Stephens

[Dusic]

We should have played 4-2-2-2 from the start of the game.

 

With Ward-Prowse in midfield and Ramsey at right back. Stephens is a disaster waiting to happen.

Ramsay struggled horrendously against Derby so not sure it would have made it any better.

 

Clearly you need two capable RBs, like when we had Clyne and Chambers at the same time.

[ally_uk]

I'd sell him in the summer and upgrade never rated him full of mistakes....

[Batman]

very very average player

amazing that we gave him a new deal, just shy of £50k a week.

[qwertyell]

Not on board with this blatant scapegoating of Stephens. He wasn't particularly good yesterday (in an overall poor team performance), but was far from the calamitous liability some are trying to make him out to be.

 

For the three goals we conceded, Yoshida, Bertrand and Bednarek were entirely culpable. That's three games in a row Bednarek has cost us a goal in the air (beaten twice, by Keita and Boly, and yesterday's weak clearance back into the danger area). Perhaps he's "League One standard" too?

 

Stephens' time is probably done here, but he's a long way short of the worst player to wear the shirt in the last few mediocre years - and has contributed some crucial goals and the odd decent defensive showing in his time.

 

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[Avenue_Saint]

The boy just can’t read the game. For a defender this is fundamental.

 

Should be nowhere near the squad

[Patrick Bateman]

Stephens is NOT a Premier League player.

[Ivan Katalinic's 'tache]

very very average player

amazing that we gave him a new deal, just shy of £50k a week.

 

Could be difficult to get rid then. Who would pay him anything close to that? And would he be willing to take a pay cut if not?

[Saint Fan CaM]

When he comes into the side the defence looks and acts like a shambles. He can’t read balls and is slow on the ball...sometimes when in possession he just stands there with the ball at his feet not know what to do next. He can play football...of course he can...but to look good he needs to drop two divisions.

[ally_uk]

He is toilet! Not up to it at this level anyone else who thinks he is simply is deluded.

[Bad Wolf]

Awful player at this level. Needs to move to a lower level for the good of his own career. Don't say that around Plymouth though, they think he's the best thing since sliced bread. Most of them seem to think he should be playing for England =/

[beatlesaint]

Awful player at this level. Needs to move to a lower level for the good of his own career. Don't say that around Plymouth though, they think he's the best thing since sliced bread. Most of them seem to think he should be playing for England =/

 

well they can have him back then

[norwaysaint]

Is Stephens the player we've had for the longest now? He's been at the club ages.

[norwaysaint]

Is Stephens the player we've had for the longest now? He's been at the club ages.

 

Just checked, he's tied with JWP, both have been with us 8 years.

[Badger]

When he comes into the side the defence looks and acts like a shambles. He can’t read balls and is slow on the ball...sometimes when in possession he just stands there with the ball at his feet not know what to do next. He can play football...of course he can...but to look good he needs to drop two divisions.

 

Better than Harry Maguire though, and sometimes reminiscent of a young Franz Beckenbauer.

 

Or at least some suggested this a couple of seasons ago.

[VectisSaint]

Just checked, he's tied with JWP, both have been with us 8 years.

Prowsey has been with Saints since he was 8. I think my maths would say that was a long time Stephens who joined when he was 18ish.

[Matthew Le God]

Is Stephens the player we've had for the longest now?

 

No

 

- Ward-Prowse joined Saints 2002

- Stephens joined in 2011

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

The forum boo boys have a new target. Under Puel he had a good run and responded; he even scored a few goals. With encouragement and game time his confidence will grow and he will improve.

[beatlesaint]

The forum boo boys have a new target. Under Puel he had a good run and responded; he even scored a few goals. With encouragement and game time his confidence will grow and he will improve.

 

Sorry but he’s always been average. Some on here tried to build him up as something special for a while but his weaknesses have always outnumbered his strengths, ie heading, marking, reading the game as obvious weaknesses whilst looking comfortable on the ball in the midfield area is the biggest strength I can think of.

 

If not considering him good enough equates to being a boo boy then guilty as charged.

[Lighthouse]

The forum boo boys have a new target. Under Puel he had a good run and responded; he even scored a few goals. With encouragement and game time his confidence will grow and he will improve.

 

‘Boo boy’ is usually just another way of saying most people agree he’s substandard. Like Jermaine Wright and Chris Makin.

 

Under Puel we played incredibly low paced, defensive, possession football, which flattered our defenders because we never committed enough men forward to leave them exposed to anything. He’s much the same as Ben Gibson at Boro, who everyone was raving about but now can’t get into Burnley’s team. The one time he did they shipped 5 at home to Everton.

