Abou Diaby and Andre Santos were part of a strong U21 team that drew 1-1 West Brom at London Colney this afternoon.
The Frenchman hasn’t kicked a ball in anger for the club since the Chelsea game in September, while Santos has been out since suffering an abdominal strain in the 5-2 win over Sp*rs in November.
There were also starts for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Carl Jenkinson, Francis Coquelin and Emmanuel Frimpong with Arsene Wenger clearly looking to give playing time and match fitness to some of the fringe members of his squad as Arsenal face an extremely busy January schedule.
And it was Santos equalised for Arsenal just before half-time after Frimpong dummied a Diaby pass. Diaby was replaced in the 65th minute by Conor Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain lasted until the 70th and the half-time didn’t change as Terry Burton’s side were unable to find a winner.
There was late drama as Emmanuel Frimpong picked up a second yellow card in the 90th minute, but even if a one game suspension is applied, it rules him out of Sunday’s game against Man City and he was unlikely to make the squad in any event.
Arsenal’s January fixtures
Sunday 13th – Man City (h)
Wednesday 16h – Swansea (h)
Sunday 20th – Chelsea (a)
Wednesday 23rd – West Ham (h)
Saturday 26th – FA Cup 4th round
Wednesday 30th – Mugsmashers (h)
—
Information via @ArsenalLive
LANS
Diaby back and tintong back from loan will justify wenger missing out on a CDM that we desperately need. He will claim diaby is LANS so we don’t need to purchase anyone – then he’ll get injured and we will be back to square one. Seen it all before and would loved to be proved wrong…….
Bored of it all to be honest. Tired of the merry go round to eventually achieve the bare minimum of Champions League Football. The fallacy of Wenger being a great manager has been exposed time and time again. Under him we have experienced our most humiliating defeats and our worse runs.
I am patiently waiting for Wenger to be rid of our club so we can properly challenge again.
People can thumbs down my comment it doesn’t bother me.
If it does not bother you, you wouldn’t have mentioned it.
@Mark Flatt’s Flat
I don’t know how many months you have been a fan for but pre-Wenger area was not a pretty picture, particularly in consistancy. We had never consistantly been a top level squad until Wenger, and since him we have never left the top four and have had a crack at the Champions League in many run-on years. So we haven’t had any major trophies in 7 of them, the truth is that we are MUCH better placed under his guidance than
(continued…)
than before, overall, and we are better for that. Check the club history.
Also, think Arsene Wenger is past it? He revealed he’s still a tactician the way we got into it with Swansea last time, compared to before. Read the tactics column on this website for that game. The unfortunate issue is individual errors, but that’s another story.
Legs Are Not Stabil.
Stable*
Diaby!!! I Love him and will try to enyoy him while he is around hopefully it will be along period this time round.
Diaby is back! I hope he will be fit and well longer then the last time.
Lets just hope Didier keeps his dirty hands off of him.
Deschamps, not Drogba. If it was Drogba I’d have said filthy, stinking Senderos soul stealing claws. Mot hands.
“Love him and will try to enyoy him while he is around…”
===
You’ve got about 5 minutes left.
I would take another 5-6 game stint as long as when he does get an injury it’s only a couple of games he misses and not never ending 2-3 week limbo.
Even if he could play 25 games a season he would be worth having around.
I propose wrapping Diaby in bubble wrap and suspending him in oxygenated ooze between games. He adds SO much to the team!
Why not wrap him in horse placenta instead?
Sod it. Why don’t we just INSERT him into the womb of a horse?
Great news, if he can get a good season under his belt we will have him and show him what silverware looks like. Samir has been showing him his medal and he would like one
Shouldn’t you be out robbing houses to pay for your away ticket?
No,, like my club I am rich
I believe what you meant to say was, “No, like my club I am a rich man’s bitch”.
A rich man who likes to win
and can remember how it feels
Sorry, the last comment was not me. It was Mario
But Patrick, David, Brian, Samir, Kolo and Gael put him up to it. By the way, they were wearing their medals and laughing at the time
1975
We at City live for now, we are going forward. We do not have an imaginary “handbrake”
You have imaginary friends though.
Do you realise you and the illiterate one called Lldre are the only ones here STUPID enough to feed the troll
Nah, I am just winding up a boring cunt who can’t come up with anything funny.
