|
|
Post by wakefieldstokie on Oct 9, 2009 11:49:06 GMT
Sorry it may be old ground for this week, but I was just reading Monday's bbc's report on Pulis praising Diao.
Not so long ago he was all but out of the club, do you think he will be a regular this season if fit?
I don't mind him, especially if our Turkish Captain plays alongside him.
|
|
|
|
Post by cobhamstokey on Oct 9, 2009 11:52:57 GMT
If fit and firing on all cylinders a Tuncay Diao midfield partnership looks very exciting with a good mixture of flare and graft not sure TP would ever go for it though.
this lineup for me looks very useful.
Sorro
Huth
abde
Ryan
Higgy
Liam
Diao
Tuncay
Ethers
Fuller
Kitson
|
|
|
|
Post by Carrot on Oct 9, 2009 11:55:19 GMT
Tuncay isn't a centre midfielder though!!
I'd much rather have him in a more forward position, either alongside or just behind the main striker, or even on the wing if needs be. He's not a centre midfielder though.
|
|
|
|
Post by wakefieldstokie on Oct 9, 2009 11:57:06 GMT
Carrot, I was thinking more along the lines of Tuncay in front of Diao, maybe even with Mama in front of Tuncay when fit?
|
|
|
|
Post by BraveSirRobin on Oct 9, 2009 12:00:13 GMT
Stop thinking about Mama!
|
|
|
|
Post by dozintheseventees on Oct 9, 2009 12:03:29 GMT
Peter Reid was on Radio Stoke yesterday saying that Diao was superb at Everton and reminded him of good old fashioned midfield players in days gone by. I don't comment, simply relay.
|
|
|
|
Post by BraveSirRobin on Oct 9, 2009 12:04:56 GMT
like Elliot Bunny?
|
|
|
|
Post by dadofsam on Oct 9, 2009 12:06:40 GMT
The Tuncay connundrum continues
|
|
|
|
Post by Carrot on Oct 9, 2009 12:07:34 GMT
Ah right, fair enough. It's just that you said "alongside him" in your original post  . I wouldn't be too confident with Diao as a centre midfielder on his own though with Tuncay in front tbh, as this would leave Diao exposed and although he had a decent game against Everton, he's not the player he used to be, as proven in quite a few games last season. I would say that if we were to play Tuncay infront of Diao, we would also need a soild midfielder alongside, such as Whelan, Pugh or even Whitehead. It's a difficult decision for Tone to select the forwards though if Tuncay plays behind/ alongside the main striker, as it'd mean Fuller, Beattie and Kitson would be vying for one place. Better him than me though eh? . We really do need to start playing Tuncay soon though, whatever happens. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2009 12:14:51 GMT
I don't see how we can play Tuncay in the hole or in central midfield without a fundamental change in the way we play.
|
|
|
|
Post by kingdeano on Oct 9, 2009 13:02:06 GMT
every successful club as a stopper in the middle of the park, liverpool have mascherano, utd have fletcher, chelsea have essien, even real madrid have diarra! , we are no different, if and its a big if, diao gets fit, then i have no qualms about playing him, but not next to delap or whitehead, he needs be playing next to a footballer so diao simply wins it then passes it to his partner. on sunday i thought he gave us what weve cried out for all season, i just hope it aint a flash in the pan like at anfield last year where he was superb but got gradually worse
|
|
|
|
Post by dannystokefc on Oct 9, 2009 13:10:59 GMT
wel i think its time to drop ethers for a game or two even if we are playing old club west ham next! we now have to much to choose from in midfield and he needs a kick up the ass!!
|
|
|
|
Post by jen on Oct 9, 2009 13:15:40 GMT
wel i think its time to drop ethers for a game or two even if we are playing old club west ham next! we now have to much to choose from in midfield and he needs a kick up the ass!! Ethers was one of the best players on the pitch against Everton. He really put in a shift. And a good corner for Huth's goal. Good to see him getting back on form. There's no way he won't start against West Ham. If Diao can recapture his old form he'd be a great option in midfield. With him and Kitson coming good it's nice to have a few options - unlike many games last season when the team picked itself. |
|
|
|
Post by Paul Spencer on Oct 9, 2009 13:38:52 GMT
every successful club as a stopper in the middle of the park, liverpool have mascherano, utd have fletcher, chelsea have essien, even real madrid have diarra! , we are no different, if and its a big if, diao gets fit, then i have no qualms about playing him, but not next to delap or whitehead, he needs be playing next to a footballer so diao simply wins it then passes it to his partner. on sunday i thought he gave us what weve cried out for all season, i just hope it aint a flash in the pan like at anfield last year where he was superb but got gradually worse I agree with all of that, but unfortunately I don't think we've actually got a player at the club who has got enough all round ability to fill the other central midfield berth if the other one was occupied by an in form and fully fit Diao. |
|
|
|
Post by dannystokefc on Oct 9, 2009 13:39:00 GMT
yer jen he was ok at everton but he dont do it week in week out!!
