Plus wider passing range. Zoko's short-range passing accuracy is as good as any—it's when he tries something more exotic that things go wrong (although in fairness he's pulled off several cracking long passes). He's also a stronger tackler.
(This from what little I've seen.)
We could play that way. Harry used Kranjkaar infield from the left at Pompey. I'm not 100% convinced Ekotto is solid enough at left back and Bale certainly isn't so i think we'd need a new left back.
If he isn't, neither is Clichy after some of the whoopsies he's made this season. Still room for improvement, I'll grant, but he's got better and better.
palacios = zokora + huddlestone
And a brain!:grin:
I'm not sure that is necessarily the case with Palacios. I've seen him play a few times and I watched the Wigan game versus Man City last weekend specifically to see him, and a lot of the time he was playing deeper than Cattermole. He seems to read the game quite well and whilst off the ball he seemed to jog around, he still managed to turn up exactly where the ball was when there was something happening.
When they had to defend, he seemed to be right there in the thick of the action, and when they attacked he got on the ball. His passing was good most of the time, although there were a few casual moments. When he ran with the ball he was like Jonah Lomu and he didn't panic on the ball like Zokora does.
I think he will be excellent with Modric in a 442 (particularly at home), and if we need the extra men in midfield away from home, he can partner any of Jenas, Zokora, O'Hara or Huddlestone with Modric more advanced. He gives us options because of his strength and in particular his canny ability to be in the right place at the right time (i.e. he actually has a brain and some defensive awareness).
If he consistently does that then he'll be a massive signing for us. One of the things that infuriates me about Zokora is his uncanny ability to be in the wrong place pretty much all of the time, so if Palacios can improve on that then we'll be ok.