Diouf

[steve@dcfd]

Why does Diouf take all the free kicks around goal and corners. Surely he should be near goal to try and increase his 4 goals so far. I know he can take a mean free kick or corner but I believe he would be better in the centre and any chances that fall he could take. So Dean please re think this strategy, chances are being missed and you need all the quality players in positions to take them.

[mushRTID]

Probably because his free kicks and corners are miles better than anyone elses.

90% of the time its the quality of the ball, not who is on the end of it.

[hoolahoop]

Probably because his free kicks and corners are miles better than anyone elses.

90% of the time its the quality of the ball, not who is on the end of it.

Agreed and you do need players at the end of it NOT standing in their own half like lemons. We are sitting far too deep for far too long with the inevitable end result.
The manager needs to coach the players on how to move away from their markers and thus give the opposition something to think about. Currently we are throwing games not because of the quality of the opposition but the immaturity of the tactics employed.

[RoversAlias]

My dad asked me this same question during the game yesterday. My reply here is the same as it was to him.

Simply put, he is the best player in the team by a significant distance at set pieces. The only other player you could possibly put on them who played yesterday is Stock.

[CusworthRovers]

There's no wonder he's knackered after 60mins. He spends far too much energy running all over the pitch to take any dead ball kicks.

[Donnywolf]

My dad asked me this same question during the game yesterday. My reply here is the same as it was to him.

Simply put, he is the best player in the team by a significant distance at set pieces. The only other player you could possibly put on them who played yesterday is Stock.

Again agree ... Stock should be the set piece specialist

He can usually deliver a corner or free kick as effciently as EH-D but is probably less liable to be on the end of something in the danger area as EH-D if roles were reversed

I concede though that BS can be useful on or outside the 18 yard box for the ball knocked out by defenders

[RoversAlias]

My dad asked me this same question during the game yesterday. My reply here is the same as it was to him.

Simply put, he is the best player in the team by a significant distance at set pieces. The only other player you could possibly put on them who played yesterday is Stock.

Again agree ... Stock should be the set piece specialist

He can usually deliver a corner or free kick as effciently as EH-D but is probably less liable to be on the end of something in the danger area as EH-D if roles were reversed

I concede though that BS can be useful on or outside the 18 yard box for the ball knocked out by defenders

Yeah that's the difference for me. I'd rather have Stock back than Diouf in the likely event of the opposition gaining possession and trying to launch a counter attack.

[danrover82]

Funniest moment in a long time yesterday, when me and my Dad were talking about the same thing.

Diouf eyes up a free kick and dad says. \" Now this to me is a waste!\" within seconds on the head of Giles Barnes GOAL!!!!!

Dad turns to me and says \" hope no one heard me  \"

[ditch_drfc]

I was thinking similarly y2day, but I kind of got the idea when he put the ball to Barnes for 1-0.

Having said that, two of Dioufs goals for us have come from near identical headers after a cross from the left wing. He'd probs be more of an asset if he was in the box waiting for a ball in.

[CusworthRovers]

Who was that Gut-Lord who booted the ball miles onto the pitch when he should have tossed it to their thrower.

15 mins of fame. Top Banana

[Red wizard]

Can't belive people think Stock takes a good corner. Hardly ever beats the fist man. Diouf can at least put a good ball in. We scored from a free kick for the first time in ages.

[CusworthRovers]

I think I counted at least 2 yesterday that didn't make it into the box from EHD. Best we forget that though

[graingrover]

Also ... he is THE presence on the pitch and when he goes off nobody else has the personality to influence the game , the opposition,and his team mates that he does.
    He should be made club and match captain and be given the authority to govern on field tactics ., even including substitution strategies.
  We have not had such an on-the-field force since Bremner and before him ,Alick.
       The only chance we have of keeping him is to give him his next step-up in the game of Football. He is not motivted by money but is clearly proud of his own football abilities . If JR and DS can harness that then maybe our new strategy with McKay will secure our future for another era.
           I do not relish the alternatives.

[roversontheup]

Kept saying the same thing yesterday.  Why isn't Diouf in the box to get on the end of free kicks and corners...............and then up popped Giles Barnes to score from a perfect Diouf free kick!

I do think Diouf is trying to be everything at present from midfield general, playmaker, dead ball specialist and goal scorer. He is a fantastic player but even he cannot be in two places at the same time.

I agree that we should try and feed on his desire to be all things but we somehow need to to it in a more structured fashion.

[Donnybax]

I think dioufs corners are pretty shit anyway tbh he very rarely beats first man

[pubteam]

Who was that Gut-Lord who booted the ball miles onto the pitch when he should have tossed it to their thrower.

15 mins of fame. Top Banana

Brilliant, wasn't it? Especially when he wheeled away down the front of the stand with his arm aloft, Shearer-esque.

[Berkshire Rover]

Funniest moment in a long time yesterday, when me and my Dad were talking about the same thing.

Diouf eyes up a free kick and dad says. \" Now this to me is a waste!\" within seconds on the head of Giles Barnes GOAL!!!!!

Dad turns to me and says \" hope no one heard me  \"

From where I was in the East Stand, as soon as EHD hit that free kick I thought it had goal written all  over it.