Zakora? What a DIRE player!

[SpurSince57]

Unfortunately, Brown wins only a very small percentage more of his tackles than Zokora (2.3%, to be precise), and gives away a ridiculous number of fouls in the process—91 last season, 58 so far this season. So, how anyone can claim that Brown generally wins tackles whilst Zokora does not beats me entirely. Pro rata, Zokora has put in more interceptions than Brown. Brown's passing is mediocre, Zokora's very good, at least over a short range.

We didn't buy Zokora for his goalscoring; one of the factors in our decision to sign Brown was probably 16 goals in one fluke season for the Blades. He managed two in nearly 50 appearances for us. Whoopy-fucking-doop.

I do love it when people pass off opinions as facts, and also ignores the very salient fact that Brown last wore a Spurs shirt over two years ago.

 

[paul_1979yid]

I know i like mixing it up on here and p*ssing people off but to say Brown is better than Zokora really is taking the piss.

Sorry but i did just wet myself laughing. This site will never cease to amaze me

:rofl:

 

[al_pacino]

Brown's passing is mediocre, Zokora's very good, at least over a short range.

Zokora's passing is my biggest problem with him, and its more obvious because he replaced Carrick. He always takes an extra touch before passing and he always seems to pass a yard behind his target, these combine to slow our team down going forwards.

 

[Spursking]

Zokora is a utility player - he can play in so many positions, and he is so committed to Spurs.

He has:
- Pace
- Aggression
- Defensive organisation
- leader on and off the pitch
- Committed to the Club.
- He is aiming high


Overall a very valuble player for Tottenham Hotspur FC

 

[Marty]

leader? Give me a break

commitment? OK, fair enough

aiming high? Meh

pace and aggression? Yes, but he doesn't always use it right.

defensive organisation? Not when he's in midfield anyway

 

[RoyalFlush]

I only read the first few posts of the thread and couldn't take it anymore (apologies if my reply is repetitive):

Are you all blind? Zokora is a GOOD player! Sure he doesn't score goals or grab all the headlines but he does what he is told to do. With all the DM players we've seen over the years, there job is to stop the opposition penetrating our defence, and he does just that. He works his ass off for the team, running around like a headless chicken at times forcing the opposition into mistakes. Bar the free-kick he gave away at Chelsea in the final he was one of our best players (albeit everyone played well that day) To say that THudd and Tainio are better than him is an absolute joke. Zokora is one of the quickest players in our team and once he goes on his ridiculous runs he adds another dimension to his game.

As you can see I feel Zokora is one of the unsung heroes of our team. If you're gonna share the hate mail about anyone, give it to someone who actually deserves it. Robinson? Bent? Cimbonda? People on this board need to get a grip, seriously.

 

[lukespurs7]

I think he is a bit of CM/AM rather than DM/CM ..

When he came, he looked skillfull and can beat players.

The possibilty of being CB or DM sometime could be another thing, but looks like his best in more attacking roles or 5 middle men like 2nd half against Chelsea.

ha

 

[lukespurs7]

I think some of you on here are labelling him as shit or whatever and that you are very wrong! I Don't think he is good enough or perhaps the right type of player for us to get where we want to be, I also don't think he was worth 8million, more like 4 or 5.

HOWEVER!!! What he is, is a defensive midfielder and for the job that they are required to do he is ok. Yes you can slate his lack or creative ability or ability to shoot but to be fair thats not his job. He IS a good passer of the ball, he tackles well and DOES make some nice interceptions. He is a good strong athlete and becomes a scapegoat whenever we lose or underperform when we should look at the team as a whole, Against PSV, Steed and lennon were poor, Berby was perhaps only average and as a team we didn't play particulalrly well.

I do think we should sell Zokora and hopefully get in someone more suited to the English game and our game, more of an all-round midfielder. For what Zokora is needed to do, he actually does quite well and you may not rate him but to say he can't tackle etc is all a pile of crap, defensively he is quite a good footballer, offensiveley and as an all-round midfielder he is fairly average and why we should sell him.

 

[lukespurs7]

Hope this helps

M. Brown - Generally wins tackles
D. Zokora - Does not win tackles


M. Brown - Grit and determination
D. Zokora - Fades out of games

M. Brown - Gets stuck in
D. Zokora - Falls over (dives badly too)

M. Brown - Known to score a goal or two in his lifetime
D. Zokora - Could not score in a brothel

Sorry but thats bollocks. Zokora is a very good tackler, he doesn't usually fade out of games, we may do as a team but as an individual he keeps going untill the last second, Zokora lacks some ability going forward but they are slightly different players, Brown is more of an all-round midfielder even having played LM on a few occasions, Zokora would NEVER play in such an advanced role. Zokora is a far better athlete, better at reading the game, tackling, has more energy, is faster,stronger and overall a better player.