I win the internet.
Nah we reckon youre just an idiot. And from some of you expressions one of the lads here reckons youre Irish. Nothing wrong with that, he is too
He reckons youre a ‘langer’ but wont say what it is
Fascinating stuff.
Do you do jokes as well? I hope they’re better than your guess at where I was born though.
The lads reckon a remedial school but Id guess at a halting site?
For a troll you get wound up too easily, without providing any real bait for the trollee to take.
Try to have a clear objective of where you want to go and distance yourself from the replies you recieve, as they should be irrelevant to your overall objective, or you’ll just end up getting trolled again.
I hope this helps.
blah blah blah
Why dont you just write write ‘The do it yourself Troll Manual’ Mr Hawkins
This is a free internet lesson, I charge for the full course.
Seems like an odd decision to play Oxlade-Chamberlain when we have a ridiculously busy period coming up.
That’s an ox mate, a goddamn ox!
http://sphotos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/734916_10151354281299618_884865099_n.jpg
You dare question moi?
This I bet has made everyones day on here. Hahahahaha….
Yes, we might have him too…loan him to Spurs and pay his wages
Too right, if anything shouldnt he be running Ramsey at left wing in the under 21s so the poor kid can actually get some more time under his belt out there.
Sucks to be Na$ri who figured he could get banned to avoid getting Frimponged again.
Maybe Samir will show Mr Pongfrim the medal he will never get
Not suprised about Frimpong in the slightest. Charlton supporting friends of mine have said he was completely reckless when playing for them. Needs to #leaveit
Lol Frimpong frimponged himself off the pitch
If by some miracle Diaby manages to stay fit where does he play??..Replace Arteta??..Surely not Jack…I bet however Arsene will start rotating to somehow fit Diaby in
Isn’t that what we want: a Diaby fit enough to be rotated and the occasional rest for the likes of Arteta who seems to have played every game this season?
4-4-2 why not
Push Cazorla out on the left, push jack into Cazorlas position.
Arteta and Diaby behind Walcott, Jack and Cazorla(with HFB in front of them) feels like our strongest team, provided everyone is fit.
…and please don’t forget Rosicky! He was our best midfield player last season.
Cazorla isn’t a winger. He doesn’t really do his defensive work on the wrong and is best drifting across the midfield and with Gibb’s tendency to run forward it’d be a nightmare.
No. Diaby is for rotation.
@Arty’s Art Cazorla is a winger. He played through out his career at wings before coming to Arsenal. And he will be better at the wings
Cazorla moves to left wing. Podolski benched – super sub. Diaby subbed 60th minute for poldi, cazorla moves back to playmaker role. poldi takes over and we proceed to whoop some citeh ass!
Now we have the best midfield in the league except that we lack one more great DM.
We have:
Rosicky, Diaby, Wilshere, Cazorla and Arteta !
Goood !
4 4 2 or 4 4 1 1 now?
Sadly, for whatever reason Ramsey is getting time over Rosicky who would be perfect in a sub/cup role just coming back from injury. I thought surely the return of Rosicky meant we wouldn’t see Ramsey much. I should have known better with Wenger’s stubborn obsession with Ramsey which seems to always coincide with us dropping pts.
What ever the case might be having diaby back means Santi and arteta can take turns at being rested so we can ve a much fresher team.
I can see him being uses in a free-er role as a replacement option for Santi or Jack (like we saw against Liverpool earlier in the season), or as Pauly Bear says in a four man midfield…
…for no more than five minutes of first team football before he crocks himself again.
Why not jack? Diaby is dribbler, so jack is the closest type.
I for one would like to see santi moved wide and jack in central, while diaby partners with arteta. but..its just a wish which will never see the fruition.
Arsene please advise not to shoot the ball. That stupud wild shot he took at anfield caused all this. He should also not take throw in, we wanna prevent them neck strain. He should pass the ball though, but not too far, just within there..you know. Yeah. We are all set now
Idiot
Yo mum says make pickled eggs for breakfast.
I don’t think Arsene reads this. Best bet is to send him a letter, I’m sure he’ll read it
He should, the blogger knows more about football than he does
Heh. Must have struck a nerve there. Look, i’m done with your mum. Next up, your mum again!!!
