Starting for the first time in the absence of the injured Aiden O’Neill, Ibrahim Karamoko played a very good first meeting in the colors of Standard. The French defensive midfielder is a very different player from the Australian captain, in many ways.
This was, obviously, the comment most often recorded after the announcement of the signing of Ibrahim Karamoko at Standard. What could a 23-year-old player playing at Versailles, 16th force in the French third division, bring in added value to Ivan Leko?
This Sunday, the French midfielder had his first start with the Rouches, in the absence of Aiden O’Neill, who was suspended. “I learned it at the end of the week. I wasn’t stressed, we train every day to be on the pitch. It’s only positive. I prepare all the matches in the same way, because you never know if someone calls me at the last moment, I have to be ready,” he declared after the match in the mixed zone of the Daio Wasabi Stayen Stadium.
Ibrahim Karamoko’s (very) successful first with Standard
Ready, Ibrahim Karamoko was. Because for a player who came from the third French tier, who only had eight games with the Chievo Verona first team as a more or less similar experience, the new defensive midfielder from Rouches delivered a very good first performance.
Solid in his role as sentinel, Karamoko recovered several important balls, thus relieving the last defensive line. And during recovery, he never hesitated to project himself forward. “A tactic from the coach or my usual style of play? A little bit of both. I really like to play forward as soon as I see my teammates available, but the coach also asked me to do that.”
-For his first start, Ibrahim Karamoko played the full 90 minutes. Proof of his good performance. Calm, he also allowed Rouches to keep the ball when they took control in the second half. And, with his 90 meter height and broad shoulders, he was able to bring the physical impact necessary to do well in our championship, while winning several aerial duels. A quality that Ivan Leko appreciates very much.
I like matches with intensity and contact a lot.”
“There was a lot of intensity, but it didn’t surprise me. I’ve watched several matches in the championship and I’ve already seen that there’s a lot of contact. It’s something that I really like .”
In the eyes of Ivan Leko, the presence of Aiden O’Neill has always been essential for the balance of his team. But today, the Croatian was able to realize, perhaps for the first time in a long time, that the balance could also be found without the Australian captain, who has, it must be noted, never had the aura of a Standard captain. Aiden O’Neill is a good player, who deserved to be a starter in the current squad, but if Ibrahim Karamoko confirms, a serious question will arise for the number 6 position.
