Diaby

goonerk · Post by **goonerk** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 12:33 pm

Not sure if anyone agrees with me, but I really believe that Diaby could have a huge impact next season. Make no bones about it, we HAVE missed Paddy and our centre midfield WASN'T strong enough last season. Bar kolo, willy and possibly robin, we have noone 'nasty' in our team. I mean nasty in the way like petit, vieira, razor, wrighty, big tone etc used to scare opponants. Diaby could give us that. He's big, he strong and likes a tackle. I just hope he develops Vieira's ability to scare opponants by simply moving towards them. fingers crossed...

exiled in notts · Post by **exiled in notts** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 12:54 pm

From what I've seen, I like Diaby. I just hope he doesn't share the same problem Paddy had with refs whereby he got a yellow card by simply moving toward opponents. The worst example being the sending off against Man Ure when he was dismissed for waving a leg in the vague direction of that cheating, diving scumbag Ruud Van Driver.

Post by **T.S** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:01 pm

Goonerk: Good shout. He's had his critics, but I think that out of a very ordinary season, Diaby has been one of the success stories. He's come back from a shitty injury and has come back looking stronger than he did before - good on him. Problem is, I'm not sure of his best position in terms of the Arsenal team. What I mean by that, is that ideally I'd like him to play in the centre of midfield, but I can't see AW dropping Cesc or Gilberto, so I wonder where he's going to fit in. He looked alright out wide, but he clearly isn't a winger.

I think the Vieira comparisons are a little wide of the mark. I think they're different players. I don't think Diaby is as strong in the tackle, but at the same time, I think he brings something more to the attack that Paddy didn't. I just hope that he doesn't end up fazed out because we couldn't fit him in the team. He is undoubtedly a very talented player, and that would be a damn shame.

exiled in notts · Post by **exiled in notts** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:13 pm

Shitty injury is right Tony. The tackle by the Sunderland player (in injury time in a match where they were 3-0 down and already relegated) was a an absolute disgrace. Could have finished Diaby's career. So I'm glad to see him back. I'm assuming that AW won't be able to field Gilberto and Fabregas in tandem in every game this coming season, so hopefully he'll get his chance. There isn't too much genuine competition for the central midfield berths at the moment.

goonerk · Post by **goonerk** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:30 pm

see this is what im concerned about. When I watch Diaby he appears more at ease going forward than defending-hense wengers decision to play him behind a main stiker at times last season. Diaby will not be able to compete if thats the way he wants to play. Fab, denilson, tomas, freddie and even hleb would be ahead of him for a supporting role. We need a midfield anchor, someone to protect the backfour and allow fab to do his thing. Its great to see Diaby running passed players just as vieira did. But lets no forget, paddy's most important role was dominating the middle of the park (infact, all over) with his headers and tackles. Wenger made a comment that since Diaby has come back form his injury he is more focused on his defending-so lets see it. DON'T play him on the left, DON'T play him behind the front, play him in the middle of the park and let him throw his weight around. The space we allow with gilberto and fab is crazy-it would never have happened in the days of manu and paddy. im not saying for sure that diaby is the answer...but lets give him a go. His physical attributes are not in doubt, lets just see if he can dominate a game, because if he can, we'll be looking strong once again.

Rad · Post by **Rad** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:43 pm

Maybe we have to cut loose with the Premiership template of playing the holding midfield player a la Makelele, Hargreaves (soon to be), Gilberto etc. I think that the only way to get the best out of our squad is to possibly get rid of (my player of the season) Gilberto. Now I do admire the way he breaks things up and his engine but his distribution can be appalling and the majority of his goals came from penalties this season. When we had the luxury of Petit & Vieira we didn't need a player who just broke the play up. Neither did we need it in other great eras. Surely it is what you do as a team not what the opposition does. The premise that Wenger doesn't scout other teams is rubbish. The opposition now know that if they stack the midfield and play one up front and press us they can get a result. We don't need a holding midfield player when there is only one player in our half! The problem is there is no other player to replace Gilberto when he is not in the team. The only player like him in the squad is Song and we should transfer him asap. If Fabregas and Diaby play in the middle then Denilson could back up one or other. This would leave us room to bring in another centre midfielder or even , shock horror, play a 4-3-3 formation with our plethora of strikers - cum - midfielders! This would also possibly sort out the problems we have defending when the back four + Gilberto abdicate responsibility for who is supposed to be picking up the usual lone striker who slots/nods one past Jens.

