10-27-2004, 10:27 AM
|
#1 (permalink)
|
| I Fell The Fuck Off
Status: Offline
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 2,922
vBookie Cash: 500
Rep Power: 11  | 49 Unbeaten: Player of the Run.
Quote:
Kolo Toure
Arsenal.com editor Richard Clarke attended nearly all of the 49-game unbeaten run. Over the next few days, he'll give his personal opinion on the Game of the Run, The Goal of the Run and the Nearest Arsenal came to Defeat. But he kicks off with the Player of the Run.
For me, the outstanding player of the 49-game unbeaten run was Kolo Toure. If you snapped back by saying: "No way it's got to be Henry / Campbell / Cole / Vieira" then you would get no argument here. That quartet have been simply outstanding. But then when are they not?
Perhaps their contribution is so consistently high that excellence is their standard. Toure's achievements are different. Remember when he joined Campbell at centre back for the start of last season, it was a bit of a gamble. The Ivory Coast international had started just nine Premiership games and none of them at the position into which he would settle. Right back, left back, right midfield, he had roamed around the lot.
In the end it was the frantic final stages in the FA Cup sixth round replay at Stamford Bridge that first alerted Arsène Wenger to Toure's new role. Pascal Cygan's dismissal meant a re-organisation. The manager had little option to push back Toure. But just six days past his 22nd birthday, he remained calm amid the tumult and strong against the Blue tide sweeping toward him.
Toure is not the tallest centre back but is rarely beaten in air. His strength, pace, enthusiasm and determination also count in his favour. Yet that is not where he has really excelled for me.
Centre back is a position where experience counts. You are the keystone of the team's formation, the base of its spine and the last line of defence. No matter how good a coach Arsène Wenger may be, he cannot teach experience. Toure has had to learn his position while playing there. There have been no let-offs and no let-up.
He has started 47 of the 49 games and was substituted only once. That came after 20 minutes of the 1-1 draw at Everton on January 7. The foot injury he picked up that day meant he missed his only game of the run - at home to Middlesbrough - and in the match after that racked up his only substitute's appearances.
Aside from that Toure has played every minute of every game and has been part of an Arsenal defence that has conceded fewer goals than any since Dixon-Adams-Keown-Winterburn prowled the Premiership.
If Toure can match their miserly nature over the next few years then he'll surely help the Club to many more trophies. Greatness is not guaranteed for Toure but his performances during the 49-game unbeaten run suggest it is just around the corner.
| -arsenal.com
I'd definitely have to agree with all of that. |
| |
|
|  |