Steve Bould was sent out to face the media when Arsene Wenger lost his voice this week, and he has been quoted talking about Abou Diaby.
“As we all know, he has had seven years of injuries and it takes a huge character to come back. Maybe it’s a chance for him to correct everything that was going wrong. He might use the seven or eight months to get rid of all those injuries he was struggling with.
“We’re all hoping he comes back a better player. Abou has to use this as an opportunity to work on all those bits that keep breaking down. That’s the positive that he can go forward with.”
Right. One question, Steve: why is this seven months off going to be any different to all the previous periods of seven months off that Diaby has suffered? Why will he mend better now when he never has before? Every time he gets injured, that’s another part that has to be mended, and he wasn’t doing that great with the previous stuff.
Okay, I know Bouldie is just passing the time of day with some journos while the boss is indisposed, and I know he’s just trying to put a bit of positive spin on yet another bad situation for Diaby, but let’s be honest here: I don’t think it’s going to happen. Diaby is simply too injury-prone, and it’s time to stop relying on him to come back and make a difference. It’s time to stop even pretending he will.
If he surprises us all and has a great three or four years, well brilliant. He’s a good player, no doubt about that. Not world class, but can be very good on his day, and I’m happy to keep paying him for the length of his contract (given we don’t have a choice anyway, ha ha). But even Arsene has to say enough is enough and plan a squad for next season without him. Anything else is surely a dereliction of his managerial duty.
angryofislington 
What a pointless article. Find something better to do.
What a pointless comment.
Van Persie had his injury filled years and finally seemed to stabilise physically around 26-27 years old, not coincidentally also the same point where he finally managed to put all the pieces of his game together. And immediately became one of Europe’s most complete players.
Diaby is still only 26 – exactly the same point in his career, as Van Persie was 3 seasons ago. Huge physical potential, flashes that could take the breath away, followed by injury and then having to start from square one again, just when he needed a long run of games to make a major step up.
Instead of writing Diaby off as a lost cause, you should be showing some kind of positive thoughts for the guy. Why should Abou Diaby NOT have the same chance as van Persie?
But yet again we have Arsenal “fans” showing zero empathy for an Arsenal player. One who unlike most on our squad, has never been afraid to stand in the line of fire. On a May afternoon in Sunderland, when the season was petering out and most would be hiding, Diaby stood up to match every physical challenge posed to him by Sunderland’s thuds. Unable to intimidate Diaby, they sent the thug Dan Smith to perpetrate a cowardly blind side assault on Diaby’s ankle. Which probably has contributed greatly to his niggling injury record. But you know what – the guy stood up to be counted when YOU needed it.
And for this Diaby has paid a huge price – the initial rehab of that injury alone would have been a massive undertaking for him, never mind the problems that he has to overcome as his body rebabalances. This is just the initial injury alone:
http://www.thebeautifulgroan.com/2011/12/21/physiotherapy-corner-tom%E2%80%99s-injury-of-the-week-abou-diaby/
And where are you now, when Diaby needs round of support, a clap on the back, a cheer from the fans to remind him we are still thinking of him as he begins the long slog back to fitness. Oh, you are busy pulling a judas – kicking Abou in the nuts and flinging him to the exit door, while he is as down emotionally as he probably has even been in his life.
Thanks a lot – what a great show of dedication to one of our most loyal battlers on the field. With “fans” like this I really cannot fault the players who refuse to stand and battle for possession when the tackles are flying. Who is to fault them for choosing to spare their legs rather than risk them? To sacrifice for fans so fickle is pure folly – casting pearls before swine.
Let’s face it, if I presented a comprehensive analysis of why grass is green, you’d argue that it wasn’t.
Let’s face it – you’re more interested in bashing Arsenals players than supporting them. How low can one be to publicly demand that loyal player be written off in the moment when he most needs support, faith and human kindness?
Wenger has not built anything around Diaby, as despite Song forcing his way out late in the gane, Wenger clearly pencilled in Arteta for the DM job, with Coquelin in development behind him. So there is nothing to be accomplished by slagging off a player who has stood in the line of fire for you. For me that’s just detestable as a fan.
