Ben Brereton Diaz

[Devon Rover]

I actually feel a bit sorry for him. Watching the way he has been playing for months, now, he has been absolutely dreadful and I am sure he knows it. His confidence is shot, his motivation is undeniably, and to an extent understandably, different from what it was, his contribution to the team has dwindled in recent weeks to virtually being just a hinderance. He has been a passenger and a total waste of a place in the team. Yet he has been picked over and over again despite all of this when I am convinced that virtually any of the squad would have contributed more over a vital period. And this is absolutely not about hindsight as each terrible performance from BBD has led to another starting 11 selection and a sense of dread for me when the lineup is announced before each next game. How and why has this been left to fester and deteriorate without any intervention? If it is simply all about Ben's attitude (which I don't think it is, entirely) then drop him - as in weeks ago. His future isn't here, so why not try something different? But his continued selection in the team is a serious indictment of the selection and tactical decision-making of our manager, not Ben himself. Months ago, the club could have avoided him leaving for free and more recently they could, and should, have avoided him leaving at the end of the season having cut a bit of a pathetic character game after game. Unless someone was telling JDT that he must keep picking BBD, then that is surely and squarely on the manager? It's both sad and suggests a level of managerial incompetence.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Indifferent regarding his departure,I want to see commited Players in our Colours who want to be here.

Adios 'Diaz'! 💤

Edited May 2, 2023 by SIMON GARNERS 194

[1864roverite]

The issues around BBD are evident. Those saying we should have sold him may take into consideration that as far as I am aware we only had one "official" bid for him and none were from an English based club, the likes of Fulham, Leeds and Everton never actually materialised into concrete figures. 

On his current form, he wont last long in Spain, no skill on the ground where it will be required and the defenders in that league do not take prisoners!

[Guest]

He can be criticised for plenty but lack of effort is not one, he made plenty of runs in behind yesterday, the quality just isn't there with him. Said before I've been told he's actually still injured from the injury he picked up for Chile and struggling to deal with it.

Unfortunately, as per last season, the blame for this second half of the season lands squarely on the shoulders of the club's hierarchy, and we as fans, just like then, are looking for scapegoats.

He'll be a big miss next season, without his early season goals both this and last season, we'd be in a real pickle.

[Mattyblue]

You honestly think he’s working as hard as he was pre World Cup?

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, 1864roverite said:

The issues around BBD are evident. Those saying we should have sold him may take into consideration that as far as I am aware we only had one "official" bid for him and none were from an English based club, the likes of Fulham, Leeds and Everton never actually materialised into concrete figures. 

On his current form, he wont last long in Spain, no skill on the ground where it will be required and the defenders in that league do not take prisoners!

We would have received more offers had we not taken such a counterproductive, stubborn stance but we should have accepted the bid from Nice. This situation was predictable and totally avoidable.

[all you need is duff]

He’s always been better when playing off the left but he seems to be hugging the left touchline more than ever at the moment. For this reason he has barely had a chance to miss recently. Most of our attacks seem to come down the right at the moment which should result in your inside left forward getting a lot of chances but this hasn’t happened due to delivery and/or movement. He was still fairly wide yesterday when we were chasing for an equaliser which seems baffling 

[Groundhog]

We had the arse end of nowt to aim at yesterday. Diaz is just waiting on the touchline for the diagonal or inside ball that he can bundle forward. How many times did he over/under hit passes? I really dislike that overhit ball inside the defender that goes straight out for a goal kick too, him and Dack did it a couple of times and it's so hard to watch. JRC was getting visibly frustrated. I've never know a forward line with so little movement. But then it isn't a forward line is it so I can't really compare. 

Leonard comes on, does the normal thing of running the channel and wins a corner, we score.

 

[chaddyrovers]

2 hours ago, Mellor Rover said:

He can be criticised for plenty but lack of effort is not one, he made plenty of runs in behind yesterday, the quality just isn't there with him. Said before I've been told he's actually still injured from the injury he picked up for Chile and struggling to deal with it.

Unfortunately, as per last season, the blame for this second half of the season lands squarely on the shoulders of the club's hierarchy, and we as fans, just like then, are looking for scapegoats.

He'll be a big miss next season, without his early season goals both this and last season, we'd be in a real pickle.

He deffo shown lack of effort and work rate isn't there plus poor touches or passes yesterday. 

If he is still struggling with an injury then don't play him but his performance at PNE was probably his best game in weeks/months

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

We would have received more offers had we not taken such a counterproductive, stubborn stance but we should have accepted the bid from Nice. This situation was predictable and totally avoidable.

