Lasagne Diarra

[Hermann]

ok, actually one of my favourite ever Pompey midfielders. Lassana Diarra - *finally* free of that wretched contract wrangle with Lokomotiv, scores this stunner on his debut for Marseille.

N.B. The other one wasn't bad either (and apparently another), worth a look.

Hope he (bit of an outside bet), finds a way back into the French squad, 30 isn't too old, is it?

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/chelsea/ ... video.html

[Earl Grey]

He was one of the best players we ever had. His balance reminded me of George Best (when sober). Bestie could take kicks and pushes all day long and still come out with the ball....and that was in the days when thugs like Ron 'Chopper' Harris were pretty much allowed to do whatever they liked to stop the wee fellah.

Diarra was very much like that - he seemed to be made of rubber.

[Selsey Bill]

Remember his debut for us against Derby County. I couldn't believe how good he was. Outstanding player.

[Pompey Gary]

He was one of the best players we ever had. His balance reminded me of George Best (when sober). Bestie could take kicks and pushes all day long and still come out with the ball....and that was in the days when thugs like Ron 'Chopper' Harris were pretty much allowed to do whatever they liked to stop the wee fellah.

Diarra was very much like that - he seemed to be made of rubber.

He was a very careful player in possession but I don't really recall Diarra dribbling his way past 5 or 6 players at a time though a la Best, who was surely one of the greatest footballers of all time. Diarra is/was merely a very good player.

[Earl Grey]

He was one of the best players we ever had. His balance reminded me of George Best (when sober). Bestie could take kicks and pushes all day long and still come out with the ball....and that was in the days when thugs like Ron 'Chopper' Harris were pretty much allowed to do whatever they liked to stop the wee fellah.

Diarra was very much like that - he seemed to be made of rubber.

He was a very careful player in possession but I don't really recall Diarra dribbling his way past 5 or 6 players at a time though a la Best, who was surely one of the greatest footballers of all time. Diarra is/was merely a very good player.

Yes....I agree. All I was saying is that, like Best, Diarra's balance was incredible and he could be buffeted and bullied by big defenders but his sense of balance was so good he was almost impossible to knock over.

I wasn't suggesting he was anything like the same package as the great man himself.

[Mickemo]

Diarra is the best player I've seen consistently play for Pompey at the highest level.....Walshie still my fav ever player though

Best - utterly untouchable and was my football idol when I was a young lad!

[Hermann]

...Diarra was very much like that - he seemed to be made of rubber.

..Diarra's balance was incredible and he could be buffeted and bullied by big defenders but his sense of balance was so good he was almost impossible to knock over...

Well described, and agree absolutely E.G. I don't know if his lower centre of gravity helped, with what seemingly was an extraordinary upper body strength for a 'little' guy, but he was *very* rarely dispossessed. Wish I had seen some of the legendary Pompey players, but he would get in any Pompey XI of mine, which covers 33 years or more.

He could dribble very well, and you wonder how he would've done in a more advanced position, (though I think where we - and most clubs - have played him, as a 'deep-lying' midfielder, is the best use of his talents).

Could play right-back too!

[No Shot Sherlock]

Diarra is the best player I've seen consistently play for Pompey at the highest level.....Walshie still my fav ever player though

Best - utterly untouchable and was my football idol when I was a young lad!

Ditto