Diarra and Maka ?

[yogic]

mikels long legs and movement remind me of viera

his casual approach reminds me of zindane

 

[dkw]

diarra struggled, but one game doesnt make a player. i wish people would stop with the kneejerk reactions. although ive been more impressed with mikel tthan diarra of late. i think it woulda been a different game if he wasnt suspended.

 

[barak81]

He has actually played a couple of games at DM this seaosn as well as last and looked good in almost all of them so i dont know why people are getting on his back about one game..

cirtainly far from finished product, yes exciting prospect, deffinatly

 

[Sofa Manager]

Agree with the Diarra defenders.

He did request a first team oportunity not so long ago, one wich almost caused an incident with Mourinho.

He had his chance, though not as DM - wich I felt was a bit unfair to him, honestly - playing as a makeshift rightback, where he was decent.

Next step Is/was obviously steping out as DM. His favorite and "natural" position.

So did he, even though he had a stinker of a match.

I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt however, and as loz said, what happened is just a step on a natural learning process, no more no less.

On his defense would also like to add he was "only" agains Lennon who has been a nightmare to all opposing defenders this season. That was also a smart move by Jol (getting him to play behind the strikers on Diarra's land).

On Mikel; IMO it would be a waste to make him a DM. He is an attacking midfielder, or at the best a box-to-box, and one that looks to be very composed on the ball and an excelent passer.

This may be regarded as a sacrilege for quite few, (a compliment for me) but he apears to be a Ballack on the making.

On the near future I can see a midfield 4 made off Diarra/Essien/Lampard/Mikel or Essien/Lampard/Ballack/Mikel...or what I'd enjoy seeing: Essien/Lampard/Mikel(Or Ballack)/Joe Cole.

 

[Guest]

Diarra has played better as RB than defensive midfielder so far this season.

Is anyone suprised?

Things are simpler when your a wing-back. You don't need the football smarts and tactical know how you do when your playing in midfield. Just ask Geremi, I have little doubt he wouldn't still be at Chelsea had he not been moved to right back.

 

[mad_mac]

It's been said before and I will say it again.Why do some people think Mikel is a holding midfielder????

Deep lying playmaker, maybe, at a stretch, but in the 'Maka' role, seriously, where has this idea come from?

Don't know, but I don't advocate him playing in that position!

I think that Diarra in other games has shown great compusure whilst under pressure with teh ball at his feet. I also think that his long range passing is almost as good as, if not already better than that of makas.

However, I really think we should keep maka and Diarra need a complete season together, tape their heads together and hope for ozmosis (sp?)

Anyway, I also think that it is ahrsh to criticize Diarra for one bad game, especially when he has played RB for most of the games this season. however, he was way out of position for their 3rd goal.

Carvs scares me sometimes, but tactically he has been far more solid this season than in seasons past. I can't really remember him diving in rashly while an opposing player was in the area; while he did this almost every game last season

One thing I can't get over....Paulos inclusion in the game if he were to only be played half an hour, and then be replaced by Sweepy????

 

[just]

Carvs scares me sometimes, but tactically he has been far more solid this season than in seasons past. I can't really remember him diving in rashly while an opposing player was in the area; while he did this almost every game last season

What about the goal JFH scored for Charlton against us ?

 

[ethicalstrategy]

Carvs scares me sometimes, but tactically he has been far more solid this season than in seasons past. I can't really remember him diving in rashly while an opposing player was in the area; while he did this almost every game last season

What about the goal JFH scored for Charlton against us ?

Everyone is going to make a mistake at some time. Life is much harder when you are playing with a different partner every game and even more so when that partner is a midfielder or full back playing out of position.

I would say that Vidic has been fantastic for Utd this season but I still remember him letting Henry free to score a late winner against them. I still rate him highly though.

Carvalho, for me, has been excellent this season. Better than the last two seasons. And don't forget, he played centre half for almost all of that time too.

 

[Elliott]

Carvs scares me sometimes, but tactically he has been far more solid this season than in seasons past. I can't really remember him diving in rashly while an opposing player was in the area; while he did this almost every game last season

Carvalho, for me, has been excellent this season. Better than the last two seasons. And don't forget, he played centre half for almost all of that time too.

hear, hear.

 

[g3.7]

He has actually played a couple of games at DM this seaosn as well as last and looked good in almost all of them so i dont know why people are getting on his back about one game..cirtainly far from finished product, yes exciting prospect, deffinatly

I agree with you but I must add I have only seen him central when either we were not up against midfielders that need to be marked or when maka was in midfield as well.

 

[Paul_Seery]

At the moment I prefer Makathis season but next season I think it will be the time to let Diarra have a good rune in the side. Otherwise what was the point in signing him?

 

[sergeyMS]

At the moment I prefer Makathis season but next season I think it will be the time to let Diarra have a good rune in the side. Otherwise what was the point in signing him?

Signing who? Diarra? At 12 years old? I think just to see maybe it`s another Maka, if not we`ve get another one and this one we could sell to another club like Portsmouth... it`s just for example

 

[just]

Carvs scares me sometimes, but tactically he has been far more solid this season than in seasons past. I can't really remember him diving in rashly while an opposing player was in the area; while he did this almost every game last season

What about the goal JFH scored for Charlton against us ?

Everyone is going to make a mistake at some time. Life is much harder when you are playing with a different partner every game and even more so when that partner is a midfielder or full back playing out of position.

I would say that Vidic has been fantastic for Utd this season but I still remember him letting Henry free to score a late winner against them. I still rate him highly though.

Carvalho, for me, has been excellent this season. Better than the last two seasons. And don't forget, he played centre half for almost all of that time too.

I can't get away from the fact that, if you watch him closely, Carvalho still makes these sort of rash errors on a fairly regular basis. The fact is, fortunately, we don't always suffer the consequences. This is mostly down to the quality of players he has around him. And in particular to having the world's best keeper behind him. See the Villa home game for two superb examples of this.

Yes, all players make some mistakes, but world class defenders, the really top boys, like Maldini, like Gallas, like Nesta, like JT have superior positional awareness, don't commit themselves early and, generally, just read the situations better. Therefore, they don't make these mistakes anywhere near as regularly, and are much more solid, conventional centre-halves.

I'll just have to face the harsh truth I'm a bit old fashioned. When I look at the centre of our defence I get a warm feeling of re-assuarance and comfort when I see my centre-half is there. Where he should be. Hopefully, marking an opponent. Not half-way up the pitch standing next to my left winger.

 

[mad_mac]

Carvs scares me sometimes, but tactically he has been far more solid this season than in seasons past. I can't really remember him diving in rashly while an opposing player was in the area; while he did this almost every game last season

What about the goal JFH scored for Charlton against us ?

fair point mate, but my main point is that those instances of him diving in are fewer and more far between than those of seasons precious. I am merely saying that he doesn't scare me "as muc" and that he has done well acting as our only CB for most of this season

Scott