Jean Makoun II to London...

[THOWIG]

Julian De Guzman at Deportivo I think maybe the player that gets snapped up. Has had an amazing couple of seasons there.

 

[Bobishism]

I really like Makoun and have wanted us to sign him for a couple of seasons. He is a bit more than your average DM, as he can really pass the ball around.

So can Zokora. He just doesn't. Something I've never understood.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Well the stats prove me wrong so I will retract the 'dominated' claim and say it was just me being over zealous in my hope for some higher quality midfield signings. I probably under rate our midfielders a bit because they are all expansive midfielders, i.e. they all cover a lot of ground and as such don't really allow us to keep a structure to our midfield. Anyway, apologies for the over-exaggeration before.

I would say that I would love us to get some slightly more compact midfielders, especially in the centre of the park. A midfielder who does a simple job protecting the back four, winning the ball and playing it (ala Carsley but obviously better quality). Also I do feel that most of our midfield players with the exception of the Hudd are not particularly gifted with the ball. JJ's touch isn't great and neither he or Zoko are able to consistently control the pace of a game with their passing. Obviously the Hudd has other limitations to his game, so a classy ball playing central midfielder would also be high up on my list of most wanted this summer. Xavi would do :wink:

But that is exactly what they do do (ron) very often. This season we have invariably controlled possession in probably 95% of games we have played. Lately I and others have started threads about how we are one of the last teams to play 442. The burden on the center of midfield in a 442 is far greater than in a 451. Yet our (supposedly inferior) cm duo of Zokora and Jenas regularly dominate that area. I really believe that it is in other areas where greater problems lie.
Where do we create from ? We often get ourselves into good positions and the final delivery (cross, through ball, final pass) lets us down. Malbranque (usually outof position - so partially forgivable)keane (flaps and touch often lets him down) lennon (inexperience) Berbatov (?) are the worst offenders. And they account for 95% of the creative element of our team. Then we have the defence (& keeper)which for a long time clearly wasn't doing what it should, even in a very basic way most of the time.

So what am I saying. Yes the CM could be improved upon. And I won't grumble if we do. But it is not the reason we have struggled to win games this year. And other areas of our team are far weaker. GK, CB, LB (now Lee seems to have been exiled), LM. All of which ultimately do their job to a lower standard (for one reason or another) than they are required compared to the CM pair. Modric is a fantastic signing that addresses the creativity issue. But we will still leak goals if we don't improve three positions in the defence and we won't capitalise on Modric if we don't add players of a similar intellect and skillset to play wide and/or around him.

Back on topic, I like Makoun too and if the plan is to play Modric centrally in a 442 then someone like him would be vital. The 442/451/4231 etc question is the one perplexing me at themoment because it would influence so many things (which players to buy and how will they fit etc)

 

[DC_Boy]

'GK, CB, LB (now Lee seems to have been exiled), LM. All of which ultimately do their job to a lower standard (for one reason or another) than they are required compared to the CM pair'

agreed BC - for me the first three mentioned are priority positions along with another mid (DM leader type)

 

[Kyras]

Watching him a few times, He's similar to Essien or Real's M. Diarra, in that he can sit and be a real nuisance and break up play, but has an eye for a pass as well. He also should score more as possesses a decent shot from distance.

If we were going for him I reckon he would be around £13m, unless he's got some sort of clause in his contract, He's been the main man in their midfield for a long time now, and they would miss him badly.

 

[Yiddo1982]

I really like Makoun and have wanted us to sign him for a couple of seasons. He is a bit more than your average DM, as he can really pass the ball around. He is like a cross between Senna at Villareal and Makelele.

I was previously unsure (having only seen him in 1 or 2 games), but I trust your judgement, Joey.

Good to have you back posting again. SC benefits from your ever-intelligent comments. :up:

 

[fazza]

He's an absolute rock in midfield on champ manager for me.

 

[lukespurs7]

No Modric! mg:




No Berbatov! mg:


*Faints*

yea soz sold him to chelsea ironically but it's fine though i'm above them in the league and fabiano has scored more

 

[lukespurs7]

senna from villareal still has a few good years left in him and is a class act.

