Mame Biram Diouf isn’t having the best of season at Stoke City in the season of 2018/19 but it’s equally fair to say he’s far from alone in that fact given our Championship struggles under manager Gary Rowett so far.
The 30-year-old has long split the fanbase really given his individual showings and performances but he does have his moments where he impresses and his effort produces a solid shift, but sometimes his effort just isn’t enough and that’s been largely true of his seven appearances so far this season as we looked to bounce back from Premier League relegation.
As Stoke continue the buildup to Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Saturday, Rowett has now held his pre-game press conference and he was specifically asked about Diouf’s fitness.
GR: Mame Diouf is still struggling with his hamstring.
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) October 25, 2018
His simple comment certainly garnered plenty of reaction on social media from our section of the fanbase who live on there, and the comments were marginally on the cruel side.
dodged a bullet there then.
— Josh Ryder-Flint (@joshryder_flint) October 25, 2018
Happy days
— George Sutton (@sutt456) October 25, 2018
There’s no hurry we have plenty of cover. ???????? pic.twitter.com/6TCpto3XT1
— @ken Lycett5???????? (@KenLycett) October 25, 2018
What is Rowett's obsetion with the fitness of Diouf he should be no where near the starting 11..start introducing the under 23's to first team action
— Kenneth Blakeley (@KennethBlakeley) October 25, 2018
Any hope it’s a season long issue?
— david Beech (@S8to) October 25, 2018
Not all bad then
— Lee (@Lee78179859) October 25, 2018
Thank god for that
— Rhys Owens (@rhysscfc96) October 25, 2018
Thank God !!!
— Newport Mon (@symattad) October 25, 2018
Good ????
— Andrew Miles (@andymiles747) October 25, 2018
In fairness to Diouf, there’s a number of players at the moment whose form would see them attract almost identical comments if injury hit but it just shows the state of us at the moment.