Don't feel too bad for Diaby, he's made millions from the Arsenal physio room whilst poor Dan couldn't hack it in Scotland and now plays semi pro in Brisbane, getting paid in warm XXXX beer and cold left over pies from the club canteen. That's where our real sympathies should go.

Question - with the recent talk of a pay per play style offer for Diaby, he'd still take a squad place as he'd need to be registered?
If so then we're no better off other than re wages.

It's not too hard to muster an argument that Diaby on a pay to play could be better value than Flamini on a wage.

Unfortunately it doesn't look like we can get rid of Flamini.

Summer of 2016, baby!

People still get wages on a pay per play deal, they just don't get as much as they would have otherwise. Training and staying in shape outside the club is part of the work too for a footballer.

Klaus wrote:

Diaby fractured Wesley Sneijder's leg in preseason too back when we played Real Madrid. He also broke Ivan Campo's foot back in 2006. He's been dishing out plenty of horror tackles throughout the years to be honest. He's always been a brainless player.

The tackle on Steinsson was the worst by Abou.

Yes, but that just makes him more endearing

Qwiss! wrote:

Klaus wrote:

Diaby fractured Wesley Sneijder's leg in preseason too back when we played Real Madrid. He also broke Ivan Campo's foot back in 2006. He's been dishing out plenty of horror tackles throughout the years to be honest. He's always been a brainless player.

The tackle on Steinsson was the worst by Abou.

Oh right, I forgot about Steinsson.

This all factors in for me when you evaluate his career. Can't in good conscience paint him as the tragic victim of a horror challenge without acknowledging that he was as likely to be on the giving end of it. Smith has some small point when he says that his tackle gets unproportional attention because it happened against Arsenal and not Bolton, like Diaby's own assaults.

That being said, fuck Dan Smith. We're all responsible for our own actions. The oaf couldn't even make it as a low-league player in the end. He had no business putting in a challenge like that.

The thing about Dan Smith is that his whole game was built on kicking lads to stop them. Diaby was just a clumsy oaf. He wasn't really able to tackle but because he was big people expected him to be the new Vieira.

Qwiss! wrote:

The thing about Dan Smith is that his whole game was built on kicking lads to stop them. Diaby was just a clumsy oaf. He wasn't really able to tackle but because he was big people expected him to be the new Vieira.

This, Smith revealed himself when he said that he was just a "young lad trying to have a go at it". If I was Diaby reading this sorry ass self pitying interview I'd pay someone in Oz to have a go at his ankles.

Rucks wrote:

Unfortunately it doesn't look like we can get rid of Flamini.

Suck it up Rex.

I only just 'got' the title.

Well played.

Slowing down with age GM?

Shit, I only got it after GM mentioned it.

Any actual news on Diaby?

Yeah, he's out for three weeks with a groin/ankle/hamstring/concussion niggle.

DIABY AMONG FIVE PLAYERS LEAVING ARSENAL
Abou Diaby, together with academy players Jack Jebb, Austin Lipman, Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill and Josh Vickers, are leaving Arsenal, having reached the end of their contracts.
Diaby leaves the club after 10 years in which he made 180 first-team appearances, scoring 19 goals.
A hugely talented midfielder, unfortunately his time at the club was interrupted by a number of serious injuries. Diaby has also represented France on 16 occasions.
Midfielder Jebb, forward Lipman, full-back Ormonde-Ottewill and goalkeeper Vickers came through the Gunners’ Hale End academy together, and went on to represent the club at under-21 level.
Jebb, Lipman and Ormonde-Ottewill have all played for England at youth level.
Arsenal would like to take this opportunity to thank Abou, Jack, Austin, Brandon and Josh for their contribution to the club and to wish them well for the future.

Sad what happend to Diaby...

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You have been itching to confine Big Bad Abou to 'Other Football', haven't you?

For years. 8)

For too long we have not signed a midfielder assuming we will get minutes out of him.

I just hope giving up on him finally means we will sign another midfielder. We need one.

It has finally happened. Sad.

Second best transfer move we've made this summer. Squad improvement by subtraction.

Klaus wrote:

Squad improvement by subtraction.

That will be when we release Flamini.

Diaby is irrelevant. He hasn't played for us in 2 years.

EDIT: I just realised Miyaichi hasn't been released?

Don't worry guys. He'll be back.

Edit: Oh and Clrnc Miyachi has joined some other team. Don't remember who but I remember seeing him pictured at his new club showing off his kit.

Talk on Sky Sports that he's in discussions with FC Dallas in the MLS - probably a decent level for him.

Loylz wrote:

Don't worry guys. He'll be back.

Edit: Oh and Clrnc Miyachi has joined some other team. Don't remember who but I remember seeing him pictured at his new club showing off his kit.

Ah I remember it now. Thanks

Klaus wrote:

He makes it sound like he was at the rough end of it. If only Diaby hadn't broken his leg against Smith's foot... who knows what could have happened? Dan Smith might have been prime minister today if it weren't for his encounter with menacing Abou. His potential was endless.

I know it's all in the past but it's honestly hard to not wonder whether things would have turned out differently if Diaby, Eduardo and Ramsey had not broken their legs.

You could argue that Diaby's injury was something the club should have been able to navigate around but Eduardo's injury and the impact that game against Birmingham had ended up costing us the title more than anything else. Plus he was starting to show some good form going into that game.

Ramsey - well, we were robbed of one of the best midfield talents in the world. I think he's still behind schedule in his development - he's seriously lucky and resilient to come back from that leg break and also recapture his form. Not enough credit is given to his strength of character. 

Edit: Just looked at some of Eduardo's goals in his Arsenal days - I think he was a very promising player. Rough around the edges outside the box but razor sharp otherwise.

So long Abou, bon vent!
(in a good way)

Bon chance meine freund Abou. Bon chance et aurevoir.

I picture Tim Sherwood saying that

General Mirth wrote:

Klaus wrote:

He makes it sound like he was at the rough end of it. If only Diaby hadn't broken his leg against Smith's foot... who knows what could have happened? Dan Smith might have been prime minister today if it weren't for his encounter with menacing Abou. His potential was endless.

I know it's all in the past but it's honestly hard to not wonder whether things would have turned out differently if Diaby, Eduardo and Ramsey had not broken their legs.

You could argue that Diaby's injury was something the club should have been able to navigate around but Eduardo's injury and the impact that game against Birmingham had ended up costing us the title more than anything else. Plus he was starting to show some good form going into that game.

Ramsey - well, we were robbed of one of the best midfield talents in the world. I think he's still behind schedule in his development - he's seriously lucky and resilient to come back from that leg break and also recapture his form. Not enough credit is given to his strength of character. 

Edit: Just looked at some of Eduardo's goals in his Arsenal days - I think he was a very promising player. Rough around the edges outside the box but razor sharp otherwise.

Thanks for that. Didn't realize that he'd scored 20 goals for us. What a waste. Really wonderful movement and hunger for the ball. Not even Sanchez moves like this. 

Eduardo's goal against Burnley is probably one of the five best Arsenal goals I've seen. He'll be remembered as a poacher, but the guy had the technique to score any way he wanted to.

Eduardo would have won us the league in 07/08 had he been fit, no question. Absolutely lethal in the box.

Totally forgot about how good Eduardo is for us that season. What an inspired signing he could have been. That lethal striker we would have loved for years.

I think there's been a lot of revisionism regarding Eduardo's ability, much like with Diaby after his injuries. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.