Just got back...

[grayx]

Eagerly awaiting reports/player markings. Beye cost us the game? Diouf played like he didn't give a s**t? Sharp?

[Jenny]

Bayes challenge was reckless, I haven't seen a replay but I called red before the referee even blew his whistle. Its just the way the game is going now, you can't dive in like that at full speed with 2 feet off the ground. Totally hot head moment. They were getting way too much joy down the left at the time, both their goals game from that area and it was where the challenge was. Spurr was getting ripped to pieces because Diouf was leaving him very exposed. If Saunders insists on a Diouf/Sharp/Hayter combination, it has to be Hayter that drops deep because Diouf doesn't offer anything defensivley and when they had the ball it was like we had 10 men.

Not sure how their player got away with the assult on Coppinger, have to think that it was because it was early on - not sure how a broken cheekbone goes unpunished...

Diouf didn't look interested for the most part, when he puts a bit of effort in, he is immense, but for me, ever since he has been offered the contract he has stepped off the gas a bit. Not in the shop window anymore I guess...

All in all it was disappointing, we didn't play well at all in the first half and we left it too late to rally in the second. Just before we scored i'd text someone saying it was like we were just trying to limit them to 2 and we needed to start taking some risks. Had the game gone on another 5/10 minutes I think we would have scored another....

EDIT - As for just got back, been cosy in my onesie for almost an hour now, my poor car doesn't know whats hit it when we lose away!!

[grayx]

Thanks Jenny, perhaps Diouf not signing a new contract not such a disaster. How did Billy, Bennett play?

[The Red Baron]

I don't think Diouf is anywhere near the level of fitness he needs to have to be successful in the Championship. He's an immensely talented player, but you'd need a better team than ours to be able to carry someone so lacking in fitness.

I think that's his problem rather than a lack of interest. I dare say he'll end up in a league like the MLS where there is not such a premium on fitness.

[Jenny]

Billy was isolated for most of the game, once we went down to 10 he was just stuck on his own and failed to make much of an impact. He had a couple of efforts which were well saved by James and one chance that I think he would have normally buried but he skewed it wide.

Bennett looked lively when he came on, hopefully he will now get an extended run in the team.

[grayx]

I don't think Diouf is anywhere near the level of fitness he needs to have to be successful in the Championship. He's an immensely talented player, but you'd need a better team than ours to be able to carry someone so lacking in fitness.

I think that's his problem rather than a lack of interest. I dare say he'll end up in a league like the MLS where there is not such a premium on fitness.

I agree. He's not worth breaking the bank for although I'd like to keep him here.

[Jonathan]

I don't think Diouf is anywhere near the level of fitness he needs to have to be successful in the Championship. He's an immensely talented player, but you'd need a better team than ours to be able to carry someone so lacking in fitness.

I didn't go today so can't comment on that game, but from what I have seen of Diouf I agree  with that 100%.

Other people are probably more inclined to compile the stats posts than me, but I'd be intrigued to see how we've done with Diouf in the team against how we've done without him since he signed (just before the Middlesbrough game?)

For me, the pick of the McKay boys is undoubtedly Beye. It's a real shame he's done what he's done today and someone of his experience should know better. We will genuinely miss him while he's suspended.

[Jenny]

I actually thought we looked far more comfortable in defence once Lockwood came on - him & Sam did a really good job and if they can play like that over the coming weeks I don't think we will miss Baye too much.

Hird has to go down as one of the most improved players of the season, don't know what has happened to him but not only is he solid, he looks more comfortable than he has ever done with the ball at his feet, one of his clearances today was the kind of football you'd expect from a flair player and not a central defender (he flicked it up, juggled it turned & cleared it and found a Rovers player - think McIndoe against Bristol Rovers in 2003)

[DRFC.drummer]

just seen the reaply on SSN, that truelly is the worst decision iv ever seen, its one footed, he's there a yard before then man, the player isnt injured and the linesman 1 yard away gives a throw in? what an absolute joke!
never been so annoyed about a decision in my life, furious then and am now iv just watched that!

[Bristol Red Rover]

Interesting how different people see a game. Hird was immense, Bennett caused them lots of problems.

