Stephens

[Whitey Grandad]

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.

"a couple"?

 

In my view it has been a lot more than that.

[angelman]

I've always thought Stephens would make a better DM than CB, or am I talking balls?

[benjii]

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.

 

Or Tadic, if you're a football historian.

[tajjuk]

I don't think he is as bad as people make out but I think if we want to become a top 8 challenging team again, someone like Stephens is not good enough IMO, not even as back up.

 

Plus I get the impression he wants more first team football.

 

I think let him leave, see if he can get in as first choice for a Championship side or newly promoted PL team.

 

What we want next year is probably Bednerak + a new upgrade CB, and then Yoshida and Vestergaard as back up/challenging options.

[Badger]

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.

 

 

Or, a couple of poor seasons even.

[OldNick]

49k pw!! Thats the madness of football

[Convict Colony]

Stephens is the new Yoshida.

 

To be honest he is a good squad player who can come in for odd games in CB or RB and I think he can improve over time.

[GGalpin]

I don't think he is as bad as people make out but I think if we want to become a top 8 challenging team again, someone like Stephens is not good enough IMO, not even as back up.

 

Plus I get the impression he wants more first team football.

 

I think let him leave, see if he can get in as first choice for a Championship side or newly promoted PL team.

 

What we want next year is probably Bednerak + a new upgrade CB, and then Yoshida and Vestergaard as back up/challenging options.

 

Definitely, could easily become a top Championship CB.

 

Whether or not he's willing to drop a level wages wise is probably the bigger problem.

[Greenridge]

Stephens is the new Yoshida.

 

To be honest he is a good squad player who can come in for odd games in CB or RB and I think he can improve over time.

 

He’s 25 and has 125 professional games. He’s probably where he’s going to be in terms of development. He’s not a ‘bad’ player or whatever other adjectives have been thrown about but he’s not of the standard for a club wanting top half / third of the Premier League requires.

[Batman]

Stephens is the new Yoshida.

 

To be honest he is a good squad player who can come in for odd games in CB or RB and I think he can improve over time.

 

what time? when he is 30?

[CB Fry]

Stephens is the new Yoshida.

 

To be honest he is a good squad player who can come in for odd games in CB or RB and I think he can improve over time.

Yoshida has got better only relatively- not good enough to be a regular for a top 6/7 Southampton Football Club but good enough for a 16/17th placed one.

 

Stephen's isn't even that good and never will be.

[shurlock]

Stephens is the new Yoshida.

 

To be honest he is a good squad player who can come in for odd games in CB or RB and I think he can improve over time.

 

The Cornish Beckenbauer.

[Convict Colony]

The Cornish Beckenbauer.

[emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787]

[Batman]

Sorry, this player is woeful

No where near good enough for a team in the bottom 6. No where near.

 

He is now directly contributing to giving away a goal a game.

 

Harry Maguire he most certainly is not!!!

[Saints foreva]

Barely League One standard and people were comparing him to Harry Maguire a few years back haha

[LGTL]

He is absolutely disgraceful. His defending for their third was atrocious.

[beatlesaint]

He’s only playing because Vestergaard and Yoshida are out.

Play a kid next week against Huddersfield as it’s cruel to keep picking him, his confidence must be shot to ******

[niceandfriendly]

Thing is he'd do a great job for a League 1 side pushing for promotion. Yet he's playing regularly for a Premier League club and pocketing £2.5 million per year before tax for the privilege.

[Whitey Grandad]

He was late coming out for Bournemouth’s second goal too. A couple of yards behind all the others. I don’t think it would have been quite enough to get the goal ruled out but very close.

[simo]

Have we won a game which he's played in this season ?

[sfc4prem]

I used to have faith in the lad doing a decent job for us, but VVD was making his frailty in central defence.

 

I really think we need to ship him out to a L1 or Championship team this summer. Get what we can and move on...

[sfc4prem]

I used to have faith in the lad doing a decent job for us, but VVD was making his frailty in central defence.

 

I really think we need to ship him out to a L1 or Championship team this summer. Get what we can and move on...

 

*masking his frailty

[simo]

I used to have faith in the lad doing a decent job for us, but VVD was making his frailty in central defence.

 

I really think we need to ship him out to a L1 or Championship team this summer. Get what we can and move on...

 

I thought he only came in when Vvd was Injured ?

[Cabbage_Face]

“One of our own” which gives him at least 5 seasons of dog **** performances

 

 

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[Suhari]

“One of our own” which gives him at least 5 seasons of dog **** performances

 

 

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This is possibly the most accurate thing you have posted.

 

[Deano6]

It's a shame really. We buy him as a promising youngster from Plymouth. Give him all the training and support for him to flourish. Then 10 years later he is on the cusp of the team, but isn't quite good enough (he's not far off a Prem defender to be fair to him) and so we need to get rid...probably for nothing.

 

It's so disheartening it makes you not want to bother trying in the future. I suppose if we'd got relegated he would have been a useful piece.

[Lighthouse]

It's a shame really. We buy him as a promising youngster from Plymouth. Give him all the training and support for him to flourish. Then 10 years later he is on the cusp of the team, but isn't quite good enough (he's not far off a Prem defender to be fair to him) and so we need to get rid...probably for nothing.

 

It's so disheartening it makes you not want to bother trying in the future. I suppose if we'd got relegated he would have been a useful piece.

 

I’m not sure I get your point. It makes who not want to bother trying what in future?

