Rohit wrote:

How is this self inflicted? He didn't stamp himself.

Both this dribble and the one for the chance he missed, I remember shouting for him to pass the ball long before he actually released it. 

His style is to wait till the very last moment when the defender starts to commit before making the pass. However, it's not like there haven't been a thousand reminders (fouls) for him to release it earlier.

I think ultimately the role he plays for England is the one he will play for us. It will protect him, whilst giving him more space to pick passes and create. I think he may need to use his dribbles sparingly.

The biggest error was playing him in the middle when he was actually a dribbler and not a passer. Especially considering his physical stature. He's a small player who skilfully dribbles past challenges, being placed in the very center of the park which has the biggest and toughest tacklers roaming it, CB's and CM's. A passer of similar stature would have protected himself (Cazorla), because his game is to release the ball quickly. A natural dribbler on the other hand likes to invite tackles and run past.

He should have been protected on the flank, which is where he looked arguably even more impressive, where he would be dealing with relatively smaller fullbacks. You certainly would not have seen McNair come flying in if Wilshere was dribbling from the flank.

When he played in his debut season, he sat deep and very rarely dribbled up the pitch. He also kept a short passing game. When he returned, he was used higher up and suddenly we had Wilshere dribbling through the heart of teams. Can't really envision anything more than a 5ft 7 20 odd year old getting hacked to bits.

Boss on @AbouVDIABY: "He is on the brink of returning to training. If he's fully fit he'll have a new deal" #SCFCvAFC

I love how he was on the brink of returning in preseason too, and now it's december, and he still hasn't started a league game since september 2012.

This thread is a curse, and our injuries are ranging mythical proportions. What the fuck man!

Dragan wrote:

Boss on @AbouVDIABY: "He is on the brink of returning to training. If he's fully fit he'll have a new deal" #SCFCvAFC

Is that a direct quote? What a muppet Wenger is. Pure arrogance. If we sign on Diaby for another couple of years I will be shouting my frustrations from the rooftops.

Send Diaby on loan, see if any other club can have a go.

Rampage wrote:

Dragan wrote:

Boss on @AbouVDIABY: "He is on the brink of returning to training. If he's fully fit he'll have a new deal" #SCFCvAFC

Is that a direct quote? What a muppet Wenger is. Pure arrogance. If we sign on Diaby for another couple of years I will be shouting my frustrations from the rooftops.

Yup that's a quote from the official Arsenal twitter. I checked the twitter account hoping its a fake one but no luck.

"New deal" could be according to playing time. Poor Abu. Thank god for years of earning millions doing F all.

Food for thought: Diaby has been at Arsenal now as long as Vieira was.

Wenger can fuck off if he lets him occupy a squad place for another season. We'll never have a better chance to purge ourselves of him.

Nailed on for the usual April return and subsequent breakdown in August then.

Klaus wrote:

Wenger can fuck off

But you say that about almost everything he does these days Klaus and you still seem to end up defending him.
Go on, take that final leap tis but a small step, the truth will set you free......

How am I defending him?

Off topic but when the discussion turns to possible replacements you usually defer to the status quo, even defending Kroenke and his junta.

I just don't see the point of entering full sith lord mode and hate on everything that is even remotely connected to him. The situation is what it is. I would gladly change him for a better manager but it's not going to happen anytime soon.

You guys shouldn't rely on press snipets. It went as follows: Question from journo about Diaby and Wenger answers that he has a small injury, that they're always minor injuries with him which is what is frustrating. But that he's on the brink or returning to full training. Then follow up question is well his contract is coming to an end, will he get a new one if he is fit. Wenger hesitates, and says, if he's fully fit, he will get one. this is as close to verbatim as I recall. What is Wenger going to say to a specific question like that, no? of course not. So he essentially said we'll see when the contract is up while not shattering whatever is left of Diaby's confidence right now. IT was interesting that wenger is the one that added the "fully" in there. Make of that what you will, but at least we should have the actual facts and words before arguing about it.

Yeah, fair enough. I don't think it's the statement people really have a problem with anyway. It's just that everyone knows that Diaby will get another deal, injury or no injury. Maybe it'll be structured around a lower basic wage with performance-based incentives. Maybe there will be an option to cancel it after two years. But he'll get another deal for as long as he's still able to walk on both legs.

Klaus wrote:

I just don't see the point of entering full sith lord mode and hate on everything that is even remotely connected to him. The situation is what it is. I would gladly change him for a better manager but it's not going to happen anytime soon.

Do not go gentle into that good night- Rage Rage against the dying of the light. ;D

I bet a £10 wager, at any betting site who'll accept it, that Diaby will be fully fit at any point this season will earn anyone making the bet at least a Lamborghini.

However, let's say Diaby is back in the next few weeks, is able to stay fit well into April or something - then there is a real decision to make. Personally, I think he is a cracking player. That's what I remember at least from when I actually saw him play in 2010.