Jack Stephens

Really starting to repay the faith shown in him by Puel and starting to look a very classy, Premiership level CB. Proving beyond doubt that it has been far better to blood him and see if he can develop than play an on-loan guy who will be gone in the summer.

For me, Stephens has been our best defender in recent games and I believe he will be a truly outstanding playing alongside someone like VVD.

His reading of the game has improved enormously as has his defending. Overall I think we have a gem on our hands and hope he is given a chance next season.

Really starting to repay the faith shown in him by Puel and starting to look a very classy, Premiership level CB. Proving beyond doubt that it has been far better to blood him and see if he can develop than play an on-loan guy who will be gone in the summer.

 

For me, Stephens has been our best defender in recent games and I believe he will be a truly outstanding playing alongside someone like VVD.

 

His reading of the game has improved enormously as has his defending. Overall I think we have a gem on our hands and hope he is given a chance next season.

Hard to disagree with that, but I still think he needs to improve his strength/aerial ability. We were discussing against Hull whether he could play alongside Romeu in centre midfield,he's so technically accomplished and a great reader of the game. Some similarities to Morgan ,maybe.

Shame he lacks the punch we need up front for corners and free kicks.

Hard to disagree with that, but I still think he needs to improve his strength/aerial ability. We were discussing against Hull whether he could play alongside Romeu in centre midfield,he's so technically accomplished and a great reader of the game. Some similarities to Morgan ,maybe.

A pre-season hitting the weights is in order, me thinks.

A pre-season hitting the weights is in order, me thinks.

The whole team needs to do that we are very light weight these days. Need to bulk up the team over the summer

Really starting to repay the faith shown in him by Puel and starting to look a very classy, Premiership level CB. Proving beyond doubt that it has been far better to blood him and see if he can develop than play an on-loan guy who will be gone in the summer.

 

For me, Stephens has been our best defender in recent games and I believe he will be a truly outstanding playing alongside someone like VVD.

 

His reading of the game has improved enormously as has his defending. Overall I think we have a gem on our hands and hope he is given a chance next season.

Totally agree, have said this all along. Needs to add threat up front and his passing could be improved. Think he will be England CB in the future.

By the way Caceres is not on loan and I hope we do get to see and keep because he is also a top class defender.

He has certainly improved, there's no doubt about that. As has already been said, he needs to bulk up a bit. It's a shame VVD will be off in the summer, could have been a decent partnership for us next season.

Really starting to repay the faith shown in him by Puel and starting to look a very classy, Premiership level CB. Proving beyond doubt that it has been far better to blood him and see if he can develop than play an on-loan guy who will be gone in the summer.

Caceres isn't on loan, he is a contracted Southampton player.

He has certainly improved, there's no doubt about that. As has already been said, he needs to bulk up a bit. It's a shame VVD will be off in the summer, could have been a decent partnership for us next season.

What have you heard?

Been a pleasant surprise but no way as good as some people are claiming.

Decent today. Stupid penalty to give away though

Shame he lacks the punch we need up front for corners and free kicks.

One thing at a time - it will come I believe

4 wins in his and our last 16 games.... Impossible to say if it would be better or worse with Caceres.

I like the guy, will be a decent option for us next season.

He's done well, looks composed and comfortable and certainly not out of his depth in this league. Still think CB is not his best position and would like to see him tried as a DM next to Oriel.

Agree. Wouldn't be upset if he starts next season, presumably alongside a new signing. Want to see him next to a powerful player.

Certainly very calm and composed on the ball and reads the game well.

Had a good game and he does look a classy operator on the ball. Good reading of the game too as he makes a lot of decent interceptions and has a quick turn of pace. Needs to bulk up a bit as he isn't that strong in the air or the tackle yet but hopefully it'll come. The penalty was a bit of a rush of blood to the head - no need to be doing stuff like that in the box.

Still think CB is not his best position and would like to see him tried as a DM next to Oriel.

Agree 100% he's proving to be a potential star turn and DM is an obvious next step. Bet Poch would have had him there by now

A point at Anfield always a good return. Don't care how just says away draw in the book

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Had a good game and he does look a classy operator on the ball. Good reading of the game too as he makes a lot of decent interceptions and has a quick turn of pace. Needs to bulk up a bit as he isn't that strong in the air or the tackle yet but hopefully it'll come. The penalty was a bit of a rush of blood to the head - no need to be doing stuff like that in the box.

Even the best defenders give away silly pens. I like him, he looks confident and doesn't stand out as being out of his depth at this level. Considering we lost BOTH our first choice CB's in January I think both Stephens & Yoshida deserve huge praise. Their performance in the 2nd leg semi final at Anfield was immense.

Starting to look very composed. A definite positive from this lacklustre season. Next season ideally we'll have one of him and yoshida alongside van dijk or his replacement, which should hopefully offer a better physical balance.

Why not all three CBs at the back in a 3-4-3, and do the diamond properly?

Why not all three CBs at the back in a 3-4-3, and do the diamond properly?

Because a 3-4-3 diamond would be suicide for us. We don't have the quality of players to accommodate for its weaknesses, and would get hammered in the turnovers.

