Meet the Elephants: The Men in the Middle

It is an understatement to say that the Elephants only get stronger going forward but it is very true.  With the amount of depth in the forward department it easily justifiable for Gili and Stielke to employ a 4-3-3 or even a more crafty 4-3-2-1, with the potential of defenders going forward, like Eboue, or even playing a midfield role, it is hard to deny the Elephants as one of the strongest attacking teams in the cup. 

Yaya Toure:  Toure is an awesome defensive midfielder who since moving to
Barcelona has raised plenty of eyebrows with his talent.  He is a favorite of his teammates and though enduring some racist remarks has solidified himself in the
Barcelona winning eleven which is no small feat for any player.  Look for him to play an end to end role with distribution skills and defensive prowess.  Any success in the attack will most likely with the man they call Yaya.

Didier Zokora:  Also a defensive midfield type player, is enjoying plenty of success and fan respect at Tottenham.  Nicknamed the “Maestro,” he plays with a great sense of presence and vision, which has even earned him Captain’s honors at

. At 28 he has been capped 71 times and counting for the Elephants and like Toure on defense is an elder statesman of the squad and is in the top tier of leadership for this team.  I myself have wondered how he would coexist with Yaya Toure in the center of the pitch but it seems they have a good understanding on as well as off the pitch.

Emerse Fae:  Another midfielder from the EPL plays sparingly at
Reading.  At 27 years old is also a strong option in the middle with 16 caps.  He played a ton at his old club in
France and is a strong enough player to make an impact in the ANC.

Siaka Tiene: With only five caps he lacks the experience of his mates above, but as one of the few midfielders named to the squad there is no doubt that he will see action either from the start or of the bench.  Playing at St. Etienne of
France he has played in five matches and has yet to duplicate the success he had while on loan to Stade Reims.   His last cap came on the left flank against
Madagascar in a three goal win, if memory serves Tiene should see more than his fair share of game time.