Well of course it touched a nerve shes dead
but i guess i deserve it for winding you up about football
In that case I really take all that back 🙁 except the citeh = trash part.
This is an amazing reply.
I know right?. Try seeing the funny side of it.
*”diaby goes to take a throw in”
*”wenger promptly gets up from his seat and heads to the touchline”
*steve bould holds wenger back as he threatens to storm into the pitch”
*”bould instructs gibbs to take the throw in”
*”wenger, his jacket and bould head on back to the bench”
*”Diaby scared, proceeds to score a hatrick”
Wheres the funny side?
I like how everyone has all over sudden become positive about diaby. You arsebloggians really are chameleons. On here now everyone’s singing praises and coming up with lineups. A few weeks ago…..*ah diaby this, ah diaby will never make it….*gets green thumb btw.
Bandwagoners.
I presume English is not your first language?
See you on Sunday, I will be the one of the 2000 jumping up and down with my back turned to you
English is obviously not my first language, ask your mum she knows where i’m from.
Citeh trash.
so you suffer from necrophilia (look it up) too
Bend down while turning your back.
Diaby is playing for the U-21’s because according to Rosickys injury age algorithm (the ‘Rosicky Coefficient’) he’s only 15 and a half.
he technically gets younger each season. Its an amazing paradox that will see him become to young to claim a professional contract, thus allowing us to finally release him on a free without financial penalty.
As a result in years to come the rosicky coefficient will be a term bandied about as regularly as ‘bosman free’
He’ll be eligible for my local under 10s team by then … *lightbulb*
poor old Obafemi Martins embroiled in this scandal when it was simply an innocent mix up. His real age was on the NFA site – but his footballing age (real age * rosicky coefficient) – the important one – was on his passport.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/4742321.stm
One of the funniest things I’ve read in a while.
I’ve had a terrible day and you’ve made me laugh. My thanks, Sir.
Yes, once diaby fully recovers (a long shot, but were he to) he should give us 10 years of service. Rosickys’ got 5 left years I think.
Which WBA player’s shirt did Santos grab at halftime?
Santos scored, they came for his shirt.
How talented a lad Diaby ℓ̊s! I bet but for his injuries he would have been one of the best midfield generals i̶̲̥̅̊n̶̲̥̅̊ †ђξ world. No thanks to D̶̲̥̅̊ǻτ lad that broke his legs.
This I think is another example of a player improving in the collective memory bank while he is out injured. Twenty or so starts since the 2009-2010 season, and if my memory serves me correctly he was much maligned that season after a shocking performance in Manchester and then he was played wide right for a while. Admittedly he had/ has bags of talent and massive potential, and looked excellent when fit at the start of the season great, but one of the best midfield generals in the world? I really hope the guy can stay fit because we need… Read more »
I’m for this one:
——————–Szczesny———————
————Kosielny——Vermaelen———
-Sagna————-Arteta————–Gibbs-
————-Diaby————-Wilshere———
———————-Cazorla———————–
———Walcott———-Giroud/Poldi———
Bench: Mannone, Jenkinson, Merte, Coquelin, Ramsey, Poldi/Giroud, Oxlade
YES. we should move to a diamond. Factoid. We tried to emulate the barca 433 but it hasn’t really worked. Walcott / Giroud little and large would work well I think and our full backs provide enough width when necessary. Only thing is I think Sagna’s form is poop I’d rather seen Jenkinson there!
This is the same what I think. It can even move to a kind of 3-4-1-2 in offense (with Sagna/Jenkinson and Gibbs on the wings) or even to a 3-4-3 with Podolski, Walcott/Giroud and Santi/Walcott upfront.
With the majority in the center it would be easier to press against our opponent too.
Jesus man, what about Rosicky ?????
YOU STOLE MY FIFA 13 ARSENAL FORMATION!!!
No way you can leave Mert out. We’re a catastrophe in the back without him.
Yeah a catastrophy alright. I remember two michu goals that were his fault. Yeah everyone has an offday but please don’t sound here like he’s way above the mustard
Mert is sh*t, Cahill was a much better option.
We need a better handle on squad rotation, it can make such a big difference to youth development, energy levels, and the lesser chance of injury.
This is a good sign.
Mugmashers……..Heh. I like this name.