 

[Kyras]

senna from villareal still has a few good years left in him and is a class act.

He's coming up on 32, and to adjust to the EPL at that age, from La Liga , would be incredibly difficult, especially for a CM.

 

[SpurSince57]

But that is exactly what they do do (ron) very often. This season we have invariably controlled possession in probably 95% of games we have played. Lately I and others have started threads about how we are one of the last teams to play 442. The burden on the center of midfield in a 442 is far greater than in a 451. Yet our (supposedly inferior) cm duo of Zokora and Jenas regularly dominate that area. I really believe that it is in other areas where greater problems lie.
Where do we create from ? We often get ourselves into good positions and the final delivery (cross, through ball, final pass) lets us down. Malbranque (usually outof position - so partially forgivable)keane (flaps and touch often lets him down) lennon (inexperience) Berbatov (?) are the worst offenders. And they account for 95% of the creative element of our team. Then we have the defence (& keeper)which for a long time clearly wasn't doing what it should, even in a very basic way most of the time.

So what am I saying. Yes the CM could be improved upon. And I won't grumble if we do. But it is not the reason we have struggled to win games this year. And other areas of our team are far weaker. GK, CB, LB (now Lee seems to have been exiled), LM. All of which ultimately do their job to a lower standard (for one reason or another) than they are required compared to the CM pair. Modric is a fantastic signing that addresses the creativity issue. But we will still leak goals if we don't improve three positions in the defence and we won't capitalise on Modric if we don't add players of a similar intellect and skillset to play wide and/or around him.

Back on topic, I like Makoun too and if the plan is to play Modric centrally in a 442 then someone like him would be vital. The 442/451/4231 etc question is the one perplexing me at themoment because it would influence so many things (which players to buy and how will they fit etc)

I'd partially agree. We have had the lion's share of possession in most games this season, but whilst we've seldom been overrun, have we really dominated either? I don't mean by keeping the ball, but by overpowering the opposition in the way the best sides can. And the weakness always seems to lie in the ball into the final third. Against PSV, with them sitting back and packing the area in both legs, presumably because they knew if they took us on in an open game we'd have mullered them, there were several occasions when Berbatov and Keane were on the edge of the area and no-one attempted a forward pass; instead the ball went sideways and backwards. That's hardly the only example this season, either. You mention the Everton game, and I'd agree, I don't think we played nearly as badly as some people say—the possession stats show that—but two pieces of rank bad defending and a freak collision did for us. Everton are not a side you can gift a two-goal lead to.

The defence has been a let-down, true, but I think that's less due to individuals than to the constant chopping and changing due to injury. We had more changes to the back four in the first six games of the season than we did in the whole of 2005-2006. You concentrate on Robinson and Dawson, as usual, but how many goals have Chimbonda's errors cost us? And we still haven't got things completely sorted.

Returning to the midfield issue, although I still have time for Jenas, I can't help thinking (I've quoted this before) that one of the Torygraph's correspondents got it right: he can play a nice tune, but too often seems to need someone to carry the piano for him. He covers a huge amount of ground, puts in a lot of blocks (at least two goal-line clearances this season), passes neatly; on the debit side, his tackling just isn't up to scratch in a 4-4-2. It's about as good (or bad) as Scholes's, but he hasn't the vision or passing ability to compensate. One of the most annoying things about Zokora for me still is that he can on occasion pull an absolutely stunning pass out of the bag (unless I can't tell these black folks apart, he put in a superb cross from the left during the ACN). Why doesn't he do it more often?

