[Archived] New Deal For Mokoena?

[Fife Rover]

Of course, if we bring in a central midfielder (as we probably need to) will Mokoena make it onto the bench? Bearing in mind he's such a woeful defender?

I just do not buy this myth that Mokoena is a fantastic holding midfielder. It, imo, ranks alongside the myth that Vratty Gresko was undeniably outstanding in his initial loan spell with us. A fantastic holding midfielder can play in other roles - like Jagielka, Makelele or even the less than fantastic Abdoulaye Faye of Bolton who has been often used as a CB as well as DM.

It seems that these myths become apparent reality through repetition. And imo, they're 'invented' to justify the signing of a bad player by the manager by the 'our manager cannot do wrong' persona in fans. Mokoena did a job for us in a 5 man midfield. That doesn't mean that he will be able to do that job in the future - see Douglas, Stead, Amoruso, Tiny, Andresen....etc.

He has his new deal - and I'm prepared to put my reputation on the line (*insert sarcastic comment here*) that Aaron Mokoena will rapidly fall into the dregs of our squad and play a minimal role in the future of this club. It's already starting - he wasn't even trusted to deputise for Tugay today.

Hughes has made a mistake. An ambitious club needs squad players who can be relied upon to start games.

It was nothing to do with trust; the reason Mokoena did not stand in for Tugay was because MH wanted to try Bentley in the Tugay role, which he accomplished with fair to middling success.

And as for your opinion that Mokoena is no use to the team; I completely disagree. He is very useful playing in front of the back 4 when we really need to defend a lead, and although his passing ability is still not good enough (especially in the creative sense) it HAS improved of late. IMO it will get bettter still if he gets games.

Edited December 3, 2006 by Fife Rover

[philipl]

This campaign against Mokoena is sheer sturrocking stupid.

The guy will not be on a fortune, he does have physical presence, he can disrupt the opposition, passes don't go forwards but he usually plays a good out ball along the line, the pace of the Prem doesn't phase him, he seems to be a very professional individual, he doesn't cause problems when he is displaced, he has got big match international experience - in short he is ideal material to have at a club of Rovers size and means.

No doubt if Sparky signs the players he is targetting, the Axe will be 20th in a 24 man squad but a player like Aaron is needed. It is a squad game these days.

[West Sussex Rover]

Who would everyone rather have on the bench? Douglas or Mokoena... Might seem like a easy answer, seriously though, think about it...?

Id go with Douglas.

[joey_big_nose]

I do find mokoena a bit pointless as we don't play 451 ever, even when we were crippled with injuries and playing high quality attacking sides likw man U.

Hughes clearly does not rate him as a defender- hence purchase of Henchoz - and he is our last choice central midfielder.

However i suppose we have to realise that mokoena is one of only three fit proper central midifelders (maybe 4 with Bentley). Until we get someone better we need to hold onto him.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

This campaign against Mokoena is sheer sturrocking stupid.

The guy will not be on a fortune, he does have physical presence, he can disrupt the opposition, passes don't go forwards but he usually plays a good out ball along the line, the pace of the Prem doesn't phase him, he seems to be a very professional individual, he doesn't cause problems when he is displaced, he has got big match international experience - in short he is ideal material to have at a club of Rovers size and means.

No doubt if Sparky signs the players he is targetting, the Axe will be 20th in a 24 man squad but a player like Aaron is needed. It is a squad game these days.

I agree Phil, well said.

[Y.B.]

Who would everyone rather have on the bench? Douglas or Mokoena... Might seem like a easy answer, seriously though, think about it...?

Id go with Douglas.

Are you the "blind man on a galloping horse" that Gordon keeps banging on about?

[AxesFirstTouch]

No hes the one stuck in the armchair whos never seen Douglas play.

[ihateburnley]

This campaign against Mokoena is sheer sturrocking stupid.....he usually plays a good out ball along the line

The fact of the matter is that it's not a case of "he can play in this formation but not in that formation"!!! He looks good as a defensive midfielder in a 4-5-1 formation because he doesn't have the pressure of having to do a lot on the ball, yet he is pretty good at winning the ball back.

Now I don't think we should settle for a midfielder that is good at tackling/winning the ball back and not much else. The guy is incapable of threading any kind of creative pass, he cannot head the ball convincingly and (i've said it before many times) panics when he gets possession.

There are certain members of this messageboard that will defend any player or in fact any person associated with Blackburn Rovers. Sometimes you just have to hold your hand up and accept that somebody is just not good enough.