I hear they’ve already launched a complaint to the F.A about the redcard they are to recieve at old trafford this coming weekend.
Why, is Webb refereeing?
Frimpong cost us three points again. We should sell him, liability.
Hope Arsene doesn’t use Diaby coming back as an excuse to not sign a player again.
If he actually says that, we may have to consider the possiblity of him being insane.
The ‘possibility’ of him being insane? He already is.
this is the winning line up
——————–Szczesny———————
————Kosielny——Mertesacker———
-Jenkinson————-Arteta————–Gibbs-
————-Poldolski————-Wilshere———
———————-Cazorla———————–
———Walcott———-Giroud———
Bench: Mannone, Sagna, Vermalean, Coquelin, Ramsey, Oxlade, Santos
Podolski as a false 4
NOBODY would expect that, it might just work*
*it will not work
lol, no striker on the bench, our captain on the bench……
i’m all for keeping diaby in the squad just so i can imagine him chatting philosophy in french with wenger. that and seeing him against liverpool in september has been my favorite individual gooner performance this season
Frimpong better watch out. He keeps it up, Pubis might take a shining to him and want to add him to his heathen den of despicable thuggery over at Stoke.
Tom Cruise as Vincent is Collateral, Vincent D’onfrio, Ronaldo Luis Nazario De Lima and (a fit) Abou Diaby are the only men who would make me renounce my heterosexual ways.
I thought December would be defining, seems like January is taking over. Busy month, rotation is a prerequisite now. Fatigue is something that can be taken care off, not an impossibility.
I’ve got faith with Diaby back, massive boost. Hopefully he’ll stay fit. COYG.
Jesus Christ! Some people in this planet still thinks Diaby is going to contribute for arsenal by playing rest of the season without getting injured.
Really glad to hear he’s back, were such a better team with him in the midfield. Even if we just have Diaby for a few of these big games in January, it will make a huge difference.
Diaby is our medication since he is a new signing (again)**
** Side effects include failure to play more than a few games and spending more time in training room than on the pitch.
I’m not trying to be mean, but if this is another typical Diaby run of three healthy weeks followed by three injured months, it couldn’t have come at a worse time. I love Abou, but we need to buy a midfielder this month without counting on him.
John Hartson (former Arsenal striker): “I just think Ramsey needs that run of games. Maybe if he did go out on loan he’d get that. I’m sure Arsene Wenger knows he’s a top-drawer player because he wouldn’t have given him a new deal otherwise. I just don’t think he’s quite hit the heights in terms of where he was before he got injured, but he will, I’m sure he will. He needs to play play with a smile on his face, get back to enjoying football. It just seems as if there’s something holding him back at the minute.” Thumb… Read more »
If one leg’s longer than the other, does Diaby have personalised boots that compensate somewhat?..
wenger is definitely 1) insanely stubborn 2) insanely loyal to arsenal & diaby(??) 3) insanely repetitve & predictable (press conferencs) 4) insanely devoid of top quality players 5) insanely devoid of top quality support staff 6) insanely insane to have faith in these bunch of players to get us any form of silverware. 7) insanely insane to think fans still have patience left after 8barren years and mass exodus of our captains with minimum effort to replace them with equal quality. 8) insanely hoping FFP will bring back the level playing field it sure looks like wenger is insane. Theorem… Read more »
dick
snotty 6 year old prick…you can’t understand sarcasm. Can you?
Too many Ppl suggesting formations and positions for our players, some are interesting too. But all i hope from our team is Pass Quick, Win Duels and Press at oppositions half. We can win most of our games.
That is the beauty of the system we try to play, that Barcelona have replicated for the last couple of years. Formation, when attacking, allows you to keep shape, but then lets the opponent easily defend against you. The best way to attack is with an unstructured formation. This demands confidence, movement and spontaneity and makes the opposition panic because they won’t have trained in a similar situation before. It is the best way to attack.
Yay our savior “Dead End Diaby” is almost back.
Imagine this….. A fit on form Diaby and our new signing Fellani in the middle acting as enforcers to a scowling Wilshere pulling the creative strings and a game vs Stoke around the corner……. Sigh!
Frimpong what can i say, Such a character!! Keep it up, makes for great entertainment!!
