Injured, suspended, or ?

Indeed or...and they lost.

I haven't seen anything from him that suggests he shouldn't be the first name on the team sheet.

Didn't play or bench today hence the question ?

So fidel just how many threads have you added that comment to now?

Apparently he was ill

Was "ill" apparently.

I'm always suspicious of an "illness" at this time of year!!

Dale Stephens or not, I really hope brighton do not get promotion.

HollandsPies wrote:Dale Stephens or not, I really hope brighton do not get promotion.

Me to

HollandsPies wrote:Dale Stephens or not, I really hope brighton do not get promotion.

Agreed

he's sick, sick he didn't join us

Chris Hughton says Albion cannot use Dale Stephens’ absence as an excuse for defeat at Preston. The midfielder, who usually loves trips back to his native North West, pulled out of the match with illness.

HollandsPies wrote:Dale Stephens or not, I really hope brighton do not get promotion.

That will mean Leeds go up instead. Not sure which is worse, they're as bad as each other.

ClaretTony wrote:Chris Hughton says Albion cannot use Dale Stephens’ absence as an excuse for defeat at Preston. The midfielder, who usually loves trips back to his native North West, pulled out of the match with illness.

Sounds fishy.

Probably popped across from Preston to watch the Clarets today.

Well done PNE

Brighton went through a dodgy spell last season when Lewis Dunk was missing from their line-up.

A very influential player for Brighton.

im sure brady didnt play for norwich today also

He was suspended

Goalposts wrote:im sure brady didnt play for norwich today also

Wasn't he suspended?

Thread about stephens has them panicking that he is about to be sold,but who to i wonder?

Can he play on the wing?

bfcmik wrote:Wasn't he suspended?

Brady was serving the last game of a three match ban

I also hope Brighton don't go up, dislike them after last season. I'd rather Leeds went up tbh

Stephens wont be coming to burnley

KRBFC wrote:I also hope Brighton don't go up, dislike them after last season. I'd rather Leeds went up tbh

Same here. I think Brighton are in a better position to come up and stay up too. If Leeds came up, with the clown they have in charge, I could see them only lasting one season. If we are to stay up, we will need at least three lame ducks to help us get over our second-season syndrome.

Lord Beamish wrote:Same here. I think Brighton are in a better position to come up and stay up too. If Leeds came up, with the clown they have in charge, I could see them only lasting one season. If we are to stay up, we will need at least three lame ducks to help us get over our second-season syndrome.

I honestly don't hate Leeds like some do, they're a club with a history and a large fanbase, I hate the plastic Brighton lot more.

KRBFC wrote:I honestly don't hate Leeds like some do, they're a club with a history and a large fanbase, I hate the plastic Brighton lot more.

Leeds represent a direct competition to our youth recruitment, especially now that we are improving our training facilities. The longer they spend grubbing about in the division(s) below us, the better.

Lord Beamish wrote:Leeds represent a direct competition to our youth recruitment, especially now that we are improving our training facilities. The longer they spend grubbing about in the division(s) below us, the better.

I never thought of that although I'm not sure the division of a clubs first team is relevant to youth players signing. I'd have thought the most important thing for youth players would be the division of the youth team and the category which I think links in with standard of facilities.

I'd be hoping we're after better than Stephens now, I don't think he's better than any of our recognised centre mids and he's not a young player.

I personally think the only way a club like ours can survive in the top flight is to buy quality over quantity. Stephens would be a good squad player but is he likely to replace Defour or Hendrick?

If we're looking for squad players I'd hope to see younger lads with better pedigree, or quality ageing players whose careers have stalled or are ending. He's in his late twentys and has spent a lot of his career in the division below, and also in the ones below that. Unless we signed him on a free I'd be dissaponted, I want to see us go forwards not backwards.

Reecey1987 wrote:Stephens wont be coming to burnley

Maybe not this month. Stephens wants to play Premier League football and move back north - he has made this public knowledge. As long as he was being genuine then if we can offer him both of those come the summer then he will sign, regardless of which division Brighton are in, and for free.

Will burnley not fancy going for a younger midfielder ?

We don't need another central midfielder, Defour Hendrick Barton and Marney are fine. Tarkowski and Arfield as emergency central midfielders who will probably never be needed as central midfielders.

KRBFC wrote:We don't need another central midfielder, Defour Hendrick Barton and Marney are fine. Tarkowski and Arfield as emergency central midfielders who will probably never be needed as central midfielders.

We do have more pressing priorities i.e. winger and striker but of course we might be without Barton for a lengthy period.

I think Stephens would be a grand addition to our midfield. If he's available now, and we want him badly enough, we should get him. We did that with Tarkowski. He was available and we wanted him. He's had to wait his turn to get in, but if we'd have left it until we desperately needed him, we might have not been able to get him.
As it happens, I think if he is to come, he will come in the Summer.
If we only sign one player this month it should. E an upgrade in the wide positions.

