[article=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Stoke-City-4-Fulham-1-talking-points-Assaidi/story-21055257-detail/story.html#ixzz30lXmvKkx]2) OSSIE ASSAIDI’S STAR TURN
NO Premier League player has taken more people on this year than Eden Hazard, who apparently averages 3.7 successful dribbles a game with Chelsea.
Lionel Messi averages 4.7 a game for Barcelona, Franck Ribery 5.5 at Bayern Munich.
Well, Ossie Assaidi got around an opponent eight times against Fulham, including five times around Dan Burn, a 6ft 6in left-footed centre-half given the unfortunate task of filling in at right-back .
It was the most royal skinning of a defender at the Brit since Peter Hoekstra was let loose on Reading.
It was a masterclass in the kind of wing play which gets bums off seats; troubling, teasing and tormenting poor old Burn on his way to a fifth goal of the season and a deserved man of the match award.
Not bad considering the loanee from Liverpool hadn’t started a game for two-and-a-half months.
And no wonder the Boothen End were telling Hughes to “sign him up”.[/article]
[article=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Stoke-City-4-Fulham-1-asked-switch-wings-says/story-21055282-detail/story.html#ixzz30lY6y75f]OSSIE Assaidi has revealed forlorn right-back Dan Burn asked him to go and play on the other wing as he gave him the runaround in Stoke's 4-1 win over Fulham.
Assaidi was at the top of his game as he helped the Potters to a comfortable victory in their final league match at the Britannia Stadium this season.
Burn, a 6ft 6in left-footer and centre-back by trade, had the unenviable task of keeping tabs on the mercurial wide man on loan from Liverpool.
Assaidi got around him five times, as well as taking on three of his teammates, on his way to a well-deserved man of the match award.
"Yes, I felt very sorry for their defender," said the 25-year-old, who scored Stoke's third.
"He was a nice guy, the first right-back. He told me to change sides, he didn’t want to play against me anymore.
"I really enjoyed it. That’s how I want to play. I want to take defenders on."
It was Assaidi's first start since suffering knee ligament damage in February and his fifth goal since joining Stoke last summer.
He said: "I’m very happy to come back after seven weeks and play my game. You could see how much quality we have up front.
"We played differently, with Peter Odemwingie instead of Peter Crouch as central striker. Two good strikers and two good options for the coach.
“We enjoyed the football and it was a big three points for us."
The win means Stoke have now secured their place as highest ranked club in the Midlands this season, the first time they have achieved the feat.
Assaidi said: "It’s nice for the boss, for the coach, for the team and for the fans. Very nice, very, very nice to get that."[/article]