Albion boss compares David to Zola

9:00am Tuesday 19th March 2013 in Sport By Andy Naylor

David curls home a free kick against Crystal Palace David curls home a free kick against Crystal Palace

Albion dead ball specialist David has been mentioned in the same breath as Italian genius Gianfranco Zola.

The Spaniard’s 20-yard free-kick gave the Seagulls a two-goal cushion at half-time in Sunday’s emphatic victory over arch rivals Crystal Palace at The Amex.

Penalty taker David’s set piece expertise puts him second only to Zola, according to Albion chief Gus Poyet.

Zola’s former team-mate at Chelsea said: “After Gianfranco Zola I haven’t seen another one taking free-kicks like David Lopez. He is outstanding.

“It was funny, because I was trying to convince everybody to let him take it. Kazenga (LuaLua) wanted it and Andrea Orlandi, so it was their call. It was the last kick of the first half. What a change, that changed the game.

"Imagine the second half 1-0 against an Ian Holloway team? You know how difficult it would have been to hold that 1-0 lead. Two-nil was a bit easier."

<p><b>Albion can wing it into the play-offs - see The Argus today</b></p>

Comments(19)

mark by the sea says...
9:21am Tue 19 Mar 13

The performance Sunday now asks questions over Hammond, he is out of contract at saints this June, for me he has not done enough for Gus to put him top of the wanted list, same for dicker and crofts, I think croft will be back up next season, but the other two will probably not be kept.
Great free kick, to compare him to anyone good is fine, but lets see him do it two or three more times before we do!

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GovindaTim says...
9:28am Tue 19 Mar 13

mark by the sea wrote:
The performance Sunday now asks questions over Hammond, he is out of contract at saints this June, for me he has not done enough for Gus to put him top of the wanted list, same for dicker and crofts, I think croft will be back up next season, but the other two will probably not be kept.
Great free kick, to compare him to anyone good is fine, but lets see him do it two or three more times before we do!
He has done It two or three times.

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Dingbat99 says...
9:47am Tue 19 Mar 13

His penalties are varied too. Dead ball specialist.

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Grendel says...
9:48am Tue 19 Mar 13

mark by the sea wrote:
The performance Sunday now asks questions over Hammond, he is out of contract at saints this June, for me he has not done enough for Gus to put him top of the wanted list, same for dicker and crofts, I think croft will be back up next season, but the other two will probably not be kept.
Great free kick, to compare him to anyone good is fine, but lets see him do it two or three more times before we do!
I think Hammond has done a good job, if we don't go up, I think he'd be a decent signing. We MUST get Dave to sign a new contract, whatever happens this must be one of Gus's top priorities.

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championshipgull says...
9:55am Tue 19 Mar 13

What an incredible, better than Beckham free kick that was. Top signing from Gus, Master of the Amex, Slayer of the Eagles.

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mark by the sea says...
10:06am Tue 19 Mar 13

championshipgull wrote:
What an incredible, better than Beckham free kick that was. Top signing from Gus, Master of the Amex, Slayer of the Eagles.
Yes from that distance it's harder than say another 5 yards out, to get the ball up, over, then to dip, is a master skill, from further out its easy! Lol
For me , his technique is the key, even his pens are stroked, very little effort,
I have to say Greer was a massive bonus Sunday, against the long ball foxes here in a few weeks his ability in the air will be required.

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Old Scrote of the Amex says...
10:16am Tue 19 Mar 13

The video of the free-kick from behind the goal shows it at its best - lots of dip and a huge amount of bend. Top drawer stuff.

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Willie, Willie Irvine says...
10:19am Tue 19 Mar 13

Quite a complimwent from Gus, who should know! As we are finding out, David is no one-trick pony, either. He's turned in some very good shifts from different positions - and he is still bedding in. Great attitude, too.

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Carlas mum says...
10:30am Tue 19 Mar 13

On a completely different thread, I queried with the Albion ,why fans who came by coach had to pay the transport levy to the Albion and to the travel company. I have now received a reply and thought you might like to know the answer.

"The travel levy not only includes the concessionary buses and trains but the amended road network, railway bridge, car parks and the subsequent maintenance of these and the concourses.

Unfortunately everyone is liable to pay the levy, no matter how you choose to arrive at the Amex

Apologies if that wasn’t what you were hoping to hear."

Silly me, I didn't realise we were paying for the upkeep of Brighton roads and the rail network.

Also I think a customer service/corresponden
ce course might be of help in this instance.

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Bob! says...
10:38am Tue 19 Mar 13

Carlas mum wrote:
On a completely different thread, I queried with the Albion ,why fans who came by coach had to pay the transport levy to the Albion and to the travel company. I have now received a reply and thought you might like to know the answer. &quot;The travel levy not only includes the concessionary buses and trains but the amended road network, railway bridge, car parks and the subsequent maintenance of these and the concourses. Unfortunately everyone is liable to pay the levy, no matter how you choose to arrive at the Amex Apologies if that wasn’t what you were hoping to hear." Silly me, I didn't realise we were paying for the upkeep of Brighton roads and the rail network. Also I think a customer service/corresponden ce course might be of help in this instance.
The Club has had to pay for major road building, and for changes at Falmer Station.