As for Scotty (i think it was him) that suggested that Mokoena was "...the first player on the teamsheet in a 4-5-1" - this the most ludicrous suggestion I have heard recently and a pathetic attempt to back up an opinion.

[rover6]

It's all about ambition. Liverpool could've settled with Djimi Traore as their utility man defender - after all he played in the Champs League final and did a fair enough job as a CB at times. (Although, at other times his passing ability was sheer embarrassment).

However, even as a squad player, Liverpool's management recognised that they could do better than Traore with his bambi impressions with the ball at his feet. They had ambition and higher sights for this club., whilst no doubt acknowledging Traore's contribution.

I have huge respect for Mark Hughes and what he's achieved so far at Rovers, but I believe that by signing on a player as limited as Mokoena he has shown a lack of ambition for this footy club.

That's assuming Mokoena is his long-term utility man. If Hughes proceeds to sign a new defensive midfielder, it just begs the question, not of ambition, but what's the point of giving Mokoena such a long deal if he has been ordained to sink down the pecking order.

And for those who are comparing Mokoena favourably to Douglas - I wouldn't be so hasty. Douglas was no great shakes but his proficiency on the ball imo was superior to that of Mokoena. It's unfair to compare the two so superficially when you consider that Douglas TRIED to achieve much more on the football pitch. He tried to get forward and create and score - whilst defending as well. Mokoena's aspirations (being a defensive midfielder through and through) are much more limited.

Edited December 5, 2006 by rover6

[LeChuck]

It's all about ambition. Liverpool could've...

Why are you comparing us to Liverpool? What a ludicrous comparison, of course they can afford to have better back-up players than we have.

That said, I agree with IHB's post, especially about people defending him just because he's ours. If he played for anyone else there wouldn't be a single person saying he should be a Rovers player. People are massively exagerating his success in a 4-5-1 as well. He made some decent tackles, but his positioning and distribution were woeful. Looking back now he appears to have been a great success because there are a few big tackles that stick in the mind...but that's not what that position is about. Can anyone pinpoint a game in which Makelele made a terrific tackle? I doubt it...he quitely goes about constantly breaking up play and keeping it simple, niether of which Mokoena did on a regular basis.

[den]

Thing is - if the worst was to happen and rovers were to go down, would Mokoena be a regular for rovers in the championship?

We all know the answer to that, so why extend his contract?

[joey_big_nose]

W People are massively exagerating his success in a 4-5-1 as well. He made some decent tackles, but his positioning and distribution were woeful. Looking back now he appears to have been a great success because there are a few big tackles that stick in the mind...but that's not what that position is about. Can anyone pinpoint a game in which Makelele made a terrific tackle? I doubt it...he quitely goes about constantly breaking up play and keeping it simple, niether of which Mokoena did on a regular basis.

Mokoena was consistently good pretty much all through the latter half of the 2004/2005 season. Honestly. Not me looking back with rose tinted spectacles. He was excellent at breaking up the play and played a major part in us staying up.

I'm quite prepared to be accept I have misremembered things if people don't back me up, but I think they will.

[broadsword]

This campaign against Mokoena is sheer sturrocking stupid.

Haha! That made me chuckle.

It's all about ambition.

If that's the case, then we should try to emulate Leeds. Spend beyond our means and sink to the bottom of the second tier in 3 years or so.

Fantastic.

[rover6]

So after a couple of starts by Mokoena (and handsome victories to boot) have peoples' support for Mokoena crystalised?

Or are some a little concerned because it seems that against Everton he was again poor or at best, average?

Also, I note that Den apart, the majority of people playing down Derbyshire's talents on another thread are fans of Mokoena the utility man. Inconsistency? The fact that Hughes signed one got anything to do with it? Of course.

[Eddie]

I've seen both of the last couple games on tv and have to say that I think Mokoena has done well. He's not set the world on fire, but apart from the penalty he hasn't made mistakes. He's been tidy on the ball and is good at breaking up play. He isn't a Tugay, but he's good to have in the squad and if he continues to make improvements to the game then he could be a pretty decent premiership player. Certainly for the price that he came in for and the wages that I expect he is on then I would say he is a good player for the team. I don't think he'll ever hold down a starting place in the side, but I've always thought he had some potential and I think that he is starting to show some of it.

I'm playing down Derbyshire's talent, but I don't think that makes it inconsistent that I then think Mokoena is a decent player. Derbyshire has yet to prove himself at this level, Mokoena on the other hand has played his part in quite a lot of games and we know exactly what he is capable of. Derbyshire has shown a bit of pace and has scored two tap ins, I think everyone is happy for him and happy to have him but I'm waiting for me before I get excited.