Stephens would/will be ideal for when Barton leaves in the summer and Marney becomes a bit part player. That would leave Hendrick and Defour, and who is to say the latter will still be here or fancied in a 2.

Get him in, this is the perfect opportunity to build a team for next 2/3 seasons.

Barton likely to get a ban. Marney becoming injury prone. Defour Carnt do 90 mins, and people on here think we don't need another midfielder.

From a selfish point of view, I'd like to be in the same league as Brighton next year, purely because it makes visiting the in-laws a bit more bearable.....

PaintYorkClaretnBlue wrote:I'm always suspicious of an "illness" at this time of year!!

Didn't Judas Horseface have one just before he sped off to Bolton?

Grumps wrote:Barton likely to get a ban. Marney becoming injury prone. Defour Carnt do 90 mins, and people on here think we don't need another midfielder.

Defour did 90 minutes last week, Barton likely to get a ban based on what? how long is this ban going to last? I highly doubt we'd have signed him if he was looking at a lengthy ban and if it's a few game ban we'll still have 3 other central midfielders to fill 2 spots. Marney injury prone? I don't think that's true tbh. Why do we need 5 recognised central midfielders in the squad to fill 2 spots? we don't. O'Neill, Arfield and Tarkowski are fine options if we suddenly lose 3 of the 4.

I agree with the above, for a team who will need to invest every penny wisely I don't think having another centre mid who isn't really an upgrade is a worthwhile purchase.

Barton came in to fill the squad midfield role, Tarka, Arfield and O'Neil all offer additional cover. Unless we sign a centre mid who will start and is an upgrade I just don't see the need. Especially when we are crying out for quality in other areas.

KRBFC wrote:Defour did 90 minutes last week, Barton likely to get a ban based on what? how long is this ban going to last? I highly doubt we'd have signed him if he was looking at a lengthy ban and if it's a few game ban we'll still have 3 other central midfielders to fill 2 spots. Marney injury prone? I don't think that's true tbh. Why do we need 5 recognised central midfielders in the squad to fill 2 spots? we don't. O'Neill, Arfield and Tarkowski are fine options if we suddenly lose 3 of the 4.

Barton will be banned, Marney has gone off injured twice recently with what Dyche describes as an ongoing problem, Dyche also is the one who says Defour Carnt do 90 mins. Arfield did really well in Centre mid last time we were in prem didn't he??, O'Neil?? Really?? Do you actually watch our games?

Grumps wrote:Barton will be banned, Marney has gone off injured twice recently with what Dyche describes as an ongoing problem, Dyche also is the one who says Defour Carnt do 90 mins. Arfield did really well in Centre mid last time we were in prem didn't he??, O'Neil?? Really?? Do you actually watch our games?

Carnt? wtf is Carnt?
If Barton will get a lengthy ban then why did we sign him? I don't think he will.
Arfield is fine as a 6th choice central midfielder, O'neill is fine as a 7th choice central midfielder.
You are acting like I'm saying we should play an Arfield and O'neill midfield partnership. 4 players to fill 2 spots is perfectly fine unless you think the midfielders are all going to get ebola at the same time. Yes I watch the games, we've survived well enough with 3 central midfielders up until Barton signed, now we have 4.

We definitely need another midfielder. We've started a number of games in a 4-5-1 formation this season, to play that system you need 4 but preferably 5 midfielders. As Barton is likely to get a ban of some sort, that would leave us with 3 midfielders and inadequate depth on the bench.

Rileybobs wrote:We definitely need another midfielder. We've started a number of games in a 4-5-1 formation this season, to play that system you need 4 but preferably 5 midfielders. As Barton is likely to get a ban of some sort, that would leave us with 3 midfielders and inadequate depth on the bench.

If we plan on playing 451 I'd agree, 5 to fill 3 spots but we don't need 5 to fill 2 spots IMO

KRBFC wrote:If we plan on playing 451 I'd agree, 5 to fill 3 spots but we don't need 5 to fill 2 spots IMO

I agree but based on the fact that we've played 4-5-1 in a number of games this season I think we need that option. If Gray picked up an injury, for example I'm sure we'd revert back to 4-5-1.

Rileybobs wrote:I agree but based on the fact that we've played 4-5-1 in a number of games this season I think we need that option. If Gray picked up an injury, for example I'm sure we'd revert back to 4-5-1.

I presume we'd be looking at a striker in the window now Bamford has gone back.

Hopefully, although as I've said in another thread it might not be a bad idea to pursue a striker on a permanent deal in the summer and get a loan signing in for the rest of the season.

He'll be here Monday lunch to sort the paperwork, once he is over his sickness.