Comments on: 5 Potential Heirs For The “Makalele” Role

By: Gent Shahiqi

Gent Shahiqi — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:56:28 +0000

And My top Defensive Midle players are :
1.Lorik Cana
2.Momo SIssoko
3.Gatusso
4.DIarra
5.Mascherano.

By: Gent Shahiqi

Gent Shahiqi — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:52:14 +0000

I think as for defensiv abiulities ..headers ,tackles,strength LORIK CANA Is one of the best in the WOrld.

By: byob

byob — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:53:29 +0000

makelele was a specialist. one dimensional but so damn good in his work that he didn’t need to do other things. and i don’t think the DMFs now are that sort of players. the only two others like that would be mahamadou diarra over at the bernabeu and toulalan at lyon.

and i don’t know how many of you watch la liga but fernando gago has been absolutely super in the role he plays for the merengues, holding midfielder. although that has changed some with the new diarra. anyways i think that even makelele’s best game came when he was paired with a tackling box-to-box medio. conceicao(anybody remember him) and makelele were the platform from where the galacticos launched.

By: Brian W

Brian W — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:36:10 +0000

Obi Mikel is going to be a top midfielder in the world by age 25. Makelele was great at contributing to the attack by using accurate passing, but the way Mikel holds the ball, powers away from opposition, and finds seams and creases to put through balls into the attack is going to change the way people thinking of the defensive midfielder’s role.

Mikel’s defensive skill, his weakest point currently, will only mature. After all, he is only 21 years old.

By: ahmad

ahmad — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 07:58:11 +0000

the thing is, we are looking for players who play as effective as makalele, who does everything i mentioned in my previous comment. as the headline indicates, we are searching for ‘Makalele-role’ players. the likes of mamadou diarra, lassana diarra, sissoko, yaya toure, lorik cana, etc are all excellent defensive mid.. no doubt about it. but these players (yaya toure and lassana diarra particularly) are more adventurous-minded from my point of view. almost none of them have the laid-back approach in matches like Makalele has. you can easily see the difference in their playing style.

when i say obi mikel and Tymoschuk as the best candidate for ‘Makalele-role’ players, i strongly mean these two have almost the same style in terms of game approach, mental, and duties as Claude Makalele. but do these two play as good as Makalele does, that’s another story.

I’m not saying obi mikel is the best defensive midfielder around. i’m saying he and Tymoschuk are the best bet to play like Makalele. Having the closest resemblance of Makalele’s playing style doesn’t mean he’s the most effective defensive mid, let alone being the best defensive or holding midfielders.

yes, of course, the names mentioned above (the diarras, cana, yaya toure, xabi alonso, pirlo, de rossi, etc) are already excellent in their own way.

again, i’m only sticking to the headline of this article, “Finding the Makalele-role players”.

By: Tim W

Tim W — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 05:26:23 +0000

Revolutionize? What is Mikel doing that is so revolutionary? I’m really shocked by some people who think Mikel is a good defensive midfielder – he’s decent at best but i guess since we are all overwhelmed by the premier league, decent players are magically transformed into great players.

Yomi’s selection is very debatable as the likes of Essien and De Rossi could be categorized as box to box players but he also has a point when he calls them holding midfielders. I think the difference is the term “defensive midfielder” from the term “holding midfielder”. Essien and De Rossi are holding midfielders but not necessarily defensive midfielders while Cambiasso and Mascherano are more defensive midfielders rather than holding midfielders.

Strictly looking at defensive midfielders, Mahammadou Diarra, Lorik Cana, Alou Diarra, Sissoko, Jean Makoun, Yaya Toure, Tymoschuck and Lassana Diarra come to mind and when i think of holding midfielders, the likes of Essien, De Rossi, Pirlo, Tim Borowoski, and Xabi Alonso spring up.

Coincedentally, when i think of a defensive mifielder who is also a holding midfiedler, his choice Jeremy Toulalan is probably the best candidite.

One more thing, let’s do everyone a favor and watch other leagues outside England, Spain and Italy – the German and French league have a lot to offer.

By: Brian W

Brian W — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:46:10 +0000

BTW, as a fellow Blue, you would also know that Mikel, alongside Anelka, has been our player of the year thus far. The same Mikel playing in the holding role that is going to revolutionize how we look at defensive midfielders.

By: Brian W

Brian W — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:44:12 +0000

Think whatever you want, Yomi, but your selection is laughable. I don’t know what matches you watched with Essien in the holding role, because 99% of the time he plays as a box to box mifielder. And any club that would have him in the future would have him playing box to box.

Gerrard is a great talent and can play well on the wing, but he isn’t a winger now, is he?

By: jamie_sheffield_owl

jamie_sheffield_owl — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:26:38 +0000

You forgot someone OWEN HARGREAVES!? he is quality he should be up there on the list

By: munichred

munichred — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 06:03:17 +0000

Sissoko and the three Diarras (Alou, Lassana and Mahamadou)should have been up there. Of these four, its Sissoko who would be perfect for messing up the opponent’s midfield tactics. See bobby digital’s description: a machine.