—————–SCSZ—————
–Jenk—Kos—-Mert—–Gibbs—
——–Abou———Arteta———-
——–Jack———Santi———
——–Giroud——Poldi———
Best balance there
I’m sorry Mr. Wenger I can not understand what does Rosicky has to do to get more first team playing time. Because last time he played, he ran the show against olympiacos. If he’s not fit enough, there’s no point including him on the bench, so I dont think that’s the case. If he’s on the pitch I dont think we would witness anymore of toothless performances like Schalke(home), Norwich and Man U(away) and more recently v/s Southampton.
“If he’s not fit enough, there’s no point including him on the bench, so I dont think that’s the case.”
…or maybe he’s on the bench to be eased back into the side in the event that we’re… oh, I don’t know… winning against a team we should be slaughtering?
Bring back Steve Williams I say!!!
I’d go for this formation:
Fabianski-Ramsey-mertesaker vermaelen Santos-Walcott gervinho-Gibbs-giroud sagna-oxtail chambermaid
I hope to god it does not mean we won’t sign in jan on another false hope. I love Abu but his record is not a good one
A fucker from goal.com uses this site as his source because a football news app i have on my phone forwards news from that shit site.. Article about norway nursery school for arsenal supporters.. Where the link to that video was clearly on here.. And most other arsenal related news that appears on here.. With comments are in that idiots article
The Arsenal nursery was on Twitter.
Not excusing the twats from Goal.com for the endless bollocks they write, but just pointing out that they probably got it from there.
Yeah i know but like i said, this isn’t an isolated example.. Other articles and even comments we put up here are put in news items from those idiots
Please put in a £10 million bid for michu.. Swans will take it openly.. 400% profit in 6 months to them and a cheap proven premier league goal scorer
The formation we should go for is a 4-3-3 with these players and the reasons. GK: Walcott – his height, reactions and footballing brain. RB: Bendtner- his sheer pace and top fitness. CB: Arshavin- he puts 100% effort in every game and is a defensive master. CB: Ramsey- he runs out of energy quickly so making him stand still is best. LB: Oxlade-Chamberlain- he doesn’t tracks back so keep him in defence. CM: Park Chu Young-so mysterious he will be unplayable for any foes. CM: Gervinho- can run without losing the ball, fantastic shot if needed. CM: Szczesny- fantastic all… Read more »
As many of you mighty Gooners have already said, you can feel the excuses of not needing players building and building as the likes of Diaby return from injury and Theo’s imminent signing.
When anyone with half a brain cell knows:
a) Diaby will get injured again very soon and will not finish the season.
b) Even if by some 1 billion to 1 chance he stays fit we still need at least 3 players.
walcotts signed
Diaby, thinking about what could have been almost brings tears to my eyes. Once again I will hope with all hope that he can maintain his fitness for his careers sake and for arsenals!
It will be interesting to see the midfield selection with him back in contention. Bring on that pale blue excuse for a football club!
Swans just scored the second to make it 0-2 at stalins bridge, ha ha ha ha ha
Chelsea defense is making ours look good.
Walcott will sign, all is good tonight!
but swansea are a crappy side, and we’re the only ones with a terrible defense! what’s going on!??
I thought on all days we’d gladly exchange Chelsea’s defense for ours.
“This will be like our new signings”
Lol to chelsea. Ivanovic and his fat arse just lost chelsea the game. Hahaha let’s beat swansea in f.a cup and consign chelsea to being utter shits please…
Hahahahahahahahaa
Wenger…..Michu’s your man…. His shot-goals ratio is fantastic. 16 goals already this season and he’ll hit 30. especially important is as we’re creating only 2-3 chances per game sometimes this shots-goals ratio will really help in the second half of the season. His workrate is also good, but swansea would ask for silly money for him now….
Ivanovic is the new John Terry.Only a lot less racist,& a bit less of a cunt,obviously.
Who is this mythical Diaby you speak of?
Yep it has really taken its toll not having EITHER SONG OR DIABY this season. I understand that from diabys pre season is probably the reason why we sold song. But it was a massive gamble that has not paid off so far. Will wenger take another gamble on him for the second half of the season? atleast if diaby is fit then wenger might actually have some confidence to rotate abit more. Jacky Arteta and Santi will need a rest soon. Rosicky has to come into this team somewhere aswell