neither. Having seen them both in a couple of pre-season games I would rather play Jordan Cousins. Stephens has gone downhill over the last 18 months and now plays a Ray Wilkins role of 10 yard sideways passes and doesn't get above 2nd gear. Hollands is marginally better but is afraid to shoot and can't pick out a pass to save his life.
Cousins looked head & shoulders above them tonight.
Hollands and jacko in same midfield will not work imo. Both have zero pace.
Never said it would, what if Jacko's gets injured? In the current situation it's as much about numbers with experience not who the best combinations in midfield are! But then again a certain VF didn't overly rate Pritchard last season either :-0 Opinions, opinions.
I hold my hands up, RedChaser - but only half way. Pritchard is undoubtedly getting stronger, though I have yet to be convinced he's good enough for a team aiming for the play-offs....
I like hollands and felt he was hard done by when not getting a look in last season really. Stephens on his day us class but I've said it before being class 1 in 8 games is not good enough. I so want him to be consistent because ge would be awesome and really push us into the top 6 easily. But like others have said he just disappears and looks disinterested.
Here's hoping for 3rd time lucky and season 3 is his season.
I wouldn't play either of them through choice. Our best midfield at the moment is Jackson, Harriot, Pritchard and Hughes (or Gower). If Pritchard was injured Green or Wilson would replace him. Hughes would be replaced by Gower (or vice versa). Harriott has no ready-made replacement but I would hope the gaffer might consider Ceddy to play in that role if needed. That basically means that Hollands and Stephens are vying to act as replacement for an injured Jackson. Out of the two, I'd take Hollands in that role.
Hollands when injury free and after a full pre-season, he's a bit older yes but he seems more consistent and did a good job in League One. There are too many questions surrounding Dale, when will he come good, he's potential etc etc.
hollands every time - makes the most of what he has and leaves nothing on the pitch stephens probably born with more talent but expends more effort on applying hair gel than playing for charlton - safe to say we wouldn't get offered a million smarties for him now not even by Villa
Dale each and every time. He is still very young and has got a season under his belt in the championship now. Expect a much more confident player to turn out for us this coming season.
Hollands is an engine. Works hard makes big tackles, keeps the ball moving and keeps possession well. Dale slows things down and brings a change of pace. Id go for Dan if i had a choice. But still jackson/hughes or jackson/pritch for me.
No doubt, Hollands over Stephens all day long. All I ever hear about Stephens is the word potential. Never have I seen a more, at times, uninterested player, dwells too long on the ball or passes backwards too much.
No doubt, Hollands over Stephens all day long. All I ever hear about Stephens is the word potential. Never have I seen a more, at times, uninterested player, dwells too long on the ball or passes backwards too much.
It's possible that Stephens looks disinterested because he knows that if he saw more of the ball he'd make a mess of it. There were a load of home games last season in which the midfield was simply unable to string three accurate passes together. And we couldn't control the ball even it arrived at the feet - it would bounce up or deflect off, and the opposing player would have the time and opportunity to make a challenge. But I must say, having seen us at AFC Wim and the Daggers (couldn't make Pompey), we look much, much better in that department. Quick, accurate passing, ball instantly controlled, then crisply passed on... Yes, I know they are two divisions below us, but it augurs well for the season....
I wouldn't play either of them through choice. Our best midfield at the moment is Jackson, Harriot, Pritchard and Hughes (or Gower). If Pritchard was injured Green or Wilson would replace him. Hughes would be replaced by Gower (or vice versa). Harriott has no ready-made replacement but I would hope the gaffer might consider Ceddy to play in that role if needed. That basically means that Hollands and Stephens are vying to act as replacement for an injured Jackson. Out of the two, I'd take Hollands in that role.
Hard to argue with any of that. Hope Stephens proves us wrong with a burning desire to go with unlocked potential becoming a fixture this season. But right now I wish we had taken Villa's shilling.
Dale has the best touch and technique - and can sometimes pick a superb pass. Capable of scoring with terrific strikes.
But he's often slow and ponderous, always turning back to face his own defenders and delaying, slipping a 10 yard hospital pass which can put them under huge pressure in dangerous areas - not to mention the times he dallies and gets caught in possession.
He just doesn't seem to react or read the game quickly enough.
Hollands is your typical box to box midfielder, with a great engine. He doesn't have the technique of Stephens, but he's a decent all rounder and capable of late runs into the area, which he's often able to turn into goals.
Because he's willing to put in a tackle and cover, he was regularly used in a holding role - which restricted his game and forward runs off the ball.
