Wide boy Diouf enjoying fresh role at Blackburn Rovers (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Wide boy Diouf enjoying fresh role at Blackburn Rovers

8:10am Saturday 6th February 2010 in

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EL-HADJI Diouf is relishing the chance to roll back the years, insisting Blackburn Rovers’ new formation does not mean negative football.

Rovers’ recent Premier League upturn has coincided with Sam Allardyce opting to use a 4-5-1 formation, with Nikola Kalinic leading the line, in a return to the system he favoured at Bolton Wanderers.

Diouf starred as a wide man supporting the main striker at the Reebok Stadium earlier this decade as Allardyce guided the Trotters into Europe, and the Senegalese winger is now looking for a repeat.

Allardyce has come in for stick from the Ewood Park faithful for deploying Kalinic on his own in attack but, with Diouf and Martin Olsson supporting the striker at every opportunity, the tactics have proved successful.

Rovers first used the system in their brave Carling Cup exit at Villa Park, where Chris Samba’s dismissal destroyed their Wembley hopes, before continuing with it in a win against Wigan and a draw at West Ham United.

At the start of the season, Allardyce adopted the 4-4-1-1 formation, with playmaker David Dunn operating behind the front man, and he has also tried the more conventional 4-4-2 system.

But Diouf is now looking forward to more opportunities to lining up in the more flexible wide role, starting with Saturday’s trip to Stoke City, as Rovers look to cement their top 10 position.

Diouf said: “The gaffer has changed the way we play now. It is not negative, we play a 4-3-3 and when we lose the ball it becomes a 4-5-1.

“It is good because we don’t leave the opposition to have the ball. We don’t leave the opposition to think about attacking us. We need to continue like that and if we do we will play in the UEFA Cup next season.

“We played like this at Bolton and I like this position. It works for me and it has helped us over the last couple of weeks. I know the position well.

“It changes all the time. It is 4-3-3 when attacking and 4-5-1 when defending. It is as simple as that.

"The away win is going to come, we believe in our team. Jason missed his chance but we are going to score next week.”