[Patrick Bateman]

The forum boo boys have a new target. Under Puel he had a good run and responded; he even scored a few goals. With encouragement and game time his confidence will grow and he will improve.

 

Not in this league at this level. He is NOT Premier League standard.

[shurlock]

‘Boo boy’ is usually just another way of saying most people agree he’s substandard. Like Jermaine Wright and Chris Makin.

 

Under Puel we played incredibly low paced, defensive, possession football, which flattered our defenders because we never committed enough men forward to leave them exposed to anything. He’s much the same as Ben Gibson at Boro, who everyone was raving about but now can’t get into Burnley’s team. The one time he did they shipped 5 at home to Everton.

 

In truth, I think only Glasgow was raving about Ben ‘aura’ Gibson.

[Saint_Tony]

He only ever really got in the team as we were short. He hardly stood out during his loan spells in L1 by all accounts. He's done OK at times but in reality not good enough for this level and we certainly need to move him on.

 

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[ally_uk]

" boo boy" stating the obvious that a player quite frankly is gash! You may hold onto the deluded opinion that he may eventually come good. I have witnessed a few seasons of him doing the same things badly......

[Whitey Grandad]

The forum boo boys have a new target. Under Puel he had a good run and responded; he even scored a few goals. With encouragement and game time his confidence will grow and he will improve.

Under Puel he was gash too. Wouldn't stick to his man and went off chasing rabbits. Ran away from Ibrahimovic at the end of the League Cup Final and gave away a needless penalty at Burnley this season. I wish that all our opponents had a player like him.

[egg]

He's a talented lad and a decent footballer, but imo he's not a centre back. Right back in a 4 perhaps, or holding midfield, but just not a centre back. He's so bad in the air for a big lad, goes to sleep, and his positional sense is shocking. His confidence is clearly shot and he needs a move but moving him on with his wages won't be easy.

[Whitey Grandad]

He's a talented lad and a decent footballer, but imo he's not a centre back. Right back in a 4 perhaps, or holding midfield, but just not a centre back. He's so bad in the air for a big lad, goes to sleep, and his positional sense is shocking. His confidence is clearly shot and he needs a move but moving him on with his wages won't be easy.

He plays as a centre back but doesn't head the ball.

[Turkish]

He's a talented lad and a decent footballer, but imo he's not a centre back. Right back in a 4 perhaps, or holding midfield, but just not a centre back. He's so bad in the air for a big lad, goes to sleep, and his positional sense is shocking. His confidence is clearly shot and he needs a move but moving him on with his wages won't be easy.

 

This is about right, he’s a decent footballer but he’s not a decent defender. I’ve said this a few times before, part of the reason why there was a bit of a Stephens fan club (claims he was better than Harry McGuire!) was because he has ability on the ball which made some of fans think he is a class act. The fact is he isn’t a very good defender, his heading is weak, reading of the game and positioning are poor.

 

He was thrown in at the deep end replacing Van Dijk with hardly any first team experience which was a bit unfair On the lad however in his two years in the first team squad he’s done little to prove he’s got what it takes to make it a a centre half of anything he’s gone backwards.

 

I’d really like to see him do well but unfortunately don’t see it, maybe a move would be best for everyone but like you say no other premier league team would sign him as a centre back and he’s on too much money for the championship.

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

Under Puel he was gash too. Wouldn't stick to his man and went off chasing rabbits. Ran away from Ibrahimovic at the end of the League Cup Final and gave away a needless penalty at Burnley this season. I wish that all our opponents had a player like him.

 

He is currently a back up for injured defenders; that is his current level. I hope he improves but reading some of the comments on here is hardly going to give him the confidence that all good footballers need.

[Lighthouse]

He is currently a back up for injured defenders; that is his current level. I hope he improves but reading some of the comments on here is hardly going to give him the confidence that all good footballers need.

 

If you read the comments on the internet, 9/11 was an inside insurance job, orchestrated by mutant, Russian, space Jews.

 

I doubt any current Saints players read or are aware of the comments on here.

[Charlie Wayman]

He's a talented lad and a decent footballer, but imo he's not a centre back. Right back in a 4 perhaps, or holding midfield, but just not a centre back. He's so bad in the air for a big lad, goes to sleep, and his positional sense is shocking. His confidence is clearly shot and he needs a move but moving him on with his wages won't be easy.