In the promotion season when Andy Hughes played the holding role for several games, we saw the best of Hollands as he had the freedom to play his natural game and he (and the team) started scoring goals for fun.
Great team player and 100 percenter. Given a run in the side and the freedom to make runs into the box, he could well surprise people who've written him off. Just don't play him as a holding DM.
Genuinely finding this hard to answer, both lack creativity, but sit quite well allowing wingers to come into the game more. On the fence for this one.
No doubt, Hollands over Stephens all day long. All I ever hear about Stephens is the word potential. Never have I seen a more, at times, uninterested player, dwells too long on the ball or passes backwards too much.
It's possible that Stephens looks disinterested because he knows that if he saw more of the ball he'd make a mess of it. There were a load of home games last season in which the midfield was simply unable to string three accurate passes together. And we couldn't control the ball even it arrived at the feet - it would bounce up or deflect off, and the opposing player would have the time and opportunity to make a challenge. But I must say, having seen us at AFC Wim and the Daggers (couldn't make Pompey), we look much, much better in that department. Quick, accurate passing, ball instantly controlled, then crisply passed on... Yes, I know they are two divisions below us, but it augurs well for the season....
We looked much better in that department last season when neither Hollands nor Stephens played, the combination of JJ with either Hughes or Gower was when our season started turning around, and I don't see any reason why either would be 1st choice player this season
with his 'performance' on saturday st*ph*ns delivered his resignation letter in unmistakable fashion - he distilled into roughly an hour all the reasons he shoulda been jettisoned 18 months ago I hope to goodness SCP has finally got the message and cuts his losses there shameful Danny Hollands probably won't keep his place if a second striker is acquired but until then he's a shoo in
Hollands is a very creative player when he gets a free reign. I remember some of the passes he played in our L1 season being incredible. One against Wycombe away in particular. I'd really like to see him have a good season and show what he can do this year
Out of the two I favour Hollands and hope this year following his full pre season we might see the best of him.I agree with the comments that some of his best football for Charlton occurred when Andy Hughes was alongside him.
One factor which has not been mentioned so far is the fact that like Jacko ,Danny is left footed and given the rarity of them in the game I think he would be worth keeping to ensure we can keep a balanced side when the skipper is unavailable.
I wasn't at the game but in the highlights of the Daggenhan game Hollands looked good. He was the better of the two in our promotion year so I'd be happy to see him get one more chance.
Not selling Stephens to Villa will be one of those things that goes down in Charlton infamy.
Comments
Here's hoping for 3rd time lucky and season 3 is his season.
stephens probably born with more talent but expends more effort on applying hair gel than playing for charlton - safe to say we wouldn't get offered a million smarties for him now not even by Villa
He is still very young and has got a season under his belt in the championship now.
Expect a much more confident player to turn out for us this coming season.
if Dale can turn his attitude around then Dale
there is no reason why we cant have both
Hollands might turn things around and do a job as back up for Jackson. Can't see them playing together.
Hard to see any combination of 2/3 of Stephens, Hollands, Jackson and Green working at this level.
Never have I seen a more, at times, uninterested player, dwells too long on the ball or passes backwards too much.
Capable of scoring with terrific strikes.
But he's often slow and ponderous, always turning back to face his own defenders and delaying, slipping a 10 yard hospital pass which can put them under huge pressure in dangerous areas - not to mention the times he dallies and gets caught in possession.
He just doesn't seem to react or read the game quickly enough.
Hollands is your typical box to box midfielder, with a great engine.
He doesn't have the technique of Stephens, but he's a decent all rounder and capable of late runs into the area, which he's often able to turn into goals.
Because he's willing to put in a tackle and cover, he was regularly used in a holding role - which restricted his game and forward runs off the ball.
In the promotion season when Andy Hughes played the holding role for several games, we saw the best of Hollands as he had the freedom to play his natural game and he (and the team) started scoring goals for fun.
Great team player and 100 percenter. Given a run in the side and the freedom to make runs into the box, he could well surprise people who've written him off. Just don't play him as a holding DM.
I hope to goodness SCP has finally got the message and cuts his losses there
shameful
Danny Hollands probably won't keep his place if a second striker is acquired but until then he's a shoo in
One factor which has not been mentioned so far is the fact that like Jacko ,Danny is left footed and given the rarity of them in the game I think he would be worth keeping to ensure we can keep a balanced side when the skipper is unavailable.
Not selling Stephens to Villa will be one of those things that goes down in Charlton infamy.