen so far but he is young and we can hope.
When Dale first arrived he was running the side and doing all the things that people are praising him for.
Since his injury he doesn't appear as sharp. That maybe that other teams were, having realised his importance to the side, were closing him down quicker but he doesn't dominate as much.
Murphy, during his golden 2 month period was playing in a much more advanced role, effectively playing at the head of a diamond midfield behind Darren Bent, where he could dictate play, Ambrose's best position is there as well; Stephens at the moment is deeper, tending to spend much of the game around the half way line.
Sure he's no doubt playing to instructions to hold possession, which manifests itself in a little turn with his playing the ball back or square.
But there are times when a little more awareness on the counter would surely play dividends.
I hope fans do not get on his back for wanting to go to Villa because who can blame the lad wanting to play premiership football.
Can't say I'm a big Stephens fan though. He didn't shine in League One like a Lallana, and seems very lightweight and careless in possession. Of all the players we have with a good marketing value, he's the one I would have sold for the right amount.
That said, I was glad he stayed as I would have wanted us to sign a midfielder even with him still in the squad, so one in, one out, assuming we'd got one in, wouldn't have been enough
Love his new hair cut , he's got more highlights than the Football League show.