I had hoped he'd really push on at this season. At times he's looked like he was going to but generally has continued to be inconsistent.
There are a few changes that have played their part in our recent good run, and I do feel Stephens losing his place has been one of them. Watching Gower yesterday play a similar role, he kept the ball moving well. Compare that to Stephens who too often unnecessarily slows down our play, which sometimes results in him giving away possession.
As well as Gower, Jackson has also played alongside Andy Hughes, who although purely a defensive player, has kept the ball moving and defends well.
Does he just not suit our style of play or complement his teammates? We don't have the players to sit back and patiently pass the ball around (compared to a team like Brighton). We look a better team when we move the ball quicker and also on the counter when space opens up.
He's still young, does he just need another year of Championship football to adapt and find some consistency? Or do we need a different type of player? Powell's clearly been looking to improve our central midfield this season with the number of loanees, different combinations and various formations he's tried. I expect Jackson to continue as first choice and Stephens if he stays will have to fight for a place in the team.
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ShootersHillGuru Member
12:37PM
If Stephens goes then I for one won't be gutted. Having said that I am still hopeful that Dale can improve and go on to be a very decent midfielder. Maybe that will be with us and maybe not. Gower offers everything that Dale should but doesn't with any consistency. If bringing in Mark allows Dale more time to mature and learn then we are quids in. I would like to see both available to SCP next season.
In the end, the management will have to take a view, reflecting also where the player is at the moment in terms of his wishes and aspirations. I imagine that he has a year left on his contract; if so, so we are coming up to an important watershed, in the sense that we won't want him walking out in a year's time for nothing. Against that, has he done enough this season to warrant an extension ?
Can't think of a CAFC player for ages who can match Stephen's vision and range of passes.
That's just it - a lack of consistency. He has the talent and all the other attributes, but he just seems to have a few too many poor games and he plays in a key position where having a poor game hits the rest of the team's performance.
Bar your Lampard's and Gerrard's, not many players in that kind of role can achieve 100% consistency.
P'raps all the Villa talk and a fairly hefty contract dangling but never signed has pissed him off a bit? I hope that he re-appears next season in the squad because he can only add to the options if on form... replacing any one of the first XVIII is not going to be cheap so I would be loathe to start calling for him or any other player to be replaced over the summer.
But then in the pre-season predictions thread I did say I thought he'd be our POTY this year, so what do I know?
Sole reason we are not in the play offs
Shame really. I had high hopes.
There must be something there but personally I'd let him go and finish his development elsewhere. I very much doubt we'll get £2m for letting him go this summer.
Decent young player but I have never seen his "special" or Premiership potential personally and for me he needs a tough tackling minder to be at his best and that is a luxury few clubs can afford at this level.
Who knows- he might fit in well in the EPL which can be much less bruising and if I was Aston Villa I would certainly be prepared to pay £8-9 million to give him that chance. A real bargain.