1 hour ago, weetee said:

Agreed. Zouma reminds me a bit on Kimpembe who almost completely fell out with Tuchel during their first season but seriously stepped up his game and became a regular starter (and a more or less top10 CB imho) the second/third season. Not sure about Zoumas passing game, don't know him that well, and the amount of passes + success rate isn't all that telling for a CB in a possession based system imho what counts is the amount and quality of vertical passes made to help building some pressure / help the offense.

As soon as Thiago comes back into play I can see Azpi getting some rest (finally) and would hope Zouma gets and takes his chance.

I never rated that Kimpembe at all, but he was solid as a f**king rock in that Champions League final, looked like a different player. 

11 minutes ago, Slojo said:

I never rated that Kimpembe at all, but he was solid as a f**king rock in that Champions League final, looked like a different player. 

I watched him quite closely in the last three years and I have to say he's one of my fav players - doesn't talk a lot but acts like a beast. In the beginning he was quite inconsistent with a really dumb mistake every other game, gifting away pens and whatnot - but he really grew up a reliable and consistent player, very professional and extremely focussed. Was always quite the athlete but now got the brains as well. I don't think he's probably yet there to manage a defensive line all alone on the top level but next to a guy like Thiago (or Marquinhos for that matter) I think he's quite brilliant. Hope Zouma can get there 😉

 

A small anectodal info: in the hefty fallout after the United debacle when everything went downhill in Tuchel's first season at PSG it's said Kimpembe openly told other/younger players to more or less ignore what TT just said during half-time in the locker room (which made Neymar call him almost out via media after the game) which I thought would result in an unavoidable but unfortunate sell-out after the season's over, but both of them got their act together instead and Kimpembe became one of the few regular starters in PSGs CL campaign and even captain in some games.

I don't care what anyone says about you Zooms.

https://tenor.com/view/love-you-daddy-shrek-gif-5756733

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 17, 20215 yr by just

Surely I can't be the only one? Com'on people give a bit of reaction to the big guy last night. I thought he had a great game.

2 minutes ago, just said:

Surely I can't be the only one? Com'on people give a bit of reaction to the big guy last night. I thought he had a great game.

You're not the only one, I thought he was impressive. Like in the away game, he didn't take any sh*t from anybody. 

42 minutes ago, just said:

Surely I can't be the only one? Com'on people give a bit of reaction to the big guy last night. I thought he had a great game.

I loved when he stepped in and basically scared the crap out of the Madrid players when they were surrounding Rudiger after the red card, was like he was swatting flies away. 

I won't lie, I had little negative feeling in my mind when Zouma played as our CB in back 3. But he put a great performance yesterday.

He was always there, first to the ball, aggressive when needed. No stupid fouls, no stupid reactions towards the ball. He was in focus all the game and filled the missing spot perfectly. 

Well done Zouma!

Com'on @Ballack & Blu. Come and give Kurt a big sloppy kiss. You know he deserves one.

34 minutes ago, just said:

Com'on @Ballack & Blu. Come and give Kurt a big sloppy kiss. You know he deserves one.

His heart is in the right place, but my lips ain’t, maybe because he plays like the ball is alien to him, it doesn’t look easy for him, like say Alonso

1 hour ago, Ballack & Blu said:

His heart is in the right place, but my lips ain’t, maybe because he plays like the ball is alien to him, it doesn’t look easy for him, like say Alonso.

Thought he had great game myself.

Edited March 18, 20215 yr by just

5 hours ago, just said:

Surely I can't be the only one? Com'on people give a bit of reaction to the big guy last night. I thought he had a great game.

Not the only one. Was a real knock to the confidence when I saw he was in for Andreas as I was concerned we would see him lose concentration like against Saints. 

He kept his mind on the task and did the simple things well, add to that the things he does well, strength, speed, passion.

Ideally you put Silvas brain in to Kurt's body and we have the world best CB.

It could just be me, but that clumsiness in his passing and first touch is first disappearing. He's comfortable on the ball and not panicing when being pressed on, could say the same about the other defenders.

9 hours ago, icecoolguy22 said:

It could just be me, but that clumsiness in his passing and first touch is first disappearing. He's comfortable on the ball and not panicing when being pressed on, could say the same about the other defenders.