[thenodrog]

I suggest that Mokoena is better off the ball than on it..... the complete opposite of Tugay in fact! I know its stating the obvious but its not as daft as it sounds either. He's limited on the ball that is obvious but his strength is in anticipating opponents moves and being in place to close them down / break them up. Such abilities never catch the eye but like Sav his opponents in midfield will know his worth as part of a team far more than any spectators.

[Scotty]

Mokoena did well yesterday and helped to protect our early lead as much as anyone. Derbyshire played ok, scored a good poacher's goal, but would still be behind our more senior strikers in the pecking order if it was up to me. He's promising though.

[Flopsy]

anyone remember that 50 yard pass he hit for MGP the other year, I think it was against Norwich, MGP chested it past the defender then smacked it in.

A great pass but im sure people will claim it was a shank.

Im not sure about the Axe, i think our midfield is such that we need him as backup.

However, if we have players in the reserve ready to make the step up, and we arent the people to make that decision, Hughes and the mgmt team are. Or at least people who regularly attend reserve games then Axe should be given our thanks and then packed off to whence he came.

Me I think he has the potential, its whether he and teh mgmt can make him reach it

[cn_barlow]

I dont think he be going anywhere for a while, its obvious that he's rated by the management. I think he's done a good job this season..he's certainly improving from when he first started playing in a four man midfield.

As for the mokoena- derbshire thing...i would say the the axe was more impressive at Everton..but as his name wasnt on the scoresheet most of you lot dont acknowledge his contribution.

I think Gallagher was more impressive than Derbyshire aswell..not that i dont rate the lad though...but just because he scored two tap ins doesnt mean he's the new messiah!

[James No. 7]

Quiet down you people. If you're going to start saying something positive about Mokoena, then you've got to offer up another option as a whipping boy for the perpetual moaners.

As long as Mokoena is committed to the club and Hughes and company support him, he will have my support during the good and bad times. He doesn't get anywhere near enough playing time for an unfamiliar position (career-wise), yet he shuts up and gets on with it and has been improving. As an added bonus he rarely gets injured and has leadership experience. A good squad player at least.

[Neil Weaver]

Flops, not going to stake my house on it, but I think it was Southampton. I remember thinking at the time that if someone like Gerrard had played the ball there'd have been many a pundit raving.

Gord, ANOTHER post I agree with . Nurse, fetch more pills.........

[92er]

So after a couple of starts by Mokoena (and handsome victories to boot) have peoples' support for Mokoena crystalised?

Or are some a little concerned because it seems that against Everton he was again poor or at best, average?

Also, I note that Den apart, the majority of people playing down Derbyshire's talents on another thread are fans of Mokoena the utility man. Inconsistency? The fact that Hughes signed one got anything to do with it? Of course.

Didn't Hughes sign both?

anyone remember that 50 yard pass he hit for MGP the other year, I think it was against Norwich, MGP chested it past the defender then smacked it in.

A great pass but im sure people will claim it was a shank.

It was superb.

[Presty On Tour]

I suggest that Mokoena is better off the ball than on it..... the complete opposite of Tugay in fact! I know its stating the obvious but its not as daft as it sounds either. He's limited on the ball that is obvious but his strength is in anticipating opponents moves and being in place to close them down / break them up. Such abilities never catch the eye but like Sav his opponents in midfield will know his worth as part of a team far more than any spectators.

excellent post

i have slated the axe in the past, his ball technique wheather it's control, passing etc is useless to say the least but he is not the compete player.

he is though, good at what he does best, breaking up the play, putting the foot in etc.

he is limited and can only improve is certain areas but for the price we paid for him i'm not complaining.

[AxesFirstTouch]

So do people now think it was right to offer mokoena a new contract? We could see Axe starting a lot more games now, Robbie is one yellow card away from a suspension, and we know Hughes wont start Tugay in every match, and the fact Mark started Aaron against Arsenal shows he rates him.

Looks like the official board are a little less charitable to the Axe then people on here are

http://boards.rovers.co.uk/posting.php?mode=quote&p=321208

Rovers6 makes a point, seriously Mokoena would struggle to be a Good player in the championship.

Edited January 14, 2007 by AxesFirstTouch

[Ozz]

I don't know why, AxesFirstTouch, but for some reason I seem to think you are not that keen on Aaron Mokoena.

Cant quite put my finger on it, but I definitely get that impression.