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Should Leeds Keep Diouf? Who Would Replace Him?

30/4/2013

20 Comments

 

By Rob Atkinson

Picture
He's a rum cove, that El-Hadji Diouf. You don't get many like him to the pound. At first glance, his link-up with Leeds United seemed like a match made in hell. He was signed by a manager in Neil Warnock who had previously referred to Diouf as "lower than a sewer rat." Well, I don't know about you, but I'm sure I've heard more sparkling endorsements than that - even from the notoriously uncouth Colin.

For a while there, we very probably had the most gleaming, five-star example of the full set hate-wise. The most hated club, with the most hated Chairman, the most hated manager, the most hated fans and the most hated player. It rather made your heart swell with pride, and you felt that if Dioufy could be taken to anyone's hearts, then perhaps Elland Road was the most likely place. We are rather fond of our villains down Beeston way.

The down side of the former Liverpool man - other than his alarming tendency to get involved in trouble at the drop of a blob of phlegm - is that he doesn't look the fittest of lads. He's only 32, and he's got undeniable pedigree but you're not going to see him running past opponents too often. His main contribution to the Leeds team this season seems to have been an ability to hold the ball up in confined spaces, draw a foul and win a free kick.  There was an early flurry of goals, but it was this ball retention ability that really shone in a team which appeared quite inept in that regard.

Sadly, a few live games in the first half of the season were characterised by the commentator making a fuss about this facet of Diouf's play, and refs seemed to be on the lookout for any possibility of being hoodwinked by the wily Senegalese schemer. Give a dog a bad name, eh? There were certainly quite a few occasions
that I noticed where Diouf would go down with a pained expression on his face, only for the ref to airily wave play on, to approving noises from the gantry. This detracted greatly from his general effectiveness, but he still contributed to some reasonably encouraging performances in that pre-Christmas part of the league programme.

Overall, I think I would say that it's doubtful we have anyone else on the books who can use the ball in a confined space, under pressure from close markers, as Dioufy can. Time and again, he would either slip the attention of a couple of defenders to find a man in relative acres of space, or he would gain one of those free-kicks.  Both of these gifts were invaluable to a Leeds side which otherwise appeared to regard the ball as a bit of a hot potato. It's just that telling lack of pace which limits his overall contribution.

In the last home match against Brighton, Diouf did of course manage to get himself sent-off in the aftermath of a successful penalty conversion. It appeared that he'd taken some stick from Brighton's rather over-sensitive away support, and
responded in sign language involving a too-public manipulation of his genitals, to shocking effect as far as the away crowd and sadly also the ref were concerned. A little surprisingly, this was Diouf's first dismissal since he joined the club. We are told that he is sorry, and that he remains committed to the Leeds United cause next season (which is the earliest we shall see him now.)

So should we hang on to this mercurial talent, or not?  I would cautiously vote to retain him, especially if a McDermott pre-season training programme could enhance his physical fitness somewhat.  It's difficult to see who else is out there - within our probably quite modest price-range - who can do quite what Dioufy can do.

What do people think?  Keep him or get rid?  And if he goes - just who are the likely candidates to replace him?  Answers on a virtual postcard, please...
20 Comments
Jim Belast
30/4/2013 12:44:34 am

Get rid of him fresh blood needed

Reply
craig
30/4/2013 12:44:36 am

keep. awful article.

Reply
Rob Atkinson
30/4/2013 01:53:20 am

Craig, the article asked a question, because it wanted to know what people think. So really, it was directed at thinkers. What are you doing here?

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Mike
30/4/2013 12:46:55 am

Deffo keep him, he has class and has been great for us this season... The red card was bollox

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wayne
30/4/2013 12:48:35 am

What a pointless article.. are we really that overloaded with quality game changing players that you could even consider getting rid... get real, yes he has a fuse but he is a match winner.. what utter rubbish this is.

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Rob Atkinson
30/4/2013 01:56:16 am

Wayne, I'm guessing that your attention span wasn't long enough to get you to the bit where I concluded that we should keep him before asking what others think.

What do you do - read the headline, have an uninformed rant making yourself look daft, and then return to making things out of Play-Doh?

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tubs
30/4/2013 02:30:38 am

Match winner my arse. Just which matches has this overated piece of crap won ? The crowd at Elland Rd are a joke giving this idiot a standing ovation for taking a corner. Fuck me. Then again these are the same morons who welcomed Bates and Colin Wanker with open arms

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Mark link
30/4/2013 03:15:42 am

What the f ck has it to do with you tubs.

ExClarkeonenil
30/4/2013 12:53:04 am

A hundred players could replace him, it is not the disciplinary side that is the Diouf issue, its he isn't GOOD enough for a promotion team and by letting him sign a contract till the end of next season we are now stuck paying a bit-part player.

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John
30/4/2013 12:53:35 am

Dioufy's a star, keep him all day long :)

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Clive Sanderson link
30/4/2013 01:22:48 am

If we want to get rid of one of our best players we should get rid of Diouf. Maybe I'm being old fashioned or I've missed something here but I think we should keep our best players if possible! Diouf has had a good disciplinary record this season up to the Brighton game. Any other player doing what he did at Brighton would hardly be discussed in these forums. You'd think he had beaten another player up on the field but all he did was make a silly gesture. No children or animals were hurt.

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Danny
30/4/2013 01:24:42 am

keep him... Dioufy was the star of our team at the beginning of the season, then for some reason he was dropped.

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Roar
30/4/2013 01:46:01 am

Keep him. We need people with balls at Leeds.

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CaptainCrash
30/4/2013 02:02:32 am

Keep without a moments hesitation. Will be key for us next season.

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Muzzerz
30/4/2013 02:34:11 am

Keep him and play him up front not out wide.

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Jim
30/4/2013 03:12:56 am

I'd prefer to see 2 wide players with skill and pace than Diouf in the side, when he plays we are sluggish to get the ball forward. I'd keep him though because he will be a useful player to have around buy he isn't going to play every game if we get 2 wide men in.

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Ev
30/4/2013 03:51:56 am

Keep him, I think he will shine under Eddie Hitler... We play passing football now so Taylor him as an central midfielder with Dawson as his protege... Thompson is the defensive midfielder we need. Get Alex McCarthy in, lefondre and two wingers = premiership here we come !

Reply
gerrycwmbran link
30/4/2013 04:21:51 am

Undoubtedly the most talanted playmaker we've got.
I'd like to see him captain - and in a Gerrard/Scholes role.
He's class and his passing is pin-point.
Don't see him as a striker.

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Robert Bapty
30/4/2013 05:32:13 am

of course, he's been one of our best players this season & the kop love him! MOT

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GILL stephenson
1/5/2013 05:10:20 am

keep him - we all make mistakes

Reply



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