as for diao if you think he looked good at everton wait till he match fit!
the team did pick its self last season now we have depth all over the field!
|
|
|
|
Post by cousindupree on Oct 9, 2009 14:36:17 GMT
Maybe until/if Arismendi makes the grade which i seriously hope so. Diao will be an automatic starter for TP which is fair enoug as we need a holding midfielder but i have a sinking feeling that he will start him with Whitehead/Delap with Whelan some way down the pecking order. I can see Delap/Whitehead/Diao/Ethers for away games (as at Everton) and Lawrence/Whitehead/Diao/Ethers for home games........................leaving Whelan and Tuncay almost permanent bit part players.....hardly a pass will emerge from CM  |
|
|
|
Post by dozintheseventees on Oct 9, 2009 14:45:06 GMT
Kingdeano: Agree with what you say mate with the following 'rider': Mascherano, Fletcher, Essien, Diarra Err....Diao! Spot the one that wouldn't cost a packet to buy!  |
|
|
|
Post by fromafar07 on Oct 9, 2009 14:47:18 GMT
oh lawd i hope not !!  |
|
|
|
Post by kingdeano on Oct 9, 2009 15:37:18 GMT
you get the idea though? we need a destroyer,weve had whitehead who is no better than what we have, so if diao gets fit and does it then great, he could bring young diego along nicely aswell
|
|
|
|
Post by dozintheseventees on Oct 9, 2009 15:41:02 GMT
Agreed.
|
|
|
|
Post by Inverness Stokie on Oct 9, 2009 16:05:44 GMT
Kingdeano: Agree with what you say mate with the following 'rider': Mascherano, Fletcher, Essien, Diarra Err....Diao! Spot the one that wouldn't cost a packet to buy! Diao is better than Fletcher so I guess that answers itself really. ;D |
|
|
|
Post by bogus on Oct 9, 2009 23:28:30 GMT
Liverpool play with two holding midfield players. Rafa's tried and trusted formation is 4-2-3-1. This year it's been Lucas and Mascherano, with Gerrard playing in behind Torres. Last year it was Mascherano and Alonso playing the deeper roles. Even when he takes one of them off, he seems to drop Gerrard in there. Tone's 4-4-1-1 is not too dissimilar to a 4-2-3-1 when we're going forward, if you think about it? I doubt you'll see Tone going for anything but two holding midfielders, so I don't personally expect to see Tuncay EVER play centre mid for us. He's a safety first manager, not unlike Rafa, but Rafa's holding players are better, because they can generally *do more than just break the play up* * Someone needs to tell Lucas.............or maybe not  ;D * Maybe this it what he hopes Arismendi wll eventually do |
|
|
|
Post by aussiebluey on Oct 10, 2009 5:55:04 GMT
oh lawd i hope not !! its pulis' fault that diao had a good game against evrton after seeing him train well all week isn't it? pulis out  |
|
|
|
Post by iamcliveclarke on Oct 10, 2009 7:38:41 GMT
Diao had a great game. Ethers played well, good. Isn't this what we want? Players have to play well to get in the team and to stay there. Tuncs is a tricky one but lets have faith in TP
|
|
|
|
Post by RWChris on Oct 10, 2009 7:39:16 GMT
The Salif Diao we had on loan during the 2006-2007 season would be good enough to play that holding position in a decent mid-table Premiership team.
Unfortunately it's been that long since we've seen 'that' Diao that I can't help but think he'll only ever be a squad playe, even when fully fit.
|
|
|
|
Post by droz on Oct 10, 2009 14:49:18 GMT
Pulis has signed him for another year, so you'd expect him to be in his plans.
I too hope that Arismendi gets into the flow of things and shows the potential the manager and scouts have seen in him. For the time being, I'm happy-ish with Delap doing a decent job. Having said that, if we bought a 'Premiership class' central midfielder in January to replace him, that gives Arismendi more time and more incentive to develop.
I too think Diao is too slow for this level, and hasn't quite recaptured his form from a couple of years ago. He's another one that Tony seems to like and big up.
|
|
|
|
Post by bayernoatcake on Oct 10, 2009 23:07:08 GMT
I bloody hope not, no offence to Salif. Rory and Whelan is the best partnership we have. Faye is also a better destroyer and can pass too. Diao was good against Everton but his fitness and passing is a liability imo.
|
|
|
|
Post by march4 on Oct 10, 2009 23:30:19 GMT
Never doubted he would be. I'm very surprised he played though.
|
|
.
;D
