I realize that the headline attached to this article could relate to any number of Arsenal players. Never has there been a group of players with so much potential and so little achievement. It’s like there’s a step missing in the equation. A good number of these players need to step up to the plate this season if the club are to earn their first bit of silverware since 1973 (approximately).
So yes, this article could potentially refer to Gervinho or Aaron Ramsey. The man I’m primarily concerned with, however, is Abou Diaby, as I generally believe he has the potential to be a world beater. It’s a matter of great misfortune for Arsenal fans, however, that the Frenchman blows so hot and cold. Like Theo Walcott, he’s only ever consistent ‘in patches’. And what good’s that over the course of a season?
Take, for instance, two little Abou Diaby case-studies: Liverpool and Montpellier. The Frenchman played a prominent role in both games, one for better and one for worse.
He was absolutely imperious against Liverpool. He was allowed to display the best aspects of his game – his dynamism, his athleticism and his grace. He was good enough, that the likes of Steven Gerrard and former Arsenal target Nuri Sahin paled into comparison. He rightly won Man of the Match for his performance.
Against Montpellier in the Champions League, however, things were to be different. Fresh off the back of an injury hit French International campaign, Diaby came back into the side at the expense of young Francis Coquelin. This was a mistake. One second-half run aside, Diaby’s input was very little and he looked like he was completely unable to keep up with the pace of the game.
Despite being awarded one of the quickest yellow cards in Champions League history, he continue to amble around the pitch, stumbling into Montpellier players and giving away fouls. He was guilty of a foul in the area that should have seen Montpellier awarded their second penalty of the evening. He really struggled.
You get the feeling that he couldn’t have been entirely fit. We all know just how capable he is when the mood takes him. Perhaps it’s best for everyone involved if he takes a couple of weeks off to recover. He’s a fragile soul and needs to be eased back into regular football, not thrown back in.
Handled the right way, Diaby may just be the driving force of Arsenal’s success this season. Handled the wrong way and he may end up being a scapegoat for yet another trophy-less season.
What’s your take? Is Abou Diaby ready to express himself at the top level?
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I see your point but youre way off the mark with diaby,2 games dont tell you about the consistency of a player.If you wanted to judge his consistency,look into his last meaningful run of games like the 2009/10 season,otherwise your whole post is about something that does not exist.