Jores Okore

[Toronto Villa]

He reminds me of Paul Parker. Another good little player.

Paul Parker is 5ft 7, Jores Okore is 6ft. Not sure that is a good comparison. Parker is little, Okore isn't.

It's funny with Jores but he looks a little smaller than that. That said he's still good in the air and he's pretty burly. He's got everything in his locker a top defender needs. And these days there is becoming less need for 6ft 4 center-backs.

It's his lack of neck that makes him look smaller than he actually is.

[PeterWithesShin]

when Okore first joined he played with Vlaar despite them being both right footed. Yes, balance comes into it as does chemistry. However one is a young and very promising CB, the other a very experienced CB and captain of the club. And two right players works if the understanding is correct. There are examples everywhere today where it works, and some of our own best CB pairings over the years have been 2, even 3 right footed players playing perfectly well together.

They only started 3 games together so we still don't know how well they work together long term. And as has been said, some players don't like playing on the 'wrong' side of a partnership. I read the Clarke Carlisle book recently and in one part he mentioned he had to play the wrong side and he had zero confidence in himself there. He didn't feel comfortable knowing positioning, using his wrong foot etc.

sorry but who is Clark Carlisle? I've never yeard of him

Click me.

[Gregorys Boy]

Well it has certainly been worth the wait in getting back fit and playing.  Right now he is looking one of Lambert's best signings.

[Ian.]

That's another quite crazy thing with the Lambert era. He's found two players who are going to absolutely world class in Benteke and Okore. That is bit a bad record for the fees we've spent.
You could add Guzan to that list too.

[ChicagoLion]

Agree Okore looks like a very good player, strong, quick and decent with the ball aswell.

[Toronto Villa]

That's another quite crazy thing with the Lambert era. He's found two players who are going to absolutely world class in Benteke and Okore. That is bit a bad record for the fees we've spent.
You could add Guzan to that list too.

I think Vlaar is also a very good player, and we would have seen more of that had he been able to stay healthy. Kozak was coming along too, and I think for a punt Senderos looked very good business. When you serpent at the lower end of the market while playing at the top end then naturally things won't always pan out. But he's done very well with the players he has spent anything that can be considered (in recent Villa terms) as significant. Who knows how good he might have been able to do with a MON size budget?

[SoccerHQ]

Sanchez is improving every game aswell. He'll be a good DM for us in time now he's getting the pace of the league.

[Toronto Villa]

Sanchez is improving every game aswell. He'll be a good DM for us in time now he's getting the pace of the league.

yes, I think he will turn out to be a super player. I hope there is some way of keeping Delph because Sanchez/Delph in front of the back four is starting to look rather solid.

[Rudy65]

Only a few matches, but Okore looks highly impressive. Not only that, he seems to have formed a partnership with Clark.

If Vlaar left, I'd be disappointed in as much as it'd be a player leaving on his terms rather than ours, which always irritates me, and happens too often, but I wouldn't be massively bothered squad-wise.

I doubt Vlaar will go in Jan. He is currently to injury prone and was holding his calf again yesterday. Be surprised if he plays all the games over xmas

[garyshawsknee]

It's interesting how quickly things can turn around, just a month ago we we're worried about his lack of games and wondered if there had been a rift between him and PL, and because of an injury crisis he has got his chance and looks better and better. Well done to Clark as well, he has improved a lot recently and as others have mentioned Sanchez performing better every week has helped the back four.

If we could create some chances and have some movement up top, we may have a half decent side.

[john e]

If we sold every player good and bad that a Lambert has bought in,
He would show a healthy profit I think, and not just because of Benteke

I bet there's not to many managers that could show that

[villan from luton]

Okore is looking as though he will be a top top player, really hope it is at Villa

[Toronto Villa]

If we sold every player good and bad that a Lambert has bought in,
He would show a healthy profit I think, and not just because of Benteke

I bet there's not to many managers that could show that

I still contend that if he commits to keeping possession and passing the ball, the opinion of this team by a lot of people will start to change. I just think as they get more used to playing this way they'll become more confident at it. We still probably need 3 or 4 players in of the Okore talent level that can really embrace this new approach but for the most I believe most of this squad can play this way, and play it very well.

[Richard E]

If we sold every player good and bad that a Lambert has bought in,
He would show a healthy profit I think, and not just because of Benteke

I bet there's not to many managers that could show that

I still contend that if he commits to keeping possession and passing the ball, the opinion of this team by a lot of people will start to change. I just think as they get more used to playing this way they'll become more confident at it. We still probably need 3 or 4 players in of the Okore talent level that can really embrace this new approach but for the most I believe most of this squad can play this way, and play it very well.

Things certainly seem to be moving in the right direction for the moment. Can't remember the last time I went home from two Villa Park games in succession feeling happy and that I'd been entertained.

[robbo1874]

when Okore first joined he played with Vlaar despite them being both right footed. Yes, balance comes into it as does chemistry. However one is a young and very promising CB, the other a very experienced CB and captain of the club. And two right players works if the understanding is correct. There are examples everywhere today where it works, and some of our own best CB pairings over the years have been 2, even 3 right footed players playing perfectly well together.

They only started 3 games together so we still don't know how well they work together long term. And as has been said, some players don't like playing on the 'wrong' side of a partnership. I read the Clarke Carlisle book recently and in one part he mentioned he had to play the wrong side and he had zero confidence in himself there. He didn't feel comfortable knowing positioning, using his wrong foot etc.

sorry but who is Clark Carlisle? I've never yeard of him

Click me.

cheeky devil ( I did click your link)