Is Wenger Right to Still Have Faith in Diaby to Come Good for Arsenal? by AT
The Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has once again come out in support of the perennially injured Gunners’ midfielder Abou Diaby, who is said to be finally approaching full fitness after yet another one of his long spells on the sidelines. The Frenchman has made just 22 appearances in the last four seasons.
But with his contract set to expire at the end of the current campaign, Arsene Wenger has not only come out in support of his compatriot but has also claimed that he will be given a new contract at the Emirates, should the now 28-year-old prove his fitness.
Speaking to BeIn Sport as reported by The Guardian, Wenger said: “Diaby hasn’t a mental problem but a problem of injury. He is a player for whom I have great respect. Whenever he returns, he is injured and he goes from zero. He was destroyed by a bad tackle.
“The football player needs mobility of his ankle. When your ankle mobility is restricted, you compensate with something else. He suffered from a very bad tackle in Sunderland six or seven years ago. He was the victim of an assassin’s tackle that was never punished. It has restricted the mobility of his ankle.
“If he comes back, I will keep him. I always believed in him. In football, the most important thing is health.”
Okay, while we have to all admit that Diaby’s promising career was derailed by a horrific challenge, I really do think it’s time for the player and the club to move on now, it’s been eight long years. I am one of those people who firmly believe that Wenger has refused to bring in an enforcer in midfield because of his undying faith in Abou Diaby.
With that being said, I really do hope Wenger decides to shake hands with Abou and wish him all the best come the end of the season, the club simply cannot afford to have a perennially injured player in a squad that’s crying out for more depth.