It's all very well having the run of the park; we had it on Saturday, but how many chances did we create before half-time? After half-time, after Dawson and Cerny's bungling gifted Bolton a goal, it was a different story, only then Berbatov and Bent in particular proceeded to make a bollocks of excellent chances. :roll:

 

[stemark44]

I think that our current top three midfielders are good enough to be part of the main 16 that makes up our first team - make that 18 because we will be allowed to have 7 players on the bench next season.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

I'd partially agree. We have had the lion's share of possession in most games this season, but whilst we've seldom been overrun, have we really dominated either? I don't mean by keeping the ball, but by overpowering the opposition in the way the best sides can. And the weakness always seems to lie in the ball into the final third. Against PSV, with them sitting back and packing the area in both legs, presumably because they knew if they took us on in an open game we'd have mullered them, there were several occasions when Berbatov and Keane were on the edge of the area and no-one attempted a forward pass; instead the ball went sideways and backwards. That's hardly the only example this season, either. You mention the Everton game, and I'd agree, I don't think we played nearly as badly as some people say—the possession stats show that—but two pieces of rank bad defending and a freak collision did for us. Everton are not a side you can gift a two-goal lead to.

The defence has been a let-down, true, but I think that's less due to individuals than to the constant chopping and changing due to injury. We had more changes to the back four in the first six games of the season than we did in the whole of 2005-2006. You concentrate on Robinson and Dawson, as usual, but how many goals have Chimbonda's errors cost us? And we still haven't got things completely sorted.

Returning to the midfield issue, although I still have time for Jenas, I can't help thinking (I've quoted this before) that one of the Torygraph's correspondents got it right: he can play a nice tune, but too often seems to need someone to carry the piano for him. He covers a huge amount of ground, puts in a lot of blocks (at least two goal-line clearances this season), passes neatly; on the debit side, his tackling just isn't up to scratch in a 4-4-2. It's about as good (or bad) as Scholes's, but he hasn't the vision or passing ability to compensate. One of the most annoying things about Zokora for me still is that he can on occasion pull an absolutely stunning pass out of the bag (unless I can't tell these black folks apart, he put in a superb cross from the left during the ACN). Why doesn't he do it more often?

It's all very well having the run of the park; we had it on Saturday, but how many chances did we create before half-time? After half-time, after Dawson and Cerny's bungling gifted Bolton a goal, it was a different story, only then Berbatov and Bent in particular proceeded to make a bollocks of excellent chances. :roll:

Exactly, I started a thread before the season kicked off stating that the biggest single reason we wouldn't crack the top4 was alack of top drawer creativity. It's why I'm so fucking pleased we have signed Modric. People think your crazy if you say we don't create enough quality chances. Against so so sides we are good enough to create chances but against top sides and sides well drilled we don't. Also away from home we don't enough. That's because it takes something special to perform under these difficult circumstances. I believe and hope that Modric is just that type of player.

I didn't think I'd singled out any particular defenders in my post above but yes Chimbonda wasn't exactly helpfull defensively always either. (I think I've said as much quite often)

 

[guy]

We definitely are lacking a player who can make that killer final ball at the moment. Thats plain as day to me. we can have all the possession in th eworld but if theres no one to play the strikers in it wont get you anywhere.

Sure lennon, zokora, jenas, steed CAN play killer passes but they cant do it consistently. If we had a MF of lennon, modric, quality DM, quality LM we would have more chances of great balls going into the strikers feet. Its a simple equation.

I dont know this makoun guy, but if he can run around as much/as fast as zokora as well as playing successful forward passes and hitting the target with shots then he has to be a step up.

I think jenas could play zokoras role better than zokora. He's got the same attributes plus some (ie shooting).

A Central MF 3 of jenas, zokora, modric could also be quite good?!?!

 

[SpurSince57]

He could, Guy, if he could tackle. He's got a 67% success rate on the Torygraph stats page, about the same as Huddlestone. That's really not good enough—and earlier in the season it was as low as 60%, which is pretty useless. Lennon gets more tackles right (78%!). Steed and Zokora are our most effective tacklers in midfield, and Kaboul in defence.

Compare our stats to United's. Carrick, Hargreaves and Anderson are all 80%+.

 

[mitch8the8spur]

modric = saviour

 

[Randall Flagg]

'GK, CB, LB (now Lee seems to have been exiled), LM. All of which ultimately do their job to a lower standard (for one reason or another) than they are required compared to the CM pair'

agreed BC - for me the first three mentioned are priority positions along with another mid (DM leader type)

Have we forgot about a certain Gareth Bale for at least one of these positions? :shrug: