Arsenal vs Blackburn Rovers EPL | 04-10-09| 1:30 pm| SS1

[progman07]

Not that I think Diaby was horrible or anything yesterday; he certainly wasn't and there definitely is a hate campaign against him similar to what Eboue and Denilson has been forced to experience in the past.

Meh. I used to love Diaby, after the 06/07 Carling Cup Final. I thought, this guy is going to be brilliant.

Same with Denilson.


Then they didn't live up to the roles they were given, Denilson was a bit hopeless as the first team DM, we were weak in midfield, and now Diaby is even worse, because Denilson was at least quite reliable, while Diaby is simple clueless.

 

[kamikaze80]

i still rate diaby very highly - his potential is absurd. that said, he was not good v blackburn. he did nothing in attack or in defence (except for that left-footed shot that went just wide after a nice one-two with fabregas, i think).

everyone gives fabregas and song stick for being out of position on their goals or for letting dunn run riot, but where was diaby? he always leaves gaps behind him and his dispossessions leave us vulnerable on the counter.

 

[ricky1985]

I think Diaby is really lacking confidence. He has his weaknesses, definitely, and it's 50/50 as to whether he'll ever sufficiently overcome them to become the player his potential promises - but he's not showing anywhere near the best of himself at the moment.

 

[Captain]

He did alot of the work for our first goal too.

 

[qs]

I thought yesterday was one of Diabys better games because he was less involved than usual.

 

[Alfonso]

The problem with Diaby is that he plays as if he's still in his first season with us. He is so wet around the ears its untrue.

Another problem with him is that there appears to be a lack of ambition. He does not go the extra mile in games, just happy coasting and doing the bare minimum. I think he would be happy with being this semi-first team player for the next 5 years.

When Diarra played for us he busted a gut in every game in order to force his way into the first team, and when he did not start games after just 5 months he wanted out, he had a single-mindedness about him which I admired. Diaby on the other hand has not grown up, he is still a kid inside.

He does not have that burning desire inside to be a winner that you need at the top, top level. I would not be suprised if he was sold in the summer.

 

[nazo]

I think Diaby is really lacking confidence. He has his weaknesses, definitely, and it's 50/50 as to whether he'll ever sufficiently overcome them to become the player his potential promises - but he's not showing anywhere near the best of himself at the moment.

qft.
Let him get a good confidence boost (in addition to the fans support) and he'd be a completely different monster. I still have hopes for him but he has to improve.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

Let him get a good confidence boost (in addition to the fans support) and he'd be a completely different monster.

Yeah, but how do you do that? Some kind of injection? It's not like he doesn't get his chances. And it's not like he hasn't scored (Portsmouth, for example).

 

[law90026]

Re Diaby: I don't really understand the fascination with defending him and his poor performances. Is it cool to be different?

Watch him play. Really watch him play. It's appalling how he makes basic errors (eg: he was under a little pressure at the halfway line in the 2nd half, Song provided an outlet for him and he overhits the pass and it goes across our field to a Blackburn player ... if this was a good side, it would be a break and a very dangerous situation), how he is easily shoved off the ball, how he has terrible timing for his headers (in the 2nd half, a long ball came, he left his man ... and the ball bounced behind him) and generally screws things up. Does he have potential? Hell yes. But, after a while, potential is no longer enough in a team that is challenging for titles.

But what really really grates at me in relation to Diaby is that he doesn't try. There were at least a few occasions where he lost the ball or was supposed to be defending and he jogs. HE JOGS. You don't see him rushing back to harry players, he just jogs back and is NOT involved in defending. If you can't contribute offensively, then you absolutely have to get stuck in for the defence.

That's why he's a liability for the team right now. He adds very very little, despite his vaunted physical abilities.

Personally, I think he should be loaned out for a season. I think he needs time with a smaller side with less pressure to learn how to play football at the highest level. Bear in mind that he hasn't had that opportunity since he has had a number of injuries. But him learning his trade in the centre of our midfield is a major risk for the team.

 

[kamikaze80]

i think a loan would be a waste of time. he'd think it below him to play for a **** team. at the same time, there's no way he'd play in CM for a bad team. he might play behind the striker but that would do nothing to teach him defensive responsibility but would just reinforce his existing bad habits. plus, he'll never be good enough to play there for us.

he just needs to get serious and focus on the mental part of the game cos his ability is just ridiculously good. i'm more than willing to give him more time - just not necessarily playing time.

 

[celestis]

Yeah , ridiculously talented great shot off both feet , not a bad passer , just lacking in confidence. Seems to be scared of tackling after nearly killing Terry , breaking campos ankle etc. Really though thats a good thing. Someone needs to tell him that .

 

[nazo]

Let him get a good confidence boost (in addition to the fans support) and he'd be a completely different monster.

Yeah, but how do you do that? Some kind of injection? It's not like he doesn't get his chances. And it's not like he hasn't scored (Portsmouth, for example).

Which is probably the hard part. He just has to realize he can do much better or have someone keep on telling him to stop being a lazy ass.

If he doesn't look like improving then we might as well sell him. Wenger sees him every week and knows what he's capable of so as long as he's with us i have hopes that he will step up.

 

[banduan]

Let him get a good confidence boost (in addition to the fans support) and he'd be a completely different monster.

Yeah, but how do you do that? Some kind of injection? It's not like he doesn't get his chances. And it's not like he hasn't scored (Portsmouth, for example).

exactly. He has had plenty of chances, and cries to give him a chance have been around for 2 whole seasons!

 

[Invincible]

Diaby's work-rate is non-existant and he's tactically *. He doesn't know where to position himself, he doesn't know when to attack, when to defend, when to dribble, when to make a pass. An absolute liability for us every time he's on the pitch.

I don't think he cares either. I never see him hurry the opposition or track back and make tackles. Blackburn ran through our middle with ease and he was just a spectator.

 

[Klaus Daimler]

My two main reasons for not writing Diaby off are his obvious talent and his physique. At the same time I've never found him to be of much use centrally, and his recent run seems to confirm that he's simply the wrong player to put there. His positional sense is pretty bad, he never releases the ball quickly enough to encourage a fluid passing game and he often drifts out of position to embark on long runs or dribbles down narrow alleys where he ends up losing the ball. And for a guy of his size he's dispossessed too easily.

He basically feels like a 5 ft 6 attacking dribbler trapped inside the body of a 6 ft 3 injury prone centreback. I can't see much space for him in the first team or even on the bench when we've got Nasri back. As it currently stands he's behind Fabregas, Rosicky, Nasri and Denilson in the pecking order, and players like Ramsey and Merida are starting to emerge. Diaby needs to actually do something soon, or he'll be off. It would be a hideous waste of good talent, but it's obvious that neither Diaby nor Arsenal are happy with how things are going at the moment. I don't think it's about him being stupid or not caring though; the guy chosed to stay in London the whole summer to work on improving his fitness. He's as ambitious as anyone else in the first team. Some of the things said about him really are pathetic.

 

[qs]

But what really really grates at me in relation to Diaby is that he doesn't try. There were at least a few occasions where he lost the ball or was supposed to be defending and he jogs. HE JOGS. You don't see him rushing back to harry players, he just jogs back and is NOT involved in defending. If you can't contribute offensively, then you absolutely have to get stuck in for the defence.

Thats the most annoying thing for me too. And it goes back to what Alfonso was saying about him being happy to be a squad player and not having that burning desire that makes the difference between being a talented player and a great player. He pulls out of every 50/50 as well.

There were alot of people here saying his comments during the summer about he was bulking up was him showing a great attitude but none of thats translated to actual performances. You can be built like a tank but it'll make no difference if you've no heart backing it up.

 

[Anzac]

Re Diaby = CCup run.
If he can't show as a key player amongst the kids then he's not got it in him.

 

[TomasCR]

he just needs to get serious and focus on the mental part of the game cause his ability is just ridiculously good. i'm more than willing to give him more time - just not necessarily playing time.

That's the sad thing, how else would you want him to get better if not by playing him regularly? He has been here for ages and still hasn't proved anything aside from having a big potential written all over him. The time when both Wilshere and Ramsey need to play more to develop themselves is getting closer and closer and Diaby is going to be the first one to go if he doesn't get better soon enough. Not that I wouldn't like him and all that, it's just the way it works in big teams.

 

[beck]

6-2, 2-0 and 4-0 at the Emirates v Blackburn so far (lets ignore that FA cup game). More of the same please lads!

just for you mate[well,all of us really]

 

[sabret00the]

the excuse culture that surrounds diaby is disturbing.