carrick&mido or zokora&berbie

[olly27]

have we really improved..am worried by the lack of creativity in our midfield, however the season has only started and the new signings need a reasonable amount of games to gel and settle in.I definitely think berbie is a good buy and better than Mido but am concerned of carricks departure especially if that 18 million is just gonna sit in the bank..was levy no to give jol 25 million before carricks departure? if so selling carrick and reid we havn't really spent much....we need to sign quality if we want to break into the top 4 simple as that...

[JJ]

I think as far as the Premiership is concerned, Zokora & Berbatov are more suited to it. Fast paced and physical, and these seem to be 2 attributes that both of the players have in abundance. I expect great things from them both, and in very small patches on Saturday we could see what they're capable of.

Zokora breaks with the ball at real pace, and Berbatov's ball control looks fantastic, even when under pressure.

[olly27]

i agree with you..just hope we sort out the left hand side

[JJ]

Yeah, at the moment only having one winger, we're going to be alot easier to defend against as they just have to cover Lennon. If we can get another dangerous winger for the left, then it immediately stretches the opposition defence as they then have to cover both wings properly.

[olly27]

who would you like to see on the left wing?

[JJ]

Well, right now i would give Routledge and Lennon a go on the wings, swapping over every now and then. The combined pace of the pair would be terrifying for full backs.

If we are buying someone i would want MG Pedersen, but i don't see that happening as he just signed a new contract. I haven't seen much of Petrov so i can't comment, but my brother says he's a very tidy player.

[suBerb]

W I haven't seen much of Petrov so i can't comment, but my brother says he's a very tidy player.

read that Atletico boss said Petrov is not for sale, so Downing is a more realistic target

[JJ]

read that Atletico boss said Petrov is not for sale, so Downing is a more realistic target

Ah, I wasn't aware of that. The last i had read was that the Atletico boss wasn't too impressed by his pre-season and was ready to listen to offers.

[olly27]

yeah but how much would you pay for downing, personally i think, not that i am an expert on valuations, he's no more than 7/8 million max.As he's british and middlesborough are desparate to keep him i could see them demanding at least 10 million maybe more.

[Keanoldinho]

What ever happened to Denilson, last I heard he was available on a free

[JJ]

I wouldn't really want Downing if we could avoid it.

He's got good delivery and all, but i want a more exciting player.

[suBerb]

he's no more than 7/8 million max.As he's british and middlesborough are desparate to keep him i could see them demanding at least 10 million maybe more.

this is why I'm a bit pessimistic about signing Downing or a quality LW this summer

[olly27]

i know he wouldn't set the world a light but would provide balance and shape to the side..i think we would be a better side with him in it than not..you would play lennon zokra tainio and downing...wouldn't be that bad..but i know what you mean..

[olly27]

i cant stand seeing davids on the left..he was great in his time but he's past his best and we are playing him out of position!

[Chinaman]

I would pick the Barbie/Zoko combo to be better than the
Mido/ Carrick one as stats at the end of the season shall prove.

[suBerb]

I think that Zoko and Carrick are different players. Zoko is better deffensively whereas maybe Carrick is better offensively. I'm not sure that Zoko is very good at assisting goals. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[JJ]

I think that Zoko and Carrick are different players. Zoko is better deffensively whereas maybe Carrick is better offensively. I'm not sure that Zoko is very good at assisting goals. Hopefully I'm wrong.

I think alot of people will be surprised by how much Zokora will get up the pitch. Several times against Bolton he would just turn on the pace and bomb through the middle, and i can see him doing alot of that.

[choda]

I think, on first glance, Zokora looks like he could be a really serious footballer in the making. I'm talking the next great general in the prem. Essien came with that tag but I don't think he's come near to living up to it.

[JJ]

I think, on first glance, Zokora looks like he could be a really serious footballer in the making. I'm talking the next great general in the prem. Essien came with that tag but I don't think he's come near to living up to it.

Yep. I think i mentioned it in a thread a while ago, but Zokora seems perfectly suited to the Premiership.

[Indianspur]

Dont think Zokora was signed to be a playmaker but to be some rough mofo to sweep up the mess created by jenas and other donkeys losing the ball . Hopefully taino replaces jenas and the wingers will do the creating!

[singapore spur]

would go with zokura/berby over carrick/mido ,

as stated if nothing else zokura seems to have more urgency about his game than carrick , and also more of a dominating presence in the mode of dare i say it viera , washing mouth out as i speak . ok his vision and passing maybe not up to carricks standard but more of an impact player

berbatov a class ahead of mido , mido seemed pretty one dimensional ,though he did a good job for us he wasnt ever going to spring any surprises against the opposition and i think he would have been found out with a second season here , maybe thats why he has ended up moving so often , berbatov though i have seen little of him seems more mobile , better team ethic , better touch , better brain , well just better all round apart from obvioulsy his ariel presence which was midos forte .

[Keanoldinho]

if Zokora & Berbatov played a 2 on 2 versus Carrick & Mido it would be a beat down Carrick would get broke in 2 by Zokora and Mido would get seriously outclassed by Berbatov.