“A player who has stood in the line of fire for you”! Ha ha! Go on, tell me he’s a “hero” for putting up with injuries while doing his terribly tough job as an extremely well paid professional footballer.
I’m sure Diaby is a very nice guy and he’s been very unlucky with injuries, so deserves sympathy. But when you start using military cliches to describe the situation of someone who could retire today and live comfortably for the rest of his life without lifting a finger, then you have lost both the plot and the argument.
“Stood in the line of fire”! Brilliant! Ha ha!
When was the last time YOU took a flying kick on your ankle and broke it in service of AFC’s cause, Phil?
How many metal plates are in your leg as a result? Bolts & nuts?
Tell us, please.
You seem to think it is all so easy, taking pot shots at a player while sitting behind the safety of your keyboard.
Ziontrain is 100% correct.
Phil seems like one of those chavs who can only say ‘haha’ when he is proved wrong.
Hahahaha
Well said. Diaby being injured is not Diabys fault. The boss having faith in him is not his call. What has Diaby done wrong, exactly? I admit its hugely frustrating, but for gods sake. Go and support Stoke if you want to boo the victims of assault.
completely agree its about time he was shown the door, he is a good player no doubting that but he should be on a pay as you play contract and nothing else. Another example of us throwing good money at poor returns
I wonder if we were to extend his stay with us, would it be better to lower his wages but include a clause to renegotiate it after a review of his fitness every year.
Bould is trying to bolster Diaby’s spirits you moron. would you rather Bould said in public Diaby was finished. Grow up
I’d rather he said nothing in public than made outlandish claims. There’s no need to be rude is there. Ironic that you resort to name calling, then tell me to grow up. You’re not exactly the height of maturity yourself, are you.
Precisely.
Sell him now and replace him with super quality who will be playing every week enough is enough.
The Depressed mouse, does not understand football; and the author does not understand man management.Just tell the guy he’s finished eh !! Tell him there is no chance that after 8 months of rehab there is zero chance he will ever make it !! His body will never take it !! Come on throw a little common sense into your arguments, he is still under contract at Arsenal, if he (miraculously) makes it, great, if not then everyone did there best for him.
I understand man management perfectly well, but there is no need for Bould to come out with this stuff in public.
No – saying it publicly is the entire idea of the thing.
The best way of acheiving goals is to put them on the table publicly. This is a well known performance and motivational technique. It works.
By setting out a stake publicly saying he believes Diaby CAN make it back, Bould is simultaneously encouraging the guy while also drawing a line in the sand saying “Come on son, you can do this. We know it, everyone knows it. Go on and give yourself a push to make it. We’re behind you”
You on the other hand are probably the type that tells his wife that he shouldn’t need to declare his love for her in public. The moment she needs you most, let’s hope you aren’t kicking her in the teeth like you’re doing to Diaby.
I agree. Arsene himself said its Diabys last chance when he returned from his last injury. I am convinced Diaby will play for Arsenal again, however, we have to consider him a bonus not a member of the squad.
And any comparison to RvP just makes me want to off load him more. If we could go back to the countless times we helped RvP through an injury and offered him a new contract would you want us to do it again? I wouldn’t.
I would sell him to a 2nd division Dutch team with mediocre medical support and see how good he ended up then.
Good article, great point.
I like Diaby the player, I dont like Diaby the squad filler.
COME ON THE GUNNERS
The point at issue is not whether Bould was trying to boost Diaby’s morale: we’d all be horrified if he’d been heartless and said Diaby was finished as an Arsenal player. But how would we feel if Daiby’s contract ended in May and he was given another 4 year contract at the same money? 60K a week? And that IS the point: we have more than enough expensive deadwood. The chance of Diaby ever being fit enough to become a regular first team player is remote. Before he came, he was known as ‘fragile’. Wenger took a punt on him; he’s done it before with Overmans, Kanu – but this time it hasn’t come off.
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