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Humble Pie? Give Me The Spoon!

sloth

Well-Known Member
Mar 7, 2005
9,018
6,900
So Zokora (unless you are talking about Chimbonda) plays well for half a game at CB and you are trying to resist saying "I told you so." You said he'd be one of the best CMs in Europe this season. You also said Man City would be in a relegation battle. I'd continue resisting if I were you. :wink:

Yes Joey, that's exactly what I'm saying.

I'm realising that one egg does not an omelette make and that DZ's in no way lived up to the expectations/hopes I'd had for him for this season. Well done you for spotting it! :wink: I also btw, feel the same way about the team, MJ and the club as a whole and while in the case of DZ I may have been in a minority, I think there are few other chumps feeling glum when it comes to the latter. Perhaps, dare I say it, even you Joey!

On the City point, I can't remember saying I thought Man city would be in a relegation battle, I do know that I thought Sven was a very good appointment for them and that contrary to popular myth he was one of the best club managers there is.

I admit however, that I'm still bemused by the success they're having. A scratch team, chosen in haste from video-tape clips, without a coach pre-season, should not be doing as well as they are. It's for that reason I quite fancied them in the Cup pre the draw and it's for that reason also I will not be surprised if, after suffering a couple of poor results or bits of bad luck we see from them a mini-slump. They have to be favourite for fifth at the moment though.
 

southlondonyiddo

My eyes have seen some of the glory..
Nov 8, 2004
12,599
15,012
I am certainly not a Zoko fan and he's still got lots of work to do before I eat humble pie but I'm quite prepared to, i'll even eat my hat If he becomes a legend for us.
It will be very intersting to see what Ramos does in the transfer window because at present there's really no alternative to him.
 

Bus-Conductor

SC Supporter
Oct 19, 2004
39,837
50,713
So Zokora (unless you are talking about Chimbonda) plays well for half a game at CB and you are trying to resist saying "I told you so." You said he'd be one of the best CMs in Europe this season. You also said Man City would be in a relegation battle. I'd continue resisting if I were you. :wink:


You must be choking on your Huddlestone pie then Joey.

And Zokora has actually been one of our most consistant players this season. Unspectacular maybe, but consistantly good. And not just as a "stand in CB". We have played pretty well away from home all season, with Zokora regularly performing well (Bolton, Liverpool, West Ham etc).

I think if anyone is eating humble pie it is people that were happy to call Zokora shit or "completely wank".
 

Bus-Conductor

SC Supporter
Oct 19, 2004
39,837
50,713
I prematurely ate Humble pie after the first few months of Chimbonda who's signing i furiously apposed... Post Chelsea at home however it seems that my instincts were right and i needn't have wasted good eating time and energy on humble pie when I could have feasted on "i told you so" cake with a cold thick "smugshake".

Put down that *spoon for a few more weeks. You'll thank me for it.

*although you should be using a fork


For the record, you weren't the only one who questioned the signing of Chimbonda. You also aren't the only one who then thought a touch of humble pie was in order only to realise very quickly that initial doubts were well founded.

I am just hoping that Ramos is sitting Chimbonda down with a video of west hams goal and telling him next time he decides to casually jog back when his fellow defenders are stranded he will be watching from the bench next game the lazy, casual ****.
 

tRiKS

Ledley's No.1 fan
Jun 6, 2005
6,854
142
For the record, you weren't the only one who questioned the signing of Chimbonda. You also aren't the only one who then thought a touch of humble pie was in order only to realise very quickly that initial doubts were well founded.

I am just hoping that Ramos is sitting Chimbonda down with a video of west hams goal and telling him next time he decides to casually jog back when his fellow defenders are stranded he will be watching from the bench next game the lazy, casual ****.

Indeed i was not the only one BC...odd isn't it that on some points I think you are nothing short of genuis but on others retarded. opinions eh!
 

thfcsteff

Well-Known Member
Jul 30, 2005
1,117
339
What impressed me most about Zokora yesterday was his covering of the defense.
When Kaboul went off, he was covering at the back very well.

Maybe he might start improving under ramos' instructions!


Can I just ask, then, what the Great Man was thinking of when he tracked back and tracked back as Kaboul tried to hold BM, and then just suddenly stopped and stood still? When another 20 yards and he'd have blocked Solano's angle for a shot or a reverse pass to Cole?

Answers here please 'cos I've wanted to know since I screamed at him as the chance unfolded...
 

thfcsteff

Well-Known Member
Jul 30, 2005
1,117
339
Actually, let me put my colors on the mast here (and flame away)...I felt last season that we would see the real Zokora this season.
For me, he simply has not improved as I would've expected a player of his potential to do.

Hopefully Ramos and Poyet see the potential/want to work it, to make him what he should be.

But the fact remains his passing is overall awful (one great pass to Keane yesterday, that was it) his positional sense when playing in the middle is, to say the least, clueless, his concentration for such an important position is shakey (note example above for their goal) and when he receives the bal, his first move is always either lateral or backwards; it's hardly EVER progressive or quick. Add to this the fact that when he surges forward he genuinely appears to not have much of a clue where he's going/what he's going to do with it...gets himself in some great positions but hardly ever delivers anything incisive.

Contrast this to JJ who not only has to cover for him but also manages to make some incisive and productive runs (note the easy easy chance he gave Mabranque which Steed fucked up) and I know why I like it when Zok drops into defence/covers it, as it releases JJ and actually formally dictates to Zokora WTF he's meant to be doing (I genuinely believe he needs the clear deliniation of a defensive rol to be effective as in the middle he often appears clueless)...

Some folks have a love of players who run and run but don't necessarily deliver. Steed's another; great against lower clubs, cul-de-sac king against the big boys (let's hope he makes a muppet of me at the Scumirates in a few weeks).

Anyway, I think Zokora will slowly find himself a squad player with his position taken short-term by The Prince and perhaps long-term by the (hopefully) revitalized Tom Huddlestone?
 

Real_madyidd

The best username, unless you are a fucking idiot.
Oct 25, 2004
18,792
12,448
I am completely pissed off with the lack of pie in this thread.

Yeah, Zokora played pretty well. But what about the pies?
 

N10toN17

New Member
Jan 22, 2007
1,288
1
Zokora was actually tackling yesterday, rather than just pressing and it was very nice to see, we battled and it's very important that the midfield two, do just that, clearly Ramos has told him to get stuck in.
 
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