That would be bloody Luke Young. They are both clearly on the expendable list, but I hope Diakite has a blinder, and Young's nagging hip injury doesn't play up too much.
Based on tonight's performance Diakite might as well go back into hibernation. Like a bull running around a china shop.
He was certainly very rusty, but I'd say it was a typical Diakite performance. Bull in a china shop? Yes, but hasn't he always been? In his defence the right wing was a curious place to put him and he did start to warm to his task before running out of gas. Typical lunging challenges and running straight at opponents, he will never change. Sharif showed far more in his all to brief appearance though, if only Simpson and Jenas has passed to him a bit more.
He came to the footballers graveyard. It seems that no matter who we sign they become non-entities. Whether it be well recognised expensive players or unknowns with potential that will hopefully step up to the plate, they put on a QPR shirt and it suddenly becomes an invisible cloak.
I've always liked the way Diakite plays, particularly the way he tries to go forward with the ball when most midfielders seem obsessed with % pass accuracy and go for the safe option to keep up their stats. It was a terrible team performance last night and Diakite was no worse than the rest of the midfield. They were all cr*p, provided nothing for the forwards and if it wasn't for Simpson in the first half and Yun (?) in the second we wouldn't have had a shot on target. Diakite needs game time, Faurlin's decline is more worrying.
Diakite is probably our best current attacking CM - i.e. he is the only one capable of carrying the ball. Barton can play some excellent long balls, but the others are basically get it and give it players (Faurlin, Henry, Jenas). We seriously lack a creative CM.