Djiouf I felt had a great game. The best player on our side for me. He ran around loads, from attack to defence. His touches weren't always perfect but class in the main. His balls in were the ones that looked to cut through them, and his movement from positions where he looked like in a dead end often result in a ball in, and a good one at that. He got pissed with poor service, rightly so. To me he showed passion and class.

[WarwickRover]

Jenny, thx for the informative posts. Do you think we were set up correct as a team from the start?

[Jonathan]

A quick scan at the Diouf issue since he signed reads that league form is:

With Diouf in the team. Played 8, points 5 (0.625 points per game)

Without Diouf in the team. Played 5, points 9 (1.8 points per game)

Not doubting he's a good player, but it's a team game. Is he having the required impact on the team? Will he justify the level of contract that needs to be offered to keep him (and lets not have any of these people living in cloud cuckoo land thinking he'll stay for £2,000 a week)

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Diouf's a good player and IMO he did alright yesterday, worked hard, held the ball up really well which helped second half and did well for the goal.

But the other side says he's a luxury and financially we shouldn't go OTT on what money we give him, that resource can be better used.  I would argue that Bennett's a player we should utilise more and if Diouf being here stops Bennett playing it's disappointing as Bennett should be given 10 games in a row now to show what he can do.

[graingrover]

I think it is fantastic we have Diouff and credit to him for having agreed to join us and play for us fo £2,000 a week.Are we now so superior that we can infer that such a player is not good enough for us? I trust Dean Saunders to judge the value of playing him with his current level of match fitness.

[Jenny]

Jenny, thx for the informative posts. Do you think we were set up correct as a team from the start?

No

We cannot play 433 away from home, leaves the defence far too exposed.

[Jenny]

I think it is fantastic we have Diouff and credit to him for having agreed to join us and play for us fo £2,000 a week.Are we now so superior that we can infer that such a player is not good enough for us? I trust Dean Saunders to judge the value of playing him with his current level of match fitness.

Even though we are picking up far more points without him in the team?

Accomodating him in the team, especially away from home, is costing us points. Not sure if that is fantastic....

[dickos1]

Don't see how he is costing us away from home?? The last time we won away he scored 2. Against burnley he was brilliant infact the team played very well at burnley.
The recent away games we've played well, Birmingham, burnley, millwall, we were unfortunate in all those games not to get anything

[Berkshire Rover]

I thought Diouf had a good game yesterday, worked hard all over the pitch, does more organising than anyone else. If his fitness is blow par, it would seem to me to be in relation to pace rather than stamina.

I would prefer to see us play a little more solidly away from home, personally ( based on last weeks performance) I would have left Copps out and started with Plessis, even if hes's not 100% ready, I'd have given him an hour and then hopefully ave been in a position to use Bennett for half an hour.

[Jenny]

Because trying to accomodate him at the minute is leaving us too exposed - hence the fact that we haven't won away since November. Away from home its got to be either him or Hayter, or playing him in a different role. I just don't think its working and the stats speak for themselves, we have got more points without him in the team than we have when he plays.

As for being unfortunate in away games - you get points for winning, not for playing well....

[dickos1]

Because trying to accomodate him at the minute is leaving us too exposed - hence the fact that we haven't won away since November. Away from home its got to be either him or Hayter, or playing him in a different role. I just don't think its working and the stats speak for themselves, we have got more points without him in the team than we have when he plays.

As for being unfortunate in away games - you get points for winning, not for playing well....

We're not accommodating him, and you can't really say hence the fact we haven't won since November. Before yesterday he had only played 3 away games since the Ipswich game. 2 games we were down to ten men for the majority of the game

[Red wizard]

But he is to ball gready. Won't be bothered if he leaves. I think we play better as a team when he is not in it.

[Jonathan]

It will be interesting to see what does happen.

It was stated recently that he is central to the McKay plan in that his name is there to attract others. I guess it's down to the board whether they see it as worth the money.

Signing an 18 month deal for £2,000 a week though? Don't make me laugh, there's more chance of plaiting fog.

[ravenrover]

At the moment EHD is a luxury we can ill afford, immense talent but not the type of player we need to get us out of the predicament we are in, JMHO