I currently park & walk, but can see that there is a need for all to contribute to the Stadium Transport plan.

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dave from bexill says...
10:50am Tue 19 Mar 13

Grendel wrote:
mark by the sea wrote:
The performance Sunday now asks questions over Hammond, he is out of contract at saints this June, for me he has not done enough for Gus to put him top of the wanted list, same for dicker and crofts, I think croft will be back up next season, but the other two will probably not be kept.
Great free kick, to compare him to anyone good is fine, but lets see him do it two or three more times before we do!
I think Hammond has done a good job, if we don't go up, I think he'd be a decent signing. We MUST get Dave to sign a new contract, whatever happens this must be one of Gus's top priorities.
Yes, thanks Grendel. I'd love to sign a new contract, but I'll have to see what my agent says first.

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Eddy B says...
12:36pm Tue 19 Mar 13

It was a beauty. There is a great clip on youtube from low in the west stand where you can hear someone shout "nice" as the ball arcs towards the corner before the roar of course (what a shame for those people who'd nipped off for an early pie!). To stroke it with such finesse and apparent ease belies the pace necessary to beat a top goalie from that distance. Anyway of course comparisons with Zola, Beckham etc are premature but agree our Spanish Dave should be first in the queue ahead of Orlandi who duffed one earlier in the game, and KLL and The Dagger who tend to go for the low skimmer approach (although I'm sure Vicente could place it where he wants really). Like a consistent penalty taker it is worth quite a few goals a season to have a deadly just outside the box free kick taker when you have light footed players like Buckley and CMS throwing themselves around. :)

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Cabin fever says...
12:59pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Carlas mum wrote:
On a completely different thread, I queried with the Albion ,why fans who came by coach had to pay the transport levy to the Albion and to the travel company. I have now received a reply and thought you might like to know the answer.

&quot;The travel levy not only includes the concessionary buses and trains but the amended road network, railway bridge, car parks and the subsequent maintenance of these and the concourses.

Unfortunately everyone is liable to pay the levy, no matter how you choose to arrive at the Amex

Apologies if that wasn’t what you were hoping to hear."

Silly me, I didn't realise we were paying for the upkeep of Brighton roads and the rail network.

Also I think a customer service/corresponden

ce course might be of help in this instance.
1) We're not paying for anything to do with Brighton roads - they are talking about the road network directly surrounding the stadium.

2) The 'rail network' we are paying for is Falmer, which wouldn't have been upgraded if the stadium wasn't built there. Makes perfect sense that the club pays for it, in my opinion.

3) You get a response, and then you pick holes in it and complain about the tone? Amazing! Just be grateful someone got back to you. They've even apologised for it not being the news you might have wanted...

Back to the free-kick and the quality of it. Talking about putting it in the perfect spot. Spanish Dave, to me, he is the biggest priority to get signed for next season. He is a class act, who will only get better, I think.

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Redhill Gull says...
1:26pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Hammond surely has no future in this team. He took 3 touches as usual on Sunday to get a ball out to the right when 1 would have led to an earlier cross. He plays backwards and sideways which slows us up. Can't wait to see the back of him!

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Redhill Gull says...
1:26pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Hammond surely has no future in this team. He took 3 touches as usual on Sunday to get a ball out to the right when 1 would have led to an earlier cross. He plays backwards and sideways which slows us up. Can't wait to see the back of him!

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Tony the tiger eastbourne says...
2:58pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Don't agree with you at all Redhill Gull. I think Hammond has been a good squad member and deserves a contract if offered to him if we stay in the Championship. Not sure about him signing if we go up. Also they need to get rid of painter, Dicker, as well

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tinker111 says...
4:07pm Tue 19 Mar 13

mark by the sea wrote:
The performance Sunday now asks questions over Hammond, he is out of contract at saints this June, for me he has not done enough for Gus to put him top of the wanted list, same for dicker and crofts, I think croft will be back up next season, but the other two will probably not be kept.
Great free kick, to compare him to anyone good is fine, but lets see him do it two or three more times before we do!
Have to say David is the find of season .

Have to agree about Hammond & Croft both are short on what is needed but take issue about Dicker he has vision and never takes a foot out of a tackle as other two are prone to do.

Big problem for Gus/Club is to get a new contract to David and get it signed.

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Howie2 says...
4:21pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Dicker seldom tackles and is just not Championship standard IMHO

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pandaking says...
8:39pm Tue 19 Mar 13

I personally like Dicker and appreciate what he contributes to the team. I think Hammond has done alright for us, but not enough spark if we were to go up.

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