Liverpool FC Forum

stu_the_red wrote:

Bamaga man wrote:

stu_the_red wrote:Sissoko will never ever reach the level of player people on hear think he will. You either have it or you don't. At best, he could get to a similar level to what Hamann was, which is very very good, quality infact but he'll never be world class. Anyone who says he "could be" is simply sitting on the fence. He can't, and he won't. Its that simple.

Theres no sitting on the fence, you either have it or you don't. Players don't ever become something they aren't. They don't change there abilities as they grow older. It simply doesn't happen. A kid who's 15 and the best dribbler in the world simply doesn't become a dribbler when he makes it as a pro. You develop your skills from day one of kicking a ball. When you're 11 or 12 you don't change your style, your technical attributes have already developed.

To some extent you maybe right, but after that, its no so Black and White. They dont change there abilities, but they can change there game to suit there abilities. The Vierias and Keanes of this world have adapted there game with age. They use there brains in a game just as much as there legs.

With Sissoko and his role in the team, his game doesnt require the technical abilities of the Zidanes and Maradonas in the world. As somebody said else Makelalee is world class at what he does and Didi was, only a season or so ago.
Now Sissoko still may not be at there terms of technical abilitiy with the ball at his feet ete etc. But because he doesnt need to do silky flicks and tricks with the ball he can sharpen up his basic use of the ball in training. Of course, if a player doesnt have the natural ability of the Diego Maradonas of the world he never will have. But that doesnt mean he cant improve on the basics, passing, controlling the ball  even shooting etc... After all thats what the Makelalees,Vierias and Hamans game was based on, breaking up play and playing it simple.
Vierias game has more influence in it when going forward and joining in on the attack. Thats down to his stamina and those long legs getting him from box to box, both of which Sissoko has.
If that were true and they could never improve there game , why go to training ? Surely not just to keep fit.
So yes Sissoko still could become a world class player in his position, but as I said before time will tell, because he isnt the finnished article yet.

Respect. An ounce of sense at last.

They change there game to suit there abilities. Well said.

World class players though have world class ability and know how to use it.

Sissoko is a limited player, not a world class one. Infact, what you said has helped me expand my point perfectly. He's excellent at what he does. Its that simple, he's one of the best. He wins the ball over the pitch and tackles well.

However he isn't good enough in other area's to play another way.

You say Vieira was based on simple play? I'm sorry, but you're wrong. The lad was simply world class. He had marvelous ability, was an outstanding passer of the ball, had good vision and had immense drive. Himself and Roy Keane are the two most influencial players i've ever seen. Vieira could carry the ball, knew when to carry the ball, had a fantastic touch and had great skill. He was also better physically than Sissoko which is saying something.

Just because I see Vierias game as simple it doesnt mean I dont think he's not world class far from it. For me a midfielder like Vieira does the simple things in world class ways ie Passing and moving tackling and influencing team-mates around him. Vieira has good skill not great skill see Ronaldiniho for great. Vieiras game doesnt demand high need for skill like Ronaldinihos does. There strengths are different but yet both are still world class at what they do. Vieira has always been a good player but nobody was claiming him to be world class at what he does at twenty -one.


pe and get better with age thus eventually becoming world class.You then go on to say Sissoko doesn't need to do certain things... Thats not my point. He clearly doesn't, he's very effective, but are you saying he'd be worse if he could do that? I'm sorry thats plainly wrong.

Im not saying that, not at all, of course it would be better if his alround game was top notch. But like you say he doesnt have the technical abilities like many of the names we have mentioned above. If he did have those abilities now , we would all be saying he's world class now, we're not though we're talking about his Potential to become a very good player or possibly world class at what he does.

I dont consider the "luxury players" of the game the only ones to be called or labelled world class. So that is why Im saying given a few more years maybe, Sissoko can become even better than he is today and it is possible for him to become world class at what he does. Like Vieira did.

 
Sissoko is to limited to become world class.

He isnt to limited, at the moment he is limited but not enough to write him off as never being a world class player.


Yes he's a good player, yes i LOVE his commitment and i LOVE the way he plays the game and only wish i had that stamina and ability to break up the oppositions play, but beyond that, he's not got anything else in his locker.

The only way we would definately know if he does become world class, is if we have this conversation again in 4-5 years time but to rule it out now is a bit premature.
I understand what you say when you say players have that world class ability or that something special about them, from a young age and that would apply to about 90% of players.
But in the CM or the CH positions they can develo

Posted: Mar. 25 2006,10:35 

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This thing about whether or not Sissoko can become World class is something of a red herring I think. I've said this a couple of times in the thread, he is so unlike practically any other midfield player around that it is almost impossible to compare him accurately to anyone.
Those who have said that he may one day become as good as Hamann are missing the point in my view as he plays a totally different game to Didi. He is as unlike Hamann as he is Alonso.
He is not a holding midfield player when he plays at his best and this is where in his last few appearances, his performances have gone up a notch or five. At his best he is marauding, behind enemy lines infiltrator who poaches the ball in all areas of the pitch, not just infront of our back four in the mode of a classic defensive midfielder. His engine is absolutely unrivalled and once he adds some attacking potential to his destructive capabilities he will be an absolutely fantastic player.
Will he read a game like a Makeleli?, or pass like an Alonso?, shoot like a Gerrard maybe? None of the above I'm afraid, probably ever. Does he need to though, is it important that he adds a Molbyesque poise and grace to his tireless endeavour? 
For my part, my suspicion is that the lack of these things do not diminish Sissoko as a player. Gerrard, Makeleli and Alonso do not posess the metronomic engine and all round ball hunting ability of the Malian and nor are they ever likely to acquire it.
Football teams require lots of different attributes and qualities and Momo brings a quality to the table, an influence over proceedings which is potentially massive. Are we more or less likely to prevail against hard-working teams such as the one we are playing today if Sissoko is included? I know what I think and I'm certain that Everton would be delighted if he was left out. That to me is the measure of influence, and Sissoko has it in buckets. Will he become World-class? Who knows, perhaps he is so unique that in his own field, so sparsely populated is it that he is World-class already.