What does the future hold for Abou Diaby?

Whilst Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat at the hands of Southampton in the League Cup was a rather dour affair for fans of the North London club, there was some positivity to be gleaned from the clash.

Abou Diaby made his return from injury (and his first appearance of the season) and to be honest, he looked incredibly assured. Given all his injury problems and the time he’s spent on the sidelines, he should have looked extremely rusty. Instead, he was out-performing Arsenal’s other, far-fitter midfielders.

There’s something about the way that Abou Diaby receives the ball that’s a little unique. Every touch seems to be with his next pass in mind. He’s so switched on, that even when he’s under heavy-pressure from the opposition, he’s able to make passing to another team-mate look relatively easy. There’s a kind of swagger to his game, that’s often confused with lethargy. This strikes me as unfair.

If he ever manages to get a run of games under his belt, he’s going to kick on and become a real star. Robin Van Persie hit the big time when he shrugged off his injury problems and started making regular appearances for Arsenal. Could Abou Diaby do the same? If so, he could blossom into The Gunners’ Yaya Toure.

Pundit Alan Smith certainly thinks that Abou Diaby has the potential to make his mark within this Arsenal side. Check out these comments: “He’s a top player and I think he can move to defensive midfield. He hasn’t had that run of games to bed himself into that position but this is maybe why Wenger hasn’t gone for this sort of player.” (Source: Sky Sports)

Given Arsenal’s lack of options in the defensive midfielder position, Abou Diaby may be played there out of necessity. He’s certainly got the physicality for the role, but does he have the pace and the positional awareness? Time will tell.

One thing’s for sure: if he can put his injury problems behind him, he’s going to be a great option for The Gunners.

What’s your take? What does the future hold for Abou Diaby?

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