Pape Malickou Diakhaté

[asajoseph]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

I thought he did come back, briefly, we went on a record-breaking CL defensive run, and then we got rid of him again.

We were pretty useless in the league during the same period though and shipped goals in every game, which is something that people tend to ignore.

We've been pretty useless in the league for 5 years.

Then again, I'm not saying we should bring him back, just that that's what happened. Either way, we need to do something to sort the defence, because Wenger's nowhere near getting it right.

 

[ricky1985]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

Surely thats Vermaelen though. Just as important is having a player with pace back there and we lose that if we lose Gallas.

I agree. I think we need a Gallas style player. Its not about being good in the air or being quick necessarily for either of the centre halves, its more about how they defend. Vermaelen attacks the ball, Gallas covers. Sol attacks the ball, Touré covered, Terry attacked the ball, Gallas covered. Thats why the balance was so wrong with Touré and Gallas, they were too similar. We don't want to go from having 2 covering defenders to having no covering defenders. It'd be equally as lopsided.

If you was building a perfect centreback pairing, you wouldn't have one centreback who was dominant, aggressive, and another who was more passive and reactionary. You'd have two centrebacks, both quick, strong, aggressive, and good readers of the game, and then let them build a working partnership. The less weaknesses you have in your game, the less reliant you are on a partnership to perform.

 

[GoonerAG]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

Hence Terry/Carvalho, Ferdinand/Vidic. We cannot form such a partnership ever since Campbell/Toure and that is a fact. Gallas and Vermaelen have been ok together, but we've still shipped in a number of goals when they lined up together that are unacceptable at this level

 

[longrufus]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

I agree. I think we need a Gallas style player. Its not about being good in the air or being quick necessarily for either of the centre halves, its more about how they defend. Vermaelen attacks the ball, Gallas covers. Sol attacks the ball, Touré covered, Terry attacked the ball, Gallas covered. Thats why the balance was so wrong with Touré and Gallas, they were too similar. We don't want to go from having 2 covering defenders to having no covering defenders. It'd be equally as lopsided.

If you was building a perfect centreback pairing, you wouldn't have one centreback who was dominant, aggressive, and another who was more passive and reactionary. You'd have two centrebacks, both quick, strong, aggressive, and good readers of the game, and then let them build a working partnership. The less weaknesses you have in your game, the less reliant you are on a partnership to perform.

Disagree Ricky, players will always perform their best when in a role which suits their game. You will struggle to name any defender who is equally good at playing aggressive attacking defending as well as reading and positional defending. Partnerships work best when the pairing complement each other, just like in midfield 2 Song type players and you would struggle to create, 2 Cesc's and you would struggle to cope defensively. Its all very well saying if you have 2 good players it will work itself out but it doesn't, because the natural game is interrupted by what the other player is doing. Gerrard/Lampard do not work in midfield as they stifle each others game, even though both are excellent well rounded midfielders.

 

[Timleaf]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

How do you explain the many good partnerships formed by similar kinds of players then? Bruce-Pallister, Adams-Bould etc, etc.

And how can you define defenders as 'attacking the ball' types, or 'covering' types in such a clinical way? What was Nesta, Desailly, Stam? Seems to me that those players, and guys like Sol, were aggressive, proactive and dominant when they needed to be, but also read the game well and had enough intelligence to drop off and cover in behind when needed, too. That's the art of defending.

And, imo, the reason the Toure-Gallas partnership largely failed was because niether of them could dominate in the air and niether of them were particularly vocal.

 

[Abs]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

I agree. I think we need a Gallas style player. Its not about being good in the air or being quick necessarily for either of the centre halves, its more about how they defend. Vermaelen attacks the ball, Gallas covers. Sol attacks the ball, Touré covered, Terry attacked the ball, Gallas covered. Thats why the balance was so wrong with Touré and Gallas, they were too similar. We don't want to go from having 2 covering defenders to having no covering defenders. It'd be equally as lopsided.

If you was building a perfect centreback pairing, you wouldn't have one centreback who was dominant, aggressive, and another who was more passive and reactionary. You'd have two centrebacks, both quick, strong, aggressive, and good readers of the game, and then let them build a working partnership. The less weaknesses you have in your game, the less reliant you are on a partnership to perform.

Disagree Ricky, players will always perform their best when in a role which suits their game. You will struggle to name any defender who is equally good at playing aggressive attacking defending as well as reading and positional defending. Partnerships work best when the pairing complement each other, just like in midfield 2 Song type players and you would struggle to create, 2 Cesc's and you would struggle to cope defensively. Its all very well saying if you have 2 good players it will work itself out but it doesn't, because the natural game is interrupted by what the other player is doing. Gerrard/Lampard do not work in midfield as they stifle each others game, even though both are excellent well rounded midfielders.

I agree with this 100%. Its not as simple as two good players will work. We need someone who can complement Vermaleen, not another vermaleen. look at rio/vidic or king/dawson or terry/carvallho. This players really complement each other. One is the reader and communicater, while the other one is blood and thunder....works great

 

[longrufus]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

Timleaf, I think pace in the game has changed football quite a bit, players are much fitter and quicker now, not to mention the change in style of the English game to a less direct and more pass based style. Adams/Bould would find it much tougher to cope with the super fast players and tightening of officiating.

Nesta, Desailly, Stam, Campbell are 4 of the best CB's to have played the game, why, because you are right they can defend both ways. Even then, these players were part of a partnership which complimented them.

I said previously, you will struggle to find players who are excellent at both, and even if you do find said player, how much would they cost? Could we afford them, the answer is probably not. The only way we can is if we spot talent early and bring it through, then we have to go through the development process and even then it might not work out. Otherwise you bring someone in that complements the team as required.