May just be my opinion but I dont think he was ever clumsy in touch or passing, he just looks like he is. I know its an odd hair to split but he does have an ungainly way of kicking the ball in that he doesnt stroke it around but that belies the actual kick itself 

3 hours ago, Bonzodog29 said:

May just be my opinion but I dont think he was ever clumsy in touch or passing, he just looks like he is. I know its an odd hair to split but he does have an ungainly way of kicking the ball in that he doesnt stroke it around but that belies the actual kick itself 

Agree completely. In regard to long balls out of defence I think he's very good.

On 18/03/2021 at 11:48, Ballack & Blu said:

His heart is in the right place, but my lips ain’t, maybe because he plays like the ball is alien to him, it doesn’t look easy for him, like say Alonso

Another solid game from the big guy and he had plenty of defending to do today. Time to slap on your preferred shade of lipstick and pucker up BB?

57 minutes ago, just said:

Another solid game from the big guy and he had plenty of defending to do today. Time to slap on your preferred shade of lipstick and pucker up BB?

He did make some crucial interceptions, and defended well

MOTM today

Not sure why Keown decided to give it to Pulisic, on a positive note it should help him with his confidence. 

1 hour ago, Ballack & Blu said:

He did make some crucial interceptions, and defended well

Believe me, that is praise for someone i don't rate, i certainly don't hate, like to berate, but played well 9 (ish) on this date...

In a game where none of our defenders played well it takes a special level of bad to make Zouma stand out. 

I keep repeating myself but he's just not good enough. I feel like he keeps getting into the team more for his height than his actual defending ability. 

22 minutes ago, Remodez said:

In a game where none of our defenders played well it takes a special level of bad to make Zouma stand out. 

I keep repeating myself but he's just not good enough. I feel like he keeps getting into the team more for his height than his actual defending ability. 

But of an extreme reaction but I understand the frustration behind it.

Think It Was West Brim's Third Goal Where Zouma Was Basically Walking Back To Our Box Instead Of Trying To Get Back Into Position To Get A Block Or Anything, Granted We Were Poor At The Back But He Was The Worst, Outside Of Silva's Red

No idea why he started the game yesterday and why he was picked on the left side of the three. 

Really felt like Tuchel was shoehorning him into the team. 

Given how well we had played defensively recently I was surprised to see both of Christensen and Zouma left out of the starting line up when they've been the two best defenders over the last two months. 

23 hours ago, Jackson27 said:

Think It Was West Brim's Third Goal Where Zouma Was Basically Walking Back To Our Box Instead Of Trying To Get Back Into Position To Get A Block Or Anything, Granted We Were Poor At The Back But He Was The Worst, Outside Of Silva's Red

 

On 03/04/2021 at 14:36, Remodez said:

In a game where none of our defenders played well it takes a special level of bad to make Zouma stand out. 

I keep repeating myself but he's just not good enough. I feel like he keeps getting into the team more for his height than his actual defending ability. 

He's not good enough. Sadly I've come to the conclusion that Zouma wouldn't start for Pep, Klopp or any other top manager. He is a rotation player at best but he wouldn't be in an elite team. It's criminal how often he gets caught ball watching. 

I went and rewatched all of the goals a good few times to pinpoint not only the mistake that led to it but the manner in which we conceded. Aside from the first goal we had the number advantage in pretty much all of the goals I'm talking 6v3 and 7v4 not even including Mendy.

Even if you accept the first 3 goals and the 3rd really shouldn't happen because he was in acres of space and we had so many players back. The fourth (I think it was this one) was criminal by Kurt. No spacial awareness he's looking at the ball whilst jogging back. All the other defenders have a man and the ball gets pulled back to Kurt's side where he should be defending or at least have an eye over his shoulder to see the spare man he doesn't and the guy buries his chance.

Collectively we were bad but individually some players just weren't about it yesterday. There is a coming back from this for Kurt but If I was the manager I wouldn't count on him as a starter.

 

Takes too much time on the ball and plays the wrong pass quite often slowing down our build up. Compare him to Rudiger and Silva who played major contributions to some of the goals we scored recently. Not good enough.

https://metro.co.uk/2021/05/13/ian-wright-singles-out-chelseas-weak-link-in-arsenal-defeat-14577108/?ico=related-posts

I have to say I agree with this on Zouma, While Jorginho's error cost the game. I think Zouma may have played himself off the squad against Arsenal.