Mvoto making giant strides

Photo: PICTURE: DARREN ROBINSON

Jean-Yves Mvoto, Athletic’s increasingly confident defender.

Big defender has overcome jitters
JEAN-Yves Mvoto has come a long way during his Athletic career.

It is almost exactly two years since the centre back caused consternation on debut at Scunthorpe with a performance that could charitably be described as ‘rusty’.

On loan from Sunderland, the 21 year old was as hesitant as he is now assured.

Worries over the 6ft 4in defender have now all-but evaporated. Mvoto has gradually honed his game to cope with the rigours of npower League One. His self-confidence is such that he even decided to trick his way past a couple of Huddersfield players with footwork Zinedine Zidane would have been proud of in a recent friendly.

Mvoto smiles and says that moment was “lucky” – but most of the time, there is little left to chance.

Having partnered James Tarkowski throughout pre-season, the 23 year old, who is entering the final year of his contract, has helped to keep clean sheets at Fleetwood and York as well as at home to the Terriers during pre-season.

And his performance in the win over Manchester City – the visitors’ only goal was partly the result of an unfortunate bounce in the penalty area – gives more weight to the idea that Athletic, and Mvoto

himself, look ever more solid as a unit.

“The Manchester City game was good in that we were so solid. When you play against a team like that you have to run after the ball, so it was good that we were able to cope with the pressure.’

Mvoto also gives credit to new full-back pair Cliff Byrne and Jonathan Grounds as aiding the defensive cause with experience and cool heads.

Athletic will certainly need all the nous they can muster to pick up positive results against Wednesday and then MK Dons in the season’s first week.










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