 

I'm slightly puzzled here, if a player is not very good in the position in which he has played most of his professional career then how can it be said that he is "a talented lad and a decent footballer"? That really is a non-sequitur. Self evidently such a player is not a very good footballer, period. Stephens is not a very good footballer at the level at which he is being asked to perform.

[S-Clarke]

Don't really rate him, he's got good feet and can certainly play....but he's not very good at anything else. He doesn't have any sort of football brain. He'll probably become a very decent Championship player, but we can't retain players of his level if we wish to improve.

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

If you read the comments on the internet, 9/11 was an inside insurance job, orchestrated by mutant, Russian, space Jews.

 

I doubt any current Saints players read or are aware of the comments on here.

 

It would be unfortunate if they were.

[Saint Garrett]

Not even sure where this myth comes from that hes a decent footballer - he isn't. He gives the ball away, and regularly just boots it as far as possible with no thought of where it's going. He is an awful defender, and has no place in a premier league squad. I like him and I like his passion etc but he's just nowhere near good enough. He's not a "boo boy", he's just a liability which people are beginning to see.

 

He did ok under Puel, but in a team who put 11 behind the ball and with Romeu having an incredible season in front of him.

[egg]

I'm slightly puzzled here, if a player is not very good in the position in which he has played most of his professional career then how can it be said that he is "a talented lad and a decent footballer"? That really is a non-sequitur. Self evidently such a player is not a very good footballer, period. Stephens is not a very good footballer at the level at which he is being asked to perform.

We disagree. Turkish explained it well so please read what he said. In summary though - someone can be a decent footballer without being a good defender. There's no debate that Stephens is a decent footballe, the issue is whether he's a good enough centre back.

[shurlock]

Not even sure where this myth comes from that hes a decent footballer - he isn't. He gives the ball away, and regularly just boots it as far as possible with no thought of where it's going. He is an awful defender, and has no place in a premier league squad. I like him and I like his passion etc but he's just nowhere near good enough. He's not a "boo boy", he's just a liability which people are beginning to see.

 

He did ok under Puel, but in a team who put 11 behind the ball and with Romeu having an incredible season in front of him.

 

Exactly. He has plenty of time on the ball as a CB, so looks relatively composed. Shift him into the trenches of DM and it would be a different story. Just look at how JWP’s distribution suffered when he was played alongside Hoj against Wolves and his passing is much better than Stephen’s.

Edited 23 April, 2019 by shurlock

[Batman]

Exactly. He has plenty of time on the ball as a CB, so looks relatively composed. Shift him into the trenches of DM and it would be a different story. Just look at how JWP’s distribution suffered when he was played alongside Hoj and his passing is much better than Stephen’s.

 

Stephens going into (and doing well in) DM is like Frazer Richardson excelling as a 'front sweeper'.

All sounds plausible on paper/message board. Real life = get to fuk

[The Cat]

You have to be pretty damn good at football to hold down a place in a premier league team. No doubt Stephens is a decent player, he's just not good enough for the top flight and there's absolutely no shame in that.

 

People saying he's "gash" are going over the top. I bet they wish they had even 10% of his ability.

[Turkish]

Not even sure where this myth comes from that hes a decent footballer - he isn't. He gives the ball away, and regularly just boots it as far as possible with no thought of where it's going. He is an awful defender, and has no place in a premier league squad. I like him and I like his passion etc but he's just nowhere near good enough. He's not a "boo boy", he's just a liability which people are beginning to see.

 

He did ok under Puel, but in a team who put 11 behind the ball and with Romeu having an incredible season in front of him.

 

Perhap people now understand why the second half of the season once Van Dijk was injured and Fonte had gone why Puel had to play with such a defensive set up?

 

Exactly. He has plenty of time on the ball as a CB, so looks relatively composed. Shift him into the trenches of DM and it would be a different story. Just look at how JWP’s distribution suffered when he was played alongside Hoj against Wolves and his passing is much better than Stephen’s.

 

I made this exact point on TUI yesterday. Seen quite a few say he’d make a good defensive midfielder. I disagree, it’s one thing to carry the ball forward 15 yards from defence with the whole game in front of you quite another to use it effectively with tackles and pressingflying in from all angles in a 100 mph midfield battle.

 

Part of the role of a decent defensive midfielder is reading of the game, anticipation and positioning, Sadly Stephens isn’t very good at either of these things so i don’t see him cutting it as a DM either.

 

He’s a nice, decent footballer but I fear he will become what they used to call a utility player, one who fills in across a number of positions because they don’t have one good one.

