Arsene Wenger on Abou Diaby, “He is very strong in the challenge, good in the air, has a work rate”
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was full of praise for Frenchman Abou Diaby before yesterday’s Champions League game at home against AZ Alkmaar, although he believes the 23-year old should be more responsible in his job. Diaby went on to be one of the best players for the Gunners in a game which the North London side won 4-1 with ease.
Wenger, who is using Diaby more and more after Denilson’s back injury, was speaking on the player’s enormous talent when the squad is surging forward and how vital he can be in the Arsenal midfield.
He said:
I must say he is attracted like a magnet by the opponent’s goal.
You do not want to take that out of the players when they are at such a young age but what we can be as well is a little bit more controlled. We do not need to have seven players running forward when you are 1-0 or 2-1 up with five minutes to go. That is something I have told him to take responsibility for in the team.
He likes to play up front just behind the strikers and in time going on he will want to play there. But he is such a strong player in the challenge that I think he will play later in his career a bit deeper in front of the defenders. He is very quick and when he wins the ball he can accelerate the game and I can see him playing deeper.
I think he has done extremely well since he came in. He gives us a good mixture because he is a player who is very strong in the challenge and we have been before a little bit criticised for being capable of being intimidated.
He is very strong in the challenge, good in the air, has a work rate and gives us good balance in midfield.
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I completely agree with Wenger on Diaby. This guy needs a bit more development but all the hallmarks are there of him being a great player. He is naturally attack minded, so will take time to develop playing in a defensive midfielder role. But he has an amazing shot on him, great dribbler, strong in the challenge, has pace also.
Give him some time, his passing will improve!
I don’t agree with the bit about him being good in the air, infact he’s bloody awful with his head, Manure away this season, and also how many times does the ball hit his shoulder when he attempts a header?
Diaby clears a lot of balls from our penalty area using his head.
…..and he’s always marking the opposing team’s best headers of the ball, esp when Bendtner’s not in the side.
I sometimes wonder how so many Arsenal supporters can chose to turn a blind eye to his usefulness.
Alot of arsenal supporters are like sheep. Like sheep they are pretty stupid and ignorant and when they read something that sounds like it maybe smart about one of the players( like if someone has writen something in a clever way) they think hmmm. he writes clever thus he must be right in his assumptions and jump on the bandwagon.
At the moment the most popular sheep thought is “diaby sucks!” ofc most people do not know why he sucks, usually they repeat that smartass blogger they have read the day before, while thinking “he sounded smart so if i re quote him i will sound smart too”.
And this is why a large number of Arsenal fans hate Diaby. Sheep.
I was going to say what digger said, but I still value him as a player and appreciate his many strengths. I just hope he learns to utilize that height of his.
It encouraging that Wenger makes explicit the role Diaby has to assume. Diaby’s problem is that he is dying to be an offensive player, knows he will not be one in Arsenal, tries to prove he should be, and plays in two minds on the field. He is an irrepressible but still raw talent, but not as raw once he will be given clearer identity.He is not to play on the wing nor behind the strikers, he will have to be reigned and educated. Maybe the same way Keita ( Barca’s) who is a DM that is allowed forays that confuse the defense. But I think Diaby could be much better then Keita and cut on his mistakes once his role and responsibilities are totally clear, yet given some outlet to show and express his unique technical abilities once in awhile as the game itself ( not just him) demands. With this clarity his decision making, and passing(unconditionally) will improve and his dribbling, useful and impressive, curtailed. He does not have the strength of Vierra , yet, but being technically superior to him,I think, he will have to find the way to capitalize on that, in right timing, for the good of the team. I agree that his head game is lacking but maybe can improve. Yesterday he showed quite a bit of the discipline that Wenger layed down for him, good tackles , quick release,and expressed his creativity . Diaby’s goal yesterday showed exactly what he can bring to the team,winning the ball in the bottom third, releasing it quickly, reading the situation ahead brilliantly (Diaby can be brilliant? yes!) pushing forward and with what speed and acceleration that we have not seen yet! and scoring. he should be a very special player for Arsenal. Having said all that he is not and will not be an automatic, but how many of our first 11 really are? no more then four or five at this point, I think.
i think diaby is a potential world class player at the moment he is building an building confidence, exactly what he needs and support. I think wenger really needs to adapt his players more to play in the preferred position for example im not trying to tell arsene to do but if you look at yesterday arshavin played excellent because he played in his fav position, diaby played well because he was given a more attacking role but also to defend aswell, diaby will be a special player in good time probably even better than vieira in terms of attacking. But my only worry is that his confidence shatters the day he makes an error and the fans do the same they did to eboue, because at the moment it looks like its only on standby because his playing very very well, hopefully that wont happen though. Im not worried at all i think diaby has everything he needs to become world class you just wait and see people, WELL DONE DIABY YESTERDAY!
No disrespect intended Messi… but its best to leave your advice to Wenger unsaid mate. Arshavin played where he always plays…
Diaby is skillful but not good in the air.I am still haunted when he scored an own goal from a position a person good in the air would not have scored such an on goal from his position.
Let us give him playing time and we shall be singing his names week in week out.
Diaby is gud n brings in the balance needed in the game.U dont expect everyone to b the same.Take arshavin for aerial ball, wat can he do?bt the chap is really gud.Give caesor wat belongs to him….
For all you haters:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlB0-K6PLgY
He even scores a goal with his ed!
Of course this video does nothing to prove that he is consistent, (which apart from winning tackles he isn’t), but it does show his incredible technical skill, strength and ability to slam a ball in the net from various regions of the final third.
Put in these performance on a more regular basis and learn to use your head and you’ll be an A+ player Abou.
No one hates anyone here mate and we never put in doubt Diaby’s ability.
But I also find it funny how someone can say he’s good in the air after what we’ve seen so far this season
Unfortunately Chris some of the comments I read are pretty bad.
This site isn’t as bad as some others – most of the posters are fairly balanced – which is one of the reasons I keep coming back. But even here some of the posts are pretty hateful.
lol on the “good in the air” thing. He just ain’t. Which is a shame because he’s so tall he should be.
I just though I’d post the vid to show some of the good things he can do. I can’t remember most of them so it was an eye opener for me too.
That long range goal against Derby was amazing…
Thanks mate.
I try, problem is I can’t read all comments, especially now that they are increasing
the problem with him is not his talent. he might be talented but he makes simple mistakes pretty much every game. even when he’s having a great game, he does some stupid things. the own goal he scored at old trafford for example.
arsene is a little optimistic about him. saying diaby is good in the air is just acting polyanna. have a look at the second goal Arsenal conceded away at AZ. He can’t even get a 70m floating cross, let alone the drilling ones.
I agree.
But maybe we’re also forgetting he’s been out with a bad injury when he was close to hit top form. I remember a game against Derby I think where he was literally on fire, scored a cracker. Was that Derby? Anyway, he was showing amazing talent there, so I agree, the talent is there, he just needs to improve his defensive skills because when we’re under pressure, he becomes a liability.
The story changes when we’re in full flow a la AZ.
Personally Chris, I think Diaby should improve on his passing ala ensure he passes more to his team mates than to the opposition
Yes, that’s another problem of course. Actually, the more you examine him, the more you realise he’s good when we’re pushing forward in numbers.