[Avenue_Saint]

He would be less useless in a holding midfield role I reckon

[Dazza82]

He would be less useless in a holding midfield role I reckon

No not at all. He holds on to the ball far to long and is forever giving it away.

 

At best he is a championship player, he has to go.

 

 

 

 

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[Dazza82]

If you had to keep one of Stephens or Hoedt which one would you choose?

 

 

As much as it pains me I'd say Hoedt, which say alot for Stephens. Both terrible defenders

 

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[Turkish]

Came back into the side for the Newcastle game. We’ve concieded 3 in 3 of the 4 games including that one. Coincidence?

[mrfahaji]

I thought he only came in when Vvd was Injured ?

 

A like for like swap

[stknowle]

He's had 3 seasons under 4 managers to prove he's up to it. He's proved irrefutably that he isn't.

[ashnats]

Think he gets a hard time, he tries hard, heart in the right place. It’s just unfortunate that he is incompetent at this level, and it’s not his fault the club doesn’t have better as backup.

 

For us, it’s down to ralf whether he wants to improve depth in this position, and up to the club to provide it.

 

For Stephens, it’s a decision to make, backup for saints and a good wage, or regular first teamer at a mid table championship club. Not a straightforward decision. If I was him, I’d probably want to stay.

[Whitey Grandad]

Think he gets a hard time, he tries hard, heart in the right place. It’s just unfortunate that he is incompetent at this level, and it’s not his fault the club doesn’t have better as backup.

 

For us, it’s down to ralf whether he wants to improve depth in this position, and up to the club to provide it.

 

For Stephens, it’s a decision to make, backup for saints and a good wage, or regular first teamer at a mid table championship club. Not a straightforward decision. If I was him, I’d probably want to stay.

 

We can’t afford to play him.

[Chez]

very frustrating player. Looks a rolls royce type at times with the ball and has enough pace to hold his own, but he isn't anywhere near dominant enough in the air or ground. We just ship too many goals, although they're not all his fault obviously. His wages means he wont be going anywhere.

 

Its not like we have a lot of other great options in that position. I have to say Vestergaard gets an easy ride. He's so slow, incredibly slow. So much so that we cant risk playing him in a back four. I fail to understand how a scout did not pick that up or did we not care? Yoshida is pretty similar to Stephens in my eyes, very frustrating, looks smooth on the ball at times but just isn't dominant.

 

It's a very tough position to play these days (requiring pace and power and ability on the ball) and thus finding good enough players is difficult. We need to keep looking!

Edited 5 May, 2019 by Chez

[angelman]

He's playing in the wrong position. He needs to be a DM not a CB.

[Batman]

He's playing in the wrong position. He needs to be a DM not a CB.

 

there is nothing about his game that suggests he would do any better there.

Just a message board myth IMO

[angelman]

there is nothing about his game that suggests he would do any better there.

Just a message board myth IMO

 

Wtf are you on about?? A message board myth?? It's my opinion, not a myth.

[benjii]

He's playing in the wrong position. He needs to be a DM not a CB.

 

In a League One team, maybe.

[angelman]

In a League One team, maybe.

 

Maybe, but I still think he would be better further up. Maybe that is just because he wouldn't probably let the opposition score so many (late) goals.

[Whitey Grandad]

very frustrating player. Looks a rolls royce type at times with the ball and has enough pace to hold his own, but he isn't anywhere near dominant enough in the air or ground. We just ship too many goals, although they're not all his fault obviously. His wages means he wont be going anywhere.

 

Its not like we have a lot of other great options in that position. I have to say Vestergaard gets an easy ride. He's so slow, incredibly slow. So much so that we cant risk playing him in a back four. I fail to understand how a scout did not pick that up or did we not care? Yoshida is pretty similar to Stephens in my eyes, very frustrating, looks smooth on the ball at times but just isn't dominant.

 

It's a very tough position to play these days (requiring pace and power and ability on the ball) and thus finding good enough players is difficult. We need to keep looking!

 

At least Vestergaard is not afraid to head the ball.

[Lighthouse]

Maybe, but I still think he would be better further up. Maybe that is just because he wouldn't probably let the opposition score so many (late) goals.

 

He would probably spend most of his life doing what Armstrong did for Bournemouth’s third goal. If anything I think he would be worse, at the moment his best play is when he has time and space at the back to play it forward. He won’t get that in midfield.

[Saint IQ]

He's good at dribbling and used to be good at passing...A centre back he is not.

[Deano6]

I’m not sure I get your point. It makes who not want to bother trying what in future?

 

Exactly what I said. Buying promising youngsters and investing 10 years into them to see if they can make it.

[S-Clarke]

He is honestly rubbish, just look at our record when he plays. It says it all.

 

Disgusting centre back for any team aiming to be decent.

[Lighthouse]

Exactly what I said. Buying promising youngsters and investing 10 years into them to see if they can make it.

 

That’s always been the case with young players though. For every Bale, Walcott and Lallana, there are 50 Ben Reeves, Josh Dutton-Black and Jamie Hatch. There’s no shame in it, Stephens has just ended up playing a lot more games than he should, out of necessity due to poor recruitment.

[SuperSAINT]

He is honestly rubbish, just look at our record when he plays. It says it all.

 

Yeah. He’s gotten worse the more he plays.

[ally_uk]

He is a liability not up to it this level sell and upgrade.

[spyinthesky]

Its a shame to criticise a player who has come through the system but Jack Stephens is not Premiership standard in any position.

 

Bear in mind that Jack was not even first choice when on loan at Middlesborough