[Whitey Grandad]

He is currently a back up for injured defenders; that is his current level. I hope he improves but reading some of the comments on here is hardly going to give him the confidence that all good footballers need.

If he reads the comments on here then he's not doing his job properly and if his confidence is that fragile then we are in big trouble.

 

He is paid a helluva lot of money and he should be up to the job.

[del boy]

You have to be pretty damn good at football to hold down a place in a premier league team. No doubt Stephens is a decent player, he's just not good enough for the top flight and there's absolutely no shame in that.

 

People saying he's "gash" are going over the top. I bet they wish they had even 10% of his ability.

 

I think this sums it up very fairly - I wish him well, but Saints need better quality

 

...and yes, how many of us have played that many games in the EPL?!

[Dark Munster]

Perhap people now understand why the second half of the season once Van Dijk was injured and Fonte had gone why Puel had to play with such a defensive set up?

Probably not. There will always be some (like Dotard supporters) who won't accept facts no matter how many times they are slapped in the face with them.

[saint1977]

Perhap people now understand why the second half of the season once Van Dijk was injured and Fonte had gone why Puel had to play with such a defensive set up?

 

 

 

I made this exact point on TUI yesterday. Seen quite a few say he’d make a good defensive midfielder. I disagree, it’s one thing to carry the ball forward 15 yards from defence with the whole game in front of you quite another to use it effectively with tackles and pressingflying in from all angles in a 100 mph midfield battle.

 

Part of the role of a decent defensive midfielder is reading of the game, anticipation and positioning, Sadly Stephens isn’t very good at either of these things so i don’t see him cutting it as a DM either.

 

He’s a nice, decent footballer but I fear he will become what they used to call a utility player, one who fills in across a number of positions because they don’t have one good one.[/

 

Also see Callum Chambers.

[Saint IQ]

Hope someone will take him off us he is a complete liability this season.

[RobM]

You have to be pretty damn good at football to hold down a place in a premier league team. No doubt Stephens is a decent player, he's just not good enough for the top flight and there's absolutely no shame in that.

 

People saying he's "gash" are going over the top. I bet they wish they had even 10% of his ability.

 

You just have to be better than the other options in the squad at the time. He is clearly talented technically, but he's proven to be not quite good enough to be a first choice CB for a bottom-5 EPL team. If we have aspirations of the dizzy heights of mid-table, we need better.

 

How many mid-table or above EPL clubs will be keen to sign him as a starting CB? If we sold him, he'd go to the Championship, or a newly promoted club if he's lucky.

[angelman]

Who would you rather have starting....Stephens or Hoedt?

[Greenridge]

Probably not. There will always be some (like Dotard supporters) who won't accept facts no matter how many times they are slapped in the face with them.

 

He didn't have any of those defensive issues at Leicester so what was the excuse there?

[Bourne Valley Saint]

As one of 2000 Saints fans who attended the match last night and who watched Stephens' performance with interest, I thought that he played pretty well. He defended competently, was good in the air, did some great tackles and blocks and linked up well with those around him. He made a couple of stray passes and weak headers but no more than anyone else in what I thought was a pretty decent performance by the whole team. In answer to the above, I'd have Stephens over Hoedt any day. Too many people (particularly on here) are quick to write players off after a couple of poor games.

[brmbrm]

As one of 2000 Saints fans who attended the match last night and who watched Stephens' performance with interest, I thought that he played pretty well. He defended competently, was good in the air, did some great tackles and blocks and linked up well with those around him. He made a couple of stray passes and weak headers but no more than anyone else in what I thought was a pretty decent performance by the whole team. In answer to the above, I'd have Stephens over Hoedt any day. Too many people (particularly on here) are quick to write players off after a couple of poor games.

 

This is what "boo boy" means of course. Play OK, but still the "worst player to wear the shirt. Ever.". Not so long ago it was JWP carrying that mantle.

[Batman]

As one of 2000 Saints fans who attended the match last night and who watched Stephens' performance with interest, I thought that he played pretty well. He defended competently, was good in the air, did some great tackles and blocks and linked up well with those around him. He made a couple of stray passes and weak headers but no more than anyone else in what I thought was a pretty decent performance by the whole team. In answer to the above, I'd have Stephens over Hoedt any day. Too many people (particularly on here) are quick to write players off after a couple of poor games.

 

what has that got to do with assessing stephens?

[Batman]

This is what "boo boy" means of course. Play OK, but still the "worst player to wear the shirt. Ever.". Not so long ago it was JWP carrying that mantle.

 

has anyone said this of Stephens..or have you just made this up?