 

[outlaw_member]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

I came in here to make a point that Ricky has already covered. I think the reactive/proactive setup was necessary back when we had two flawed reactive CB's but I don't think it's same issue if you possess two predominantly proactive CB's. Finding a balance in defence is not as clear cut as the balance you would try to attain in midfield. Ideally, you would have two defenders who are well rounded so that if one happens to be injured, the setup does not cease to work.

That does not mean that we can forgo any recovering ability in our CB's, but that we don't necessarily need to find a player who excells in that area, just as long as he is capable of dropping off. Obviously, if we can acquire a defender who is strong enough in all parts of his defensive game and is especially brilliant at recovering then that would be the best solution.

 

[Lord Dula]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

Just get cahill and be done with it.

 

[GoonerGurjit]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur set to battle for signature of Dynamo Kiev star Pape Diakhate
North London rivals interested in Senegalese defender
19 May 2010 08:53:00

EXCLUSIVE
By Andy Brassell

Premier League neighbours Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are set to compete for the signature of Dynamo Kiev's highly-rated central defender Pape Diakhate, Goal.com UK understands.

Reports last week suggested that the Gunners were on the brink of getting their man, but a source close to the player has admitted he is weighing up his options with a series of clubs registering their interest - including Sp**s.

German outfit Stuttgart and French champions Marseille are also keen on the Senegalese defender.

Diakhate spent the second half of the season on loan at Saint-Etienne, but the French club missed Saturday's deadline to make the move permanent, and Dynamo have now informed them that they will consider other propositions.

"There are lots of interested clubs from England and Germany," said the source. "For the moment Pape is just going back to Kiev, where he'll weigh up all the options."

The 25-year-old has put on record his admiration for the Premier League before - citing Wayne Rooney as his favourite player - but remains open-minded. "He just wants to go to a club that matches his sporting ambitions," the source stressed.

What has become clear after Saint-Etienne failed to tie up a deal is that reports claiming the rugged centre-back will cost £10 million are inaccurate.

Dynamo have in fact set the fee at €8m (£6.8m). This has only increased the number of suitors.

As well as Arsenal and Tottenham, former Sp**s boss Christian Gross' Stuttgart have made clear their desire to take the player, while Marseille and Lyon have sounded out Diakhate's representatives as they look to strengthen ahead of their respective Champions League campaigns.

Diakhate has been heavily tipped to become Arsène Wenger's first summer signing as the Frenchman looks to rebuild his leaky defence for the next campaign.

The Senegal international has been on Wenger's radar for some time, having played in Ligue 1 for six years with Nancy before his 2007 move to Ukraine.

Diakhate then impressed with two outstanding performances for Dynamo against the Gunners in the 2008 Champions League group stage.

Harry Redknapp's Champions League newcomers have also been tracking him for over a year. Grave doubts over the future of Jonathan Woodgate, together with the fragility of Ledley King, have seen Tottenham renew their interest in a player they rivalled Liverpool for this summer.

With the current managerial and boardroom uncertainty at Anfield, it remains as yet unclear whether Rafael Benitez will re-enter the chase for Diakhate.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2565/exclusives/2010/05/19/1931720/arsenal-and-tottenham-hotspur-set-to-battle-for-signature-of" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2565/exclusives ... gnature-of</a>

 

[Lord Dula]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

I bet this happens.

****. What a horrible summer this is turning out to be

 

[nidza7]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

goal.com understands means they don`t have a clue and some dickhead journo makes up these stories which ranks up their site a bit hits wise . or he just paste this **** from somewhere.

 

[Lord Dula]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

I dodnt care what goal.com says, this smacks of an under-whelming signing of a player of the type we dont really require.

This one's in the bag

 

[Floating]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

I really, really don't think he's the answer. I pray we sign someone with more leadership, intelligence, and composure. Like Vermaelen but taller!

 

[Goons AFC]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

I really, really don't think he's the answer. I pray we sign someone with more leadership, intelligence, and composure. Like Vermaelen but taller!

Glad you're not being picky here. Let the cloning (with genetic splicing with Peter Crouch) begin!

 

[Abs]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

I find it funny that very few people have even seen this guy play, yet everyone think he is sh@t. What if he comes and becomes the answer?

 

[Floating]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

I really, really don't think he's the answer. I pray we sign someone with more leadership, intelligence, and composure. Like Vermaelen but taller!

Glad you're not being picky here. Let the cloning (with genetic splicing with Peter Crouch) begin!

If we're talking science fiction, we might as well create a beastly hybrid of Beckenbauer, Nesta, and Baresi. :twisted:

 

[kamikaze80]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

don't worry guys, we'll sell fabregas but bring in papa dickhead. the league is ours!

 

[GoonerGurjit]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

According to this morning's Daily Mirror, Arsenal will look to sign centre-back Pape Diakhate from Dynamo Kiev, but have dropped any interest in Fulham's Brede Hangeland .

The Gunners are reportedly tracking 25-year-old Senegal international Diakhate, who has been on loan at Saint Etienne in France since the January transfer window.

Diakhate could start next season alongside Thomas Vermaelen in the heart of the Arsenal defence with doubts over the long-term futures of aging defenders Sol Campbell , Mikael Silvestre and William Gallas at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal are reportedly leading a host of clubs to the signing of Diakhate including Liverpool, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

Pape Diakhate, 6.0ft, can also play left back or in defensive midfield and crucially speaks English which will aid his integration into Premier League football.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.imscouting.com/global-news-article/Arsenal-target-Sengalese-defender-Diakhate-drop-interest-in-Hangeland/7936/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">www.imscouting.com/global-news-article/ ... land/7936/</a>?

 

[Lord Dula]

Re: Pape Malickou Diakhate

I fear this is going to happen.

Might as well sign that dwarf Mexican keeper then our underwhelming summer transfer activity will be complete