3-4-3 with a double midfield pivot, on the other hand, would seem to suit our personnel very well.

He has done really well but the lesson of the last few seasons needs to be that we need a choice in every position to keep the team fresh and players hungry to play. I see Stevens as being the first choice rotation player next season. That way he gets games in the League Cup and when a player needs rotating/ or is injured, but still has time to develop. An international CB from a quality team would help him develop and provide leadership at the back. Yoshida is very average in my view but is worth having around. Gardos on the other hand may well move on (I hope).

VVD and until this season Fonte were asked to play too many games and at times it showed.

Decent today. Stupid penalty to give away though

And Fonte with all his years of worldly experience never did such a thing?! See plenty of yesterdays decisions waved away especially against us.

For those carping on, I actually think he is as good as people are claiming, yes he needs a goal from his journeys into the box for set pieces it took Claus an age to get his first (didn't WGS say Claus should be booked for time wasting when he went up for corners). But if you look at the other English youngster who Everton sold for a Kings ransom to Citeh he isn't the finished article either, and I would say has been seen to be more prone to dropping a clanger than our Jack.

And Fonte with all his years of worldly experience never did such a thing?! See plenty of yesterdays decisions waved away especially against us.

 

For those carping on, I actually think he is as good as people are claiming, yes he needs a goal from his journeys into the box for set pieces it took Claus an age to get his first (didn't WGS say Claus should be booked for time wasting when he went up for corners). But if you look at the other English youngster who Everton sold for a Kings ransom to Citeh he isn't the finished article either, and I would say has been seen to be more prone to dropping a clanger than our Jack.

does not make it any less stupid to give away.

we sold fonte because he started doing this sort of stuff

does not make it any less stupid to give away.

we sold fonte because he started doing this sort of stuff

you forgot to add "with more regularity".

Stephens has been really solid,which I did not expect at all.His distribution is still pretty poor though (the stats back this up) although he is improving that aspect of his game with every run out.As a defensive midfielder though?I really can't see that at all.Oriol desperately needs someone with speed and strength next to him next season.He has been amazing this season but many of the goals we have conceded this season have been down to his lack of pace.Waford home game/Lindgards goal in the final as two examples of many.Stephens isn't the man to fix that in my opinion.

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Stephens has been really solid,which I did not expect at all.His distribution is still pretty poor though (the stats back this up) although he is improving that aspect of his game with every run out.As a defensive midfielder though?I really can't see that at all.Oriol desperately needs someone with speed and strength next to him next season.He has been amazing this season but many of the goals we have conceded this season have been down to his lack of pace.Waford home game/Lindgards goal in the final as two examples of many.Stephens isn't the man to fix that in my opinion.

 

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His passing IMO is very good, certainly much more capable of taking out two or three players with one pass than Yoshida (or Fonte when he was here). Very composed, rarely rushed - really promising entrance to PL football I think all things considered.

Strength and power is an obvious area for continued development, and ultimately playing alongside someone bigger and stronger than Yoshida would help him.

What would Stephens be worth now were we to sell him? Would have to easily be upwards of £10m in todays market, yet in December he was probably worth a quarter of that.

Even though somewhat forced upon us, the club deserve credit for blooding a youngster in a position that requires experience and ability to read the game more than any other position. Jack, Puel and the coaching staff have done a good job. Not the finished article but a fantastic prospect for the future.

What would Stephens be worth now were we to sell him? Would have to easily be upwards of £10m in todays market, yet in December he was probably worth a quarter of that.

What's the sell-on fee (if any) for Plymouth? I have a vague recollection of 10% but may be wrong.

Because a 3-4-3 diamond would be suicide for us. We don't have the quality of players to accommodate for its weaknesses, and would get hammered in the turnovers.

 

3-4-3 with a double midfield pivot, on the other hand, would seem to suit our personnel very well.

On the contrary, I think we do have the ball-playing quality at the back and sides (With VvD) to do a proper diamond, but probably no foil for Rome in a double pivot.

Because a 3-4-3 diamond would be suicide for us. We don't have the quality of players to accommodate for its weaknesses, and would get hammered in the turnovers.

 

3-4-3 with a double midfield pivot, on the other hand, would seem to suit our personnel very well.

On the contrary, I think we do have the ball-playing quality at the back and sides (With VvD) to do a proper diamond, but probably no foil for Romeu in a double pivot.

Even though somewhat forced upon us, the club deserve credit for blooding a youngster in a position that requires experience and ability to read the game more than any other position. Jack, Puel and the coaching staff have done a good job. Not the finished article but a fantastic prospect for the future.

Spot on. big potential in the lad.

Right now I am happy to have him instead of Fonte !

Would love to see him alongside VVD next season as I'm sure that he would learn even more and kick-on to be a top class PL defender !

He made the Telegraph team of the week, last week.

Bearing in mind central defenders usually start to mature about 25, he looks a real prospect.

Jack has been impressive since he came into the team at the EFL Cup Final. He has taken his chance and now needs to" bulk up" a little to improve his strength. I am sure Rahdi can give him some tips.