We had asking price and teams could made offers which including players or add on's. Didn't Seville bid 8.4 million for him? 

Blackburn star Ben Brereton Diaz wanted by Sevilla again but Spaniards only willing to pay half of £20m transfer fee | The Sun

Its seem PL teams weren't willing to offer what or near what we want

[ben_the_beast]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

We would have received more offers had we not taken such a counterproductive, stubborn stance but we should have accepted the bid from Nice. This situation was predictable and totally avoidable.

Exactly this. We often see people stating the bids we received last summer were unsatisfactory, however there are conversations happening daily during transfer windows. 

Us stating we wanted north of £20million ("a fee which would eclipse what AA went for") would have stopped many clubs bids before they were even scribbled on a scrap of paper. 

If our price had been set at around £15million, its a figure clubs may have come to the table and negotiated. Its only an opinion and there's no way of knowing, but I'm sure a club would have stretched to at least £12million if they thought there was a possibility of a deal being done. 

People point to him still being our top scorer this season. Even if only a small portion of that were reinvested I'm sure his goals would have been replaced, and replaced long term, not just for this season. 

[des]

For a blind person could see that his gorn had gone should of sold him in Jan for whatever we could get plus saving on his wages instead we did not sell and costs the club a lot in wages will the club ever learn if a player gets down to 18 months if his contract and will not sign sell them

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

You honestly think he’s working as hard as he was pre World Cup?

Hard to say as a straight comparison without the running stats which I'm not privvy to. 

I saw him tracking Cody Drameh yesterday to the by line of our own box multiple times in the first half yesterday. It's not really what you'd expect from your top scorer who had 'stopped trying'.

Guess you see what you look for though.

[Mattyblue]

Nope not from me. I’ve been more than fair with him, as have most fans. We’ve known for months that he’s off but he was still putting a shift in and that was fine with me - it’s only since Easter that his drop off has been noticeable, surprised you’ve not spotted it.

And there is more to ‘effort’ that just running about. It’s getting into positions, it’s showing for your team mates. Hugging the touchline for 90 minutes when the side desperately needs goals, he’s hiding and going through the motions until he buggers off. Which isn’t surprising we saw the same with Rothwell, human nature with a big move on the horizon, it’s up to the manager to take them out the side.

 

[philipl]

Hoping he scores a belter at the Den.

[chaddyrovers]

Thanks Ben for the memories and the goals. I hope wherever you go next you have a successful career. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Thanks Ben for the memories and the goals. I hope wherever you go next you have a successful career. 

What if he went to B*rnley?

He was a £20m+ player not so long ago, but we'd have been lucky to sell him for 20p this window had he still been under contract. I'm really disappointed by his application and effort in the last six months. I think it's cost us when we needed players like him to stand up and be counted. He's entitled to run down his contract, but I think it's classless when the club has persevered with him through his utterly garbage periods at the club.

Thanks for a good season and a half out of the five (?) you were here. Rovers will move on.

Edited May 8, 2023 by goozburger

[chaddyrovers]

1 minute ago, goozburger said:

What if he went to B*rnley?

He's not going to Burnley tho. Off to Spain

[Mattyblue]

Slippery Chaddy strikes again 😁

[Hasta]

Well Ben, You had a golden 6 months and probably got a Skybet odds compiler sacked. Adios.

[philipl]

A player who has brought many smiles and restored pride.

Good luck at Villareal!

[roverandout]

Been a lazy twat for months. Won't be missed 

[Ianrally]

He’ll probably finish up warming the bench in Spain

[Ewood Ace]

A massive mistake not to cash in on him a multi million pounds mistake in fact. Fair play to the lad how he has turned it around from when he first came here but I would be staggered if he was a big success in La Liga. I find it bewildering that a club like Villarreal sitting 5th in La Liga and all but certain to be in the Europa League next season are signing him.

Edited May 8, 2023 by Ewood Ace

[Darrenbot]

20 minutes ago, philipl said:

A player who has brought many smiles and restored pride.

Good luck at Villareal!

 

14 minutes ago, roverandout said:

Been a lazy twat for months. Won't be missed 

These 2 posts one after the other are why i love this messageboard,never fails to raise a smile everyday,never change BRFCS 😄

[rigger]

2 minutes ago, Darrenbot said:

 

These 2 posts one after the other are why i love this messageboard,never fails to raise a smile everyday,never change BRFCS 😄

The strange thing is, both quotes are true.