🇫🇷 Kurt Zouma

[robsblubot 3,595]

On 10/18/2020 at 8:28 AM, The Skipper said:

I actually think Zouma is a better pure defender than Gomez, VVD hides a lot of his shortcomings. Gomez is a nice mobile defender but he doesn't read the game as well as Zouma does I don't think. Sure, he's probably better at defending out wide than Zouma because of his mobility, but Zouma is a far better defender vertically/in the middle of the pitch. Anyway, there isn't much between them. They'd actually compliment each other really well funnily enough. 

I mentioned this in the SFL thread but apart from yesterday's mishap has Zouma actually been bad/error prone this season? He's actually been incredibly consistent so far this season and has easily been our number one CB (AC and Tomori have arguably made more mistakes than him even though they've played less for example), also I am a little bit worried with maybe how a really physical centre forward could exploit that pairing.

Back to Zouma - I feel like people are highlighting this mistake and acting like this is what Zouma has been like all season when that's far away from the truth. 

Tomori Silva is interesting because Tomori is the CB most like Silva and he could probably learn a lot by playing with him (probably is during training as well) but it's clear to see that we lack an organiser at the back (this is usually Silva - super impressed with how well he commanded the back line against Palace for example - he had the most touches of all players on the pitch). The only other pairing I feel relatively safe with is Zouma Tomori (who ironically were also the best CB partnership last season albeit lack of game time). For me, our CB pairings should look like:

1. Zouma Silva

2. Zouma Tomori

3. Tomori Silva. 

In that order. Only call up AC or Rudiger if these pairings aren't available. 

Just commenting the highlighed text.

Can't speak for everyone, but that's not at all my issue with Zouma. I agree that he is very consistent, and there lies the problem for me: he's consistently bad. Merely being consistent cannot possibly be good enough at this level... 

Once again, take the last 15 or so minutes of the game against Soton as an example. He made a few importance clearances, even a nice last-ditch one. The issue is that every time he cleared the ball, it went right back to Soton, and in consequence, they were right back at us. Every time he passes the ball, and has to adjust his body to make the simplest pass (bakayoko style), is a red flag. For teams that will apply pressure up front, closing down on Zouma will be the bread and butter to regaining possession close to our goal.

"physical centre forward"

Not sure that's as important as it once was. The top sides employ players like Aguero, Jesus, Firmino, Martial... We employ a pacy skilled forwarder now. Can say perhaps Kane has some strength, but that's about it. Honestly, we should be overwhelming the smaller sides by keeping the ball most of the time and that's an easier task without Zouma.

Andreas is underrated here and IMO would have a much easier time finding a spot in a top side. He's a good footballer, which is something Zouma isn't.

Zouma is the quintessential sub. The very limited CB that you put in when you are defending against those final set pieces, and that's about it. 

[Vesper 30,178]

Sell Zouma in the summer.

He is done here, he is never going to be good enough.

Horrific on the ball and makes too many mental errors, plus is bad at positioning .

We can get great money for him from a hit n hope team.

[killer1257 3,282]

 https://twitter.com/WhoScored/status/1319658589494022144?s=20

 

 

There are levels

 

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[Milan 17,957]

3 goals already this season. We have been craving for another goalscoring CB, after watching the very best of JT or Cahill, and finally we can see one. And after watching frustrating corners and Christensen's inability to score. Marcos Alonso's goals (the so called biggest strength of the Spaniard) can be well replaced now.

[Puliiszola 519]

Clearly not good enough. Need to sell him and replace him with the great Rudiger 😂😂

[communicate 2,703]

6 games, 3 goals, 0 penalties 

Our most prolific player 

[chelsea_4_eva 1,182]

He headed that ball harder than I could kick it lol and I play futsal too!

[NikkiCFC 8,319]

In the squad over Upamecano, Laporte, Kounde...

 

[Vesper 30,178]

4 hours ago, NikkiCFC said:

In the squad over Upamecano, Laporte, Kounde...

 

Insane that Laporte is STILL uncapped, lolol

[Vesper 30,178]

with Varane collapsing and VVD out for the season, you could make a case Laporte is the best healthy CB in the world atm

although if you ignore age, Ramos probably for me (although that will not last forever and he is still a mega cunt)

only other competition would be (and this is arguable as fuck)

José Giménez (when healthy for a long run)  
Matthijs de Ligt  (I would not personally list him as such)  
Marquinhos  (my number one CB target)  
Kalidou Koulibaly (has rebounded from last season)

maybe (doubtful) Romagnoli
 

 

[NikkiCFC 8,319]

27 minutes ago, Vesper said:

with Varane collapsing and VVD out for the season, you could make a case Laporte is the best healthy CB in the world atm

although if you ignore age, Ramos probably for me (although that will not last forever and he is still a mega cunt)

only other competition would be (and this is arguable as fuck)

José Giménez (when healthy for a long run)  
Matthijs de Ligt  (I would not personally list him as such)  
Marquinhos  (my number one CB target)  
Kalidou Koulibaly (has rebounded from last season)

maybe (doubtful) Romagnoli
 

 

Would you take Ramos for free next summer? 

And why is Laporte not capped? 

[Rapkun 668]

40 minutes ago, Vesper said:

Insane that Laporte is STILL uncapped, lolol

I think Deschamps doesn't appreciate it when players threaten to switch national teams in order to get called-up, as was the case with Laporte and Theo Hernandez. Both of them will likely never be called in the french squad until Deschamps is gone.