Trevheff · Post by **Trevheff** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:05 pm

For me Diaby is Gilberto's long term successor. He showed last year in glimpses just how good he can become. However right now I feel the youthfulness throughout the side means that Gilberto's experience is vital. I therefore can't see Diaby getting a regular start just yet.

Maybe Arsene will use the coming season to gradually give Diaby more games in the middle. As some of you guys have already touched on, he's not naturally defensive minded as a holding midfielder so to a certain extent he still needs to learn the position. I don't think it will take him too long but it makes sense for the coming season to gradually ease him in and allow him to develop into the role while still maintain the essentual benefit of Gilberto's experience.

tenementfunster5 · Post by **tenementfunster5** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:04 pm

I think I'm right in saying Gilberto will miss the start of the season due to the Copa America or something so Diaby could have a good start to the season and get himself in contention for a starting role.
I believe that Diaby will become the new Paddy. He has many of the same qualities as Vieira. He's tall and rangy, strong, ability on the ball and can drive from midfield. Diaby is the future.

mrmage · Post by **mrmage** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 1:42 am

Rad's point about formation is true. I think maybe the gaffer has been clinging on to 4-4-2 a bit, hoping miracles for Hleb. A 4-3-3 would be a good idea. We had our most success in the CL with 4-5-1, the 4-3-3 is a good adaption.

Rosicky has said he's not a natural winger, middle for him. Van and hopefully TH on the right and left, Diaby, Gilberto and Cesc behind them. Lots more attacking safety.

I do think Diaby has great potential, great to see him back so strong. Strange how Song played so well with CA, guess he wasn't so outclassed by his team mates. Never thought he was any good for us!

Gunnerz4life · Post by **Gunnerz4life** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 11:13 am

Fantastic fantastic talent. He was the best Arsenal player if not the best player as long as he was in the field in the Carling Cup final. I really do have high hopes for him, i kinda feel that his ability on the ball is better than Viera, though Viera was better at defending. But Diaby has time on his side.

Eboue Can't Defend · Post by **Eboue Can't Defend** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 12:12 pm

mrmage wrote:Rad's point about formation is true. I think maybe the gaffer has been clinging on to 4-4-2 a bit, hoping miracles for Hleb. A 4-3-3 would be a good idea. We had our most success in the CL with 4-5-1, the 4-3-3 is a good adaption.

Rosicky has said he's not a natural winger, middle for him. Van and hopefully TH on the right and left, Diaby, Gilberto and Cesc behind them. Lots more attacking safety.

I do think Diaby has great potential, great to see him back so strong. Strange how Song played so well with CA, guess he wasn't so outclassed by his team mates. Never thought he was any good for us!

So who do you propose should play down the centre of the strike force?
The way I understand your formation, 4-3-3, TH14 and RVP11 will play wide of a centre forward (which I actually agree with). However, who will play centre of that?

You say Rosicky can't play wide so it's the middle for him, yet you then proceed to fill the middle with Diaby, Gilberto and Cesc

Where is the room for Tomas? You didn't mean in the middle up front, did you?

Talented as Rosicky is - and I expect him to be even better next season - I'm not sure that would work.

We could play the formation you suggested, with Adebayor in the centre, but that would mean dropping one of the midfield players out of your selection of Rosicky/Cesc/Gilberto/Diaby.

Alternatively, Arsenal could revert to 4-5-1 with Tomas left, RVP11 right, Diaby/Cesc/Gilberto in the middle and TH14 (or whoever replaces him) up front centrally.

Diaby

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