Zokora = Davids?

[van_Pommel]

I posted this in another thread and then realised it was pretty unrelated. So rather than let it go to waste I'll stick in here as its about Zokora.


A DM who is playing behind 2 CMs, especially ones as creative as Huddlestone and Modric, does not need vision, or a particularly wide range of passing.

What he needs is extremely good stamina(check), determination in the tackle(check), and the positional awareness to close down space which the opponent will try to exploit(no check). Above all though, a really good DM, will keep the game simple. He will win the ball, or make an interception, and then find an easy, short pass to a team mate in plenty of space. He will also roam from side to side behind the 2 CMs, always offering an outlet when in possession.

Zokoras problem is that he over-complecates things. He loves a dribble and a change of direction when a simple pass to a team mate in space would retain possession and begin a counter attack for us. At Chelsea he was much better, he took a few chances holding onto the ball too long but luckily he got away with them. DM is a relatively simple position to play. However it's no cooincidence that the real world class DMs dont become world class until they reach their late 20s. The hardest part of being a DM is having the awareness to plug holes and anticipate where the opposition are going to attack, this is something that comes with experience. Makelele and Senna are experts at this.

 

[danielneeds]

I purposely didn't say that, because I keep being slated by those who seem to believe a fantastic scoring record in the Eredivisie automatically equates to fantastic scoring record in the EPL. It doesn't, RvN and to a considerably lesser extent van Pervie and Mido (!) aside. And I seem to have good company in my doubts.

There is no doubt that the Eredivisie does produce some wonderful players. It also produces some very disappointing ones. I watch Huntelaar banging them in and think, 'Yeah, wow!' and then remind myself he's banging them in against sides that would struggle in the Championship, if not League 1. I picture Bent and Defoe in the Eredivisie, running amok. Would we have more respect for Dazza if he was van Bent, with 30-odd goals under his belt? :shrug:

Yes but although the league is weaker, much like Portugal, the standard of coaching, particularly youth coaching, is light years ahead of most professional clubs in England. Huntelaar's technique is just superior to Defoe and Bent

 

[SpurSince57]

I wouldn't dispute that for a moment. Bent and Defoe's first touch can be decidedly klutzy—although if Bent can continue to finish as coolly as he did on Sunday I can live with that. It was interesting to compare that with Anelka's near Berba-esque control before hoofing the ball into Row Z. But what I'm questioning is not Huntelaar's ability but the total conviction some appear to have that he'll score as freely here as he does in Holland. The same kind of certainty was being expressed about Kuyt when we were in for him three years ago—although Huntelaar's a far more gifted player.

 

[klinsmann66]

I am reasonably sure that Carrick became an even better player through gaining experience by playing alongside Davids...........A player who had done it all ...and seen it all when he came to us, much like Desailly /and Terry at Chelsky. Zoko Pops unfortunately cannot /could not bring the same level of winning mentality as the afore mentioned players......but he is growing on me!!!

 

[jamesc0le]

I am reasonably sure that Carrick became an even better player through gaining experience by playing alongside Davids...........A player who had done it all ...and seen it all when he came to us, much like Desailly /and Terry at Chelsky. Zoko Pops unfortunately cannot /could not bring the same level of winning mentality as the afore mentioned players......but he is growing on me!!!

who the f is zokopops? do you mean ZOKOZILLA?Eek

 

[liberty]

Zokora is definitely improving, I'll give him that. I'm just not sure he's disciplined enough and has the right footballing brain/mentality. He also lacks other attributes that you'd give to someone like Gattuso, Davids or Mekelele. It's that never give up attitute and "I'd die right here, right now if I have to". Not many players probably have that sort of thinking - Gerrard and Essien spring to mind as someone suggested earlier. Vieira and Keane in recent years gone by.

There is no doubt that Zokora is the fittest player at the club.

 

[Krafty]

I think both Carrick and Davids helped us do so well. I think Davids brought the experience, Carrick the technique. Both were pretty good at reading the game, and with Jenas in there as well we played pretty narrow and were hard to break though.

I think the problem we incurred when selling Carrick was also trying to adopt a more expansive style of play, knowing that teams no longer misunderestimated us, especially at the Lane where they would pack defence and midfield and look to hit us on the counter.

I am still very much unconvinced by Zokora in a central 2, especially with the lack of a midfield leader in the squad. The whole midfield gets disjointed and players get caught out. One of the good things about sunday was we pressed as a team, not individuals, but thats what you get with 5 in midfield. However you lose that threat upfront with only one striker

 

[drjimmy]

I was impressed with Zoko generally on Sun, needs to cut out those missed placed passes pdq though.

He got better when Jenas wasn't in the midfield - make of that, what you will ........

But moving Modric moved forward, to where he can do some damage and having a player than can actually pass a ball - Thudd - also helps.

 

[robin09]

Speaking of Didier, I was reading Dearmrlevy.com, and in his latest letter he says this:

Liverpool have the dynamic goal-scoring Gerrard. Utd have the orchestral Carrick and the hard-working Hargreaves. Chelsea have the sublime Essien and we have the fine Zokora who had some fine games in a World Cup. Even Arsenal have a better DM than us and they don’t actually have one. What does Zokora do? He runs with the ball in a straight line then shoots widely over the bar. He’s not too far off 100 appearances for Spurs and in that time he is best remembered for that miss at Wembley. We’ve spent a lot of money on Modric – so how can we expect him to blossom and begin to create and score if he has to look over his shoulder in case Zokora tackles him by mistake? Adding Jenas into the same midfield is just taking the fucking piss. That’s like two Zokora’s lined-up to help you out. No wonder Modric looks so pale and fragile. He can’t sleep or eat, all nervous and scared.

Classic.

 

[Rupstoh]

Off original topic - 57 has got it wrong again as he did Mido a few seasons back.

 

[gibbs131]

Only if he takes some Nandrelone.

 

[jamesc0le]

(cpaste)

zokora needs to be deployed as an attacking midfielder.

corluka (sweeping mid)
lennon zokora modric giovani
pav/bent

ok so, he prob wont be playing pav/lennon/gio with ridiculously sublime through-balls, however he loves dribbling, just loves it. players like lennon and zokora have not yet developed their ''ball delivery under pressure'' techniques but until they do, just the fact that they are dribbling top speed at the opposition back four is going to put them on the backfoot. and once they are on the backfoot it makes it twice as easy for pav bent modric or gio to capitalise. with the freedom of being an attacking mid, of course, zokora would not change his game, he would still be causing problems for their attacks and tracking players, but also in an attacking mid position with no shackles he could also be closing down defenders and such. modric partnering zokora as attacking mids, this is essential to spurs this season.