What do people thing of him after his recent run of form and 'that' goal on saturday. Can he play in the premier league? at what price would you sell him if you was in charge?
If he goes for 5 million , then someone will be getting a snip.
Feckin hell, hark at all the would be footballers slagging him off, don't do this can't do that, poor man's Carrick, I would piss of Dale these lot know dick all.
IMO the best C/M we have had for quite some time and the best C/M in the championship. At just 23 he has a great engine, never far from the ball in either defence or attack. He is very creative with two good feet, he is strong in a tackle and is not a bottler. In a team with more movement off the ball I believe he would really show his class. If Tom Cleverley who is a similar age can play for Man U and England then surely there must be a PL team for Dale. I don't think 5M would be unreasonable.
Feckin hell, hark at all the would be footballers slagging him off, don't do this can't do that, poor man's Carrick, I would piss of Dale these lot know dick all.
Being a poor man's Michael Carrick is hardly a bad thing, Dales a good player and if he reaches his potential he could play in the Premiership.
He is part of the Sky Sports Championship team of the week.
I personally feel that he has found a set-up he feels comfortable with at the moment and it seems to me that we have so much more balance in midfield at the moment with this 5 man midfield. Dale plays a big part in this, the way he sits back watches the game unfold and then use his intelligent footballing brain to tell him when to really go and get stuck in, win the ball and then keep it moving. This is something that has really impressed me in recent weeks, he looks so much braver and confident in the tackle and it is good to see.
I do however understand the viewpoint of those who believe there is something missed there, how sometimes balls are misplaced but it could be argued that the ball is only being lost because he is trying to be positive and the find that killer ball, he can certainly find it aswell. Take Watford at home for example, that was a truly wonderful assist.
Finally nobody can doubt the how he strikes the ball. Bury at home was a wonderful strike aswell, it is no fluke. I also like the way in which he is so quick to make decisions. The goal on Saturday was an example of this, Dale could not have been expecting such a poor clearance had almost started to track back but than he manages to bring the ball down and well ... What a strike!
I have always stated that i think Dale is a classy midfielder,can only improve,and i often feel,does he realise how good he could be?.Also i think his attitude has been great considering his on off move to Villa....not done a Parker!!!!!!
Good league one player and decent Championship player, but no higher (yet) - probably our only "playmaker" and we would miss him. Yes he makes mistakes, but anyone who hasn't made a mistake hasn't done anything.
I think he could well make the step up. If you look at Norwich and the number of players they have in their squad who played at lower league level and wouldn't have necessarily been considered stars in the making then you can see. Players such as Leon Barnett, Bradley Johnson, Robert Snodgrass and Andrew Surman.
All four of them were stand out players for their championship team for many seasons before going on. Dale has the class, not yet sure of his footballing brain will lead him to play in the right areas. For me, weighing both their weaknesses up, I'd snap up Nicky Bailey every time over Stephens. But I'd want a nice 3 million to offload Stephens, and Bailey would be a perfect swap: except his wages are probably 3 times more.
Another swallow (Saturday's goal) still doesn't a summer make - any day with Dale Stephens's appearance in the matchday squad still feels like the depths of winter for me. A few decent passes and the occasional firm tackle are insufficient to make him worthy of a place. He is less bad recently than the first 4 months or so of the season. SCP is desparately short of options in centre midfield and DS being the 3rd least bad alternative is a poor state of affairs (JJ and Bradley Pritchard being no's 1 & 2). Sticking to DS's inadequacies: still disinclined to track back even when he has given the ball away/got caught in possession, both of which happen far far too often, this lack of responsibility is unforgiveable; dead ball delivery is just bad, maybe 20% of corners/free kicks are even vaguely presentable, again for a full-time pro this is unforgiveable; fitness only just getting to the minimum we should take for granted - compare him to the dynamo that is Pritchard who doesn't have Stephen's height or build and Stephen's is still a cart horse with no stamina. In the absence of an obvious replacement, selling him would be daft unless the offer is silly big and all cash upfront, enough to pay him off (no small beer) and buy a better replacement - maybe £3M required - therefore highly unrealistic. If his head has been turned(tapped up) and he is inclined to taste the greener grass elsewhere obviously there's nothing SCP or the board can do other than get the absolute maximum for him and try to get another body on board just to keep the numbers up. His retention in the 1st team despite his underpowered underpar performances is just indicative of the realities of lower midtable life in newly promoted 2nd division sides. Most frustrating is his undoubted talent being undersold by his inability or disinclination to deliver - he maybe hasn't got it between the ears, better that than choosing not to give of his all - I really can't tell.
Jesus. I'm not a massive Dale fan, I find he frustrates more than he performs, but that's an unbelievably harsh assessment. That could be a desciption of Alan McCormack and it would still be a little strong
Just don't recognise Stig's comments on Stephens. He doesn't seem to lack effort, he does lack some presence, he just uses his skills in the wrong places when we're in weak phases of play. If somebody comes alive in the team he comes alive.
Should just sit down and watch Parker, stay central keep close to the ball but generally behind it, don't go hunting in the wings, but look to pick up the breakdown and push into space not drift and hope. All too often he's in front of the ball's horizontal line on the pitch: This is great in a cm three as he offers an option. Having said all this he is not so far from this, as to not being able to improve. It just could be the difference to him bobbing between the champ and prem, as to being a very good midfielder in a solid prem team.
