Jores Okore

[Hookeysmith]

With all due respect pelty unless you're a world renowned knee surgeon specializing in the ACL area I think the medical team will know exactly when and if he's ready or not. We tend to judge what's best based on experience.  Specialists base it on know how, latest medical advancements and the Patients specific healing ability.

With all due respect pelty unless you're a world renowned knee surgeon specializing in the ACL area I think the medical team will know exactly when and if he's ready or not. We tend to judge what's best based on experience.  Specialists base it on know how, latest medical advancements and the Patients specific healing ability.

He will be ready as that is what he said when i asked him !

[pelty]

If he plays this season, it's a bonus as we all pretty much wrote him off.  I trust the medical team to get this one right, but personally if there were any doubt I'd advocate not taking any risks. 

This essentially is what I am saying; but I would add that there is a difference between going hard in practice, or perhaps even in the reserves matches, and in the PL. I am just worried that he would tweak it or worse and, unless we are desperate to reinsert him into the lineup, which would mean we were deep in it and had bigger problems to worry about, I just do not see any serious benefit to playing him this year. Just my opinion... I respect that others differ on this matter.

[SoccerHQ]

I think this is part of the reason we didn't get a CB in January, his much better than expected recovery period.

Really looking forward to having him back, the lad would've been a revelation for us this season given how well Vlaar has played. Although there is of course a risk after such an injury but if he and the medical team are happy then go for it.

[Toronto Villa]

I imagine the club will take a cautious approach to bringing him back. And especially if by March/April we're safe or very close to it. He'll get some playing time just to get him back into things. I don't think anyone wants him to break down.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

He needs time to get back to the demands of a Prem game and the toll it can take - witness: Big Ron.
Patched up and with a weakness, other bits start falling off: calf last month; hamstring this. Same leg?

Wait 'til he's ready, then give it another 2/3 weeks for the "strain" of match-level fitness to become the norm.
Trust me, I'm a doctor!

[olaftab]

Less haste more speed as they say.

[Toronto Villa]

the truth is whenever he comes back be it this season or the start of next we'll all be nervous. I'm sure his reintroduction will be managed carefully

[Le Lapin]

With Vlaar's injury record last season and this season we'll need him back in some shape or form before the end of the season. The medical advances with regard to this type of injury are truly amazing if he's back that soon. If Vlaar gets any type of long term injury and we have to go with the so called "young lads" at the back for the rest of the season we had better hope that Gabby, Benteke and Weimann are in scoring form for the next few months.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I think that Okore's injury was a massive blow to the club, and resulted in PL having radically to change our pattern of play. I reckon if he had not been injured and had forged a strong partnership with Vlaar, we would be playing a much more adventurous style of football, particularly at home.

Instead, we now have to maintain a defensive shape and keep players behind the and ball rely on counter attacking.

Interesting point, especially regarding our home form. When Jores does finally return it wouldn't surprise me if we go three across the back. Jores looks like he completely owns everything on the right side, Vlaar controlling from the middle and Clark on the left. So many teams now play with only one striker, it would really free us up and strengthen the midfield plus give us extra width.

Whatever formation we play, based on the few games he played, Jores will strengthen the defence. I'm really looking forward to his return whenever that may be.

[Somniloquism]

The video of Okores v Chelsea in the CL last season reminded me of the one for McGrath v Italy in the WC in 94. I'm not comparing the talent for both players, just the videos were similar.

[Smirker]

The video of Okores v Chelsea in the CL last season reminded me of the one for McGrath v Italy in the WC in 94. I'm not comparing the talent for both players, just the videos were similar.

It was an impressive performance from Jores. Not just defensively but in an attacking sense too, played so many dangerous balls in from defence and got forward a couple of times too. He looks to be a fantastic footballer and a real coup for us.

I've said it before but I believe he can be the best centre back in the league. Felt sick when he did his ACL as I was really looking forward to seeing him play and he'd done well in the short time he'd been on the pitch.

Can't wait for his return. Top lad on Twitter too.

[Concrete John]

I think that Okore's injury was a massive blow to the club, and resulted in PL having radically to change our pattern of play. I reckon if he had not been injured and had forged a strong partnership with Vlaar, we would be playing a much more adventurous style of football, particularly at home.

Instead, we now have to maintain a defensive shape and keep players behind the and ball rely on counter attacking.

Interesting point, especially regarding our home form. When Jores does finally return it wouldn't surprise me if we go three across the back. Jores looks like he completely owns everything on the right side, Vlaar controlling from the middle and Clark on the left. So many teams now play with only one striker, it would really free us up and strengthen the midfield plus give us extra width.

Whatever formation we play, based on the few games he played, Jores will strengthen the defence. I'm really looking forward to his return whenever that may be.

It's something that has occurred to me, also.

To play that formation right, it's really a three man defence, 4 in midfield, a no 10 and two strikers.  Given that we know we're after a number 10, we could line up something like:-

                      Guzan
          Okore - Vlaar - Clark
Bacuna - Westwood - Delph - Bertrand
                 New no 10
            Gabby - Benteke

[stubbsyandy]

That looks pretty balanced to me CJ

[Mister E]

That looks pretty balanced to me CJ

And, you could consider the approach adopted by the likes of Arse, Citeh and ManUre and simply play two very attacking FB with two footballing CB.

[supertom]

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3678273,00.html
Apparently Jores could be back in a matter of weeks. Good news. Ron's hanging in there by a thread at the moment, so it'll be good to have the extra cover and allow Concrete to rest and recover when needed.