Just shows how far we've come, we are saying a player like Zokora isn't good enough for us when he's actually a fairly big step up from what we had about 5 years ago, and I think a fair few teams in the premierleague would take a player like Zokora. He's really not that bad, people sometimes forget he's a DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER thats his job mabye not quite intelligent enough a player to fit into how we'd like to play but still a decent player and a far better player that Micheal Brown and anyone who ever suggests otherwise doesn't know what they are talking about!!!

 

[lukespurs7]

I think this is basically everyone's problem with him. If it wasn't that we'd spunked so much money on him, I would suggest that a lot more people would be loving him a la Tainio and Freund for his 'tenacity', his 'commitment to the cause' and all the other phrases that get trotted out for not particularly gifted players that fans for some reason inherently like. It's amazing the expectation that money brings, even when it's not your own.

a la Bent

 

[nidge]

Zokora is a utility player - he can play in so many positions, and he is so committed to Spurs.

He has:
- Pace
- Aggression
- Defensive organisation
- leader on and off the pitch
- Committed to the Club.
- He is aiming high


Overall a very valuble player for Tottenham Hotspur FC

Only problem is that none of those things require footballing skill and that unfortunately is the one thing he really lacks. Zokora does an ok job but, nothing more and I have seen nothing to suggest he will be anything better than just ok. :shrug:

Will just add that people seem to be missing a massive part of a DM's game is to dictate the tempo at which the team plays. Something I thought Carrick was extremely good at and something that I think Zokora is poor at doing as he often want longer on the ball to either control it or to pick the pass that he want to make at which point our attacks lose momentum.

 

[SpurSince57]

Zokora's passing is my biggest problem with him, and its more obvious because he replaced Carrick. He always takes an extra touch before passing and he always seems to pass a yard behind his target, these combine to slow our team down going forwards.

I have one or two problems with him too, but comparing him to Carrick is a whole different matter to comparing him to Brown. I still remain to be convinced that he has enough to his all-round game to be successful in a 4-4-2, but since he's been playing a more defined role there has definitely been an improvement, and he really doesn't merit the abuse that's been heaped on him in this thread—and that's what it is, abuse, not justified or justifiable criticism.

And again, if Ramos chooses to play him, he has very good reasons for so doing. Are some people suggesting he and Gus don't know what they're about?

 

[al_pacino]

We'll see today.

 

[RussellYid]

Anyone of the Zok-haters willing to admit he was half-decent today?

Or would you still have preferred to see Michael Brown out there? :roll:

 

[BoringOldFan]

Zokora had a very sound game today. Lots of good interceptions and a couple of trademark runs forward. Comedy moment was in the second half when we broke and Berb laid the ball back to him - and his shot was blocked.

Moved back to CB when Woody went off and did well there, although it got easier after Ashton went off.

 

[General Levy]

Anyone of the Zok-haters willing to admit he was half-decent today?

Or would you still have preferred to see Michael Brown out there? :roll:

I think that he gave the ball away needlessly near the end, but who cares...He was excellent today.:clap:

 

[RussellYid]

I think that he gave the ball away needlessly near the end, but who cares...He was excellent today.:clap:

My girlfriend's quick leap to action to revive me after my heart attack allows me to reply!

Please, no more shocks! :wink:

 

[Kendall]

Michael brown, jesus christ.

If every there was a midless thug with no talent it's him.

 

[hybridsoldier]

i cant believe people are comparing michael brown and didier zokora

zokora has more ability in his left toenail than michael brown has in his whole body Sure brwn is a great workhorse who gets about and gives players a good kicking. But Didier Zokora also has an amazing engine, gets about, nicks the ball back and has made some great surging forward runs.

He lacks an end product in terms of pass, cross and shot. But he is a good midfielder and I reckon he can cover CB and the Fullback areas too.

Michael Brown? You're having a laugh

 

[nidge]

I have to say I think the best thing about Zokora is how he went about his business today in a no fuss sort of way. Kept it simple when under pressure, apart from once and then played more expansive passes when given time to do so. Very good performance today.