What's new

Boubakary Soumare

Ben1

Well-Known Member
Jun 22, 2015
2,130
8,411
I agree that Zakaria is the better DM but I'm interested to see how Gedson develops. I think he could be pretty good in the DM position although he isn't in the 'destroyer' catagory that many crave. We have a lot of options even if Dier and Wanyama were to leave including Skipp, and Luke Amos is also doing pretty well at QPR.
Major difference between a lot of options and actually having one quality, match fit option.
 

JamieSpursCommunityUser

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
1,870
9,860
We should be going for Denis Zakaria over Soumare imo. He's more of a proper DM (been deployed as such brilliantly by Marco Rose) and he has stronger defensive stats too to back up what I've seen of both players.

League only:

Zakaria
Tackles per game 2.4
Interceptions per game 1.6
Clearances per game 1.1
Blocks per game 0.6
Dribbled past per game 0.8

Soumare
Tackles per game 1
Interceptions per game 0.8
Clearances per game 0.4
Blocks per game 0
Dribbled past per game 0.5

They have almost identical pass accuracy (Zakaria 86.2%, Soumare 86.1%) with Soumare slightly higher with key passes (Soumare 1 key pass per game, Zakaria 0.5 key passes per game). Almost identical in terms of losing the ball too, both pretty good at retaining it.

But as you can see in terms of defensive actions Zakaria is generally much stronger.

Zakaria is also playing in a stronger league.

I don't think this is the direction JM is going in though.

I think he wants a midfield that can comprehensively play through a high press in order to trigger dangers controlled counter attacks.

Not a less technical player that oppositions can target when they press.

A "pure DM" isn't able to deliver that - they are more useful defending the attack so to speak when dominating possession in the opponents half, as we would under Poch.

I don't think we're going to be married to those high possession tactics as were under Poch's philosophy.

So I suspect the brief is for a DM who is physical and aggressive at winning the ball, is superb on the ball, and can be trained to be more positionally astute in phases of the match where we chase the game and push up the pitch.

Makelele was exactly that btw. Very difficult to press as he'd just spin away and play a dangerous quality pass.

He started out as a no.8 I believe, and didn't move back until he was 24/25.
 
Last edited:

Nick-TopSpursMan

Well-Known Member
Aug 4, 2005
4,000
18,943
I don't think this is the direction JM is going in though.

I think he wants a midfield that can comprehensively play through a high press in order to trigger dangers controlled counter attacks.

Not a less technical player that oppositions can target when they press.

A "pure DM" isn't able to deliver that - they are more useful defending the attack so to speak when dominating possession in the opponents half, as we would under Poch.

I don't think we're going to be married to those high possession tactics as were under Poch's philosophy.

So I suspect the brief is for a DM who is physical and aggressive at winning the ball, is superb on the ball, and can be trained to be more positionally astute in phases of the match where we chase the game and push up the pitch.

Makelele was exactly that btw. Very difficult to press as he'd just spin away and play a dangers quality pass.

He started out as a no.8 I believe, and didn't move back until he was 24/25.

Well Zakaria actually started out as a number 8 so he has that side to his game and is good at beating the press due to his quality and mobility. He isn't like Dier.
 

nedley

John Duncan's Love Child
Jul 28, 2006
13,942
28,069
Well Zakaria actually started out as a number 8 so he has that side to his game and is good at beating the press due to his quality and mobility. He isn't like Dier.
Which ITK was it that said we had been watching Zakaria but deemed his quality not good enough?
 
Top