[Vesper 30,178]

10 minutes ago, Rapkun said:

I think Deschamps doesn't appreciate it when players threaten to switch national teams in order to get called-up, as was the case with Laporte and Theo Hernandez. Both of them will likely never be called in the french squad until Deschamps is gone.

he is a fool then

both are superb

[Vesper 30,178]

although Theo had a rough night tonight v Lille

 

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

6 hours ago, Rapkun said:

I think Deschamps doesn't appreciate it when players threaten to switch national teams in order to get called-up, as was the case with Laporte and Theo Hernandez. Both of them will likely never be called in the french squad until Deschamps is gone.

Acm and shitty are really lucky to have them. Uncapped wc players are a rare treasure. likely to have a better career and stay injury free longer. I wish more of our players would reject call ups. It sounds harsh asking them to retire from representing their country but in fact you are just helping the corrupted fifa so there is no fair representation anyway. 

[Vesper 30,178]

6 hours ago, NikkiCFC said:

Would you take Ramos for free next summer? 

And why is Laporte not capped? 

hell yes

and I do not know

pure pettiness by Deschamps it sounds like

[Jase 43,479]

15 hours ago, NikkiCFC said:

In the squad over Upamecano, Laporte, Kounde...

 

1. Still don't understand how these international matches are being played during this pandemic.

2. Still don't understand how the national teams thought it would be a great idea to organize an unnecessary friendly, on top of the other two matches, in this congested season, in the middle of a fucking pandemic.

[Tomo 21,751]

2 hours ago, Jason said:

1. Still don't understand how these international matches are being played during this pandemic.

2. Still don't understand how the national teams thought it would be a great idea to organize an unnecessary friendly, on top of the other two matches, in this congested season, in the middle of a fucking pandemic.

And what If this pandemic goes on for years? Do we keep international football off the menu until then? A move that would rob players of a huge number of caps, some of which will end up getting denied the chance to play for their country during the entirety of their peak years.

International football may be boring to most of us fans but to players it's the total opposite, take that away from them and you will suddenly find a high number of demotivated footballers (for example, Thiago S had practically admitted playing in the next world cup is the main thing keeping him motivated and fit in what should be his twilight years).

[Jase 43,479]

35 minutes ago, Tomo said:

And what If this pandemic goes on for years? Do we keep international football off the menu until then? A move that would rob players of a huge number of caps, some of which will end up getting denied the chance to play for their country during the entirety of their peak years.

International football may be boring to most of us fans but to players it's the total opposite, take that away from them and you will suddenly find a high number of demotivated footballers (for example, Thiago S had practically admitted playing in the next world cup is the main thing keeping him motivated and fit in what should be his twilight years).

How about not playing during this second wave, third wave or whatever of the pandemic that has forced countries to go into lockdown again? How about letting players finish the season with their club and let them go play all those international games with their country in the lead-up to the Euros next year (similar to what happened after the restart last season at club level with the domestic and European competitions), instead of risking everyone's health with all the unnecessary travelling, going from one team's bubble to another etc?

If we want to play international football right now, fine, then play only the competitive matches. Why have another stupid friendly on top of the competitive games? International managers, especially, often complain about players being worn out by the time they get to a summer tournament and all and here they are, organizing a friendly, a needless match that risks the players to the virus, to injury etc in this already congested season. How is this even logical?

Like it or not, the pandemic has forced people to change the way they do things, has forced people to adapt to the circumstances, has maybe forced people to do things in a way that they probably don't normally do. People shouldn't act like everything is still normal and try to force things to look normal right now. Nothing is normal at the moment. 

[Tomo 21,751]

9 minutes ago, Jason said:

How about not playing during this second wave, third wave or whatever of the pandemic that has forced countries to go into lockdown again? How about letting players finish the season with their club and let them go play all those international games with their country in the lead-up to the Euros next year (similar to what happened after the restart last season at club level with the domestic and European competitions), instead of risking everyone's health with all the unnecessary travelling, going from one team's bubble to another etc?

If we want to play international football right now, fine, then play only the competitive matches. Why have another stupid friendly on top of the competitive games? International managers, especially, often complain about players being worn out by the time they get to a summer tournament and all and here they are, organizing a friendly, a needless match that risks the players to the virus, to injury etc in this already congested season. How is this even logical?

Like it or not, the pandemic has forced people to change the way they do things, has forced people to adapt to the circumstances, has maybe forced people to do things in a way that they probably don't normally do. People shouldn't act like everything is still normal and try to force things to look normal right now. Nothing is normal at the moment. 

Football has adapted, they're playing without a crowd (or in some country's reduced numbers), putting tight safety measures in to protect players which has worked excellently (football wouldn't have got the green light to resume let alone carry on during lockdown 2.0 had they not) and players have to follow strict rules when away for a match (for example no one would have raised an eyebrow at Greenwood and Foden getting a bit horny in normal times). Also every player will be tested before they switch from club to International bubbles.

Furthermore is players playing for international's (most of whom in country's significantly better off than England right now) any more "outrageous" than letting Everton or Liverpool (in the country's hot spot) host for example Southampton (where there's no real problems with the virus at this point).

Footballers are safer than they've ever been right now.