He is a young improving player who has recently, possibly due to the new system, has made a step up. For me, he is now at a point where he is a player we miss when he isn't playing - I reckon he'll be a decent level premiership player. What isn't there to like?
Just don't recognise Stig's comments on Stephens. He doesn't seem to lack effort, he does lack some presence, he just uses his skills in the wrong places when we're in weak phases of play. If somebody comes alive in the team he comes alive.
Should just sit down and watch Parker, stay central keep close to the ball but generally behind it, don't go hunting in the wings, but look to pick up the breakdown and push into space not drift and hope. All too often he's in front of the ball's horizontal line on the pitch: This is great in a cm three as he offers an option. Having said all this he is not so far from this, as to not being able to improve. It just could be the difference to him bobbing between the champ and prem, as to being a very good midfielder in a solid prem team.
Are you talking the neutered Spurs Parker or the Charlton Parker. Dales options are limited because we occupy too much length of the pitch, although less so with 4-5-1. We need to move up and back together.
I couldn't disagree with you more stigT. As I have said before on 'love Dale or hate him' threads the professional coaches out there at Oldham, Saints, Charlton and Villa (allegedly culminating in a seven figure bid for him in the summer) must see something in him. It's all about opinions but I prefer to go with those of the professionals rather than the amateurs. He is just 23, learning all the time, has class which is permanent, unlike form which is temporary and has all the attributes to go higher. Hope he develops with us for the foreseeable future.
Are you talking the neutered Spurs Parker or the Charlton Parker. Dales options are limited because we occupy too much length of the pitch, although less so with 4-5-1. We need to move up and back together.
Really talking the West Ham Parker, but with Parker you have to see him in the flesh, it doesn't come across on TV how his positioning is so important. Hence the halfwitted experts have no idea on his skill levels - listening to Robbie Savage questioning his passing quality and saying he doesn't have it is well... Either at Spurs or West Ham his positioning is perfect for a cm, he can't break like he did at West Ham because Spurs have three midfielders in front of him. If Stephens wants to become a consistent central midfielder, he has to read the game and know when he needs to play in line/behind the ball or gamble.
i think stephens is quality. has lapses of concentration that he needs to cut out but will definitely become a very good premier league cm in the future. MUCH better than frimpong and he's making the arsenal bench now
Happened to meet an Oldham fan earlier in the week and he asked how Stephens was getting on. He really rated him and was not at all surprised to hear that Villa had shown interest. Now, if I could only meet someone from Wigan I'd have the set...
Comments
Dont get me wrong i aint 100% convinced by him as an all round midfielder but he has improved a lot since xmas
I personally feel that he has found a set-up he feels comfortable with at the moment and it seems to me that we have so much more balance in midfield at the moment with this 5 man midfield. Dale plays a big part in this, the way he sits back watches the game unfold and then use his intelligent footballing brain to tell him when to really go and get stuck in, win the ball and then keep it moving. This is something that has really impressed me in recent weeks, he looks so much braver and confident in the tackle and it is good to see.
I do however understand the viewpoint of those who believe there is something missed there, how sometimes balls are misplaced but it could be argued that the ball is only being lost because he is trying to be positive and the find that killer ball, he can certainly find it aswell. Take Watford at home for example, that was a truly wonderful assist.
Finally nobody can doubt the how he strikes the ball. Bury at home was a wonderful strike aswell, it is no fluke. I also like the way in which he is so quick to make decisions. The goal on Saturday was an example of this, Dale could not have been expecting such a poor clearance had almost started to track back but than he manages to bring the ball down and well ... What a strike!
Sticking to DS's inadequacies: still disinclined to track back even when he has given the ball away/got caught in possession, both of which happen far far too often, this lack of responsibility is unforgiveable; dead ball delivery is just bad, maybe 20% of corners/free kicks are even vaguely presentable, again for a full-time pro this is unforgiveable; fitness only just getting to the minimum we should take for granted - compare him to the dynamo that is Pritchard who doesn't have Stephen's height or build and Stephen's is still a cart horse with no stamina.
In the absence of an obvious replacement, selling him would be daft unless the offer is silly big and all cash upfront, enough to pay him off (no small beer) and buy a better replacement - maybe £3M required - therefore highly unrealistic.
If his head has been turned(tapped up) and he is inclined to taste the greener grass elsewhere obviously there's nothing SCP or the board can do other than get the absolute maximum for him and try to get another body on board just to keep the numbers up.
His retention in the 1st team despite his underpowered underpar performances is just indicative of the realities of lower midtable life in newly promoted 2nd division sides.
Most frustrating is his undoubted talent being undersold by his inability or disinclination to deliver - he maybe hasn't got it between the ears, better that than choosing not to give of his all - I really can't tell.
Should just sit down and watch Parker, stay central keep close to the ball but generally behind it, don't go hunting in the wings, but look to pick up the breakdown and push into space not drift and hope. All too often he's in front of the ball's horizontal line on the pitch: This is great in a cm three as he offers an option. Having said all this he is not so far from this, as to not being able to improve. It just could be the difference to him bobbing between the champ and prem, as to being a very good midfielder in a solid prem team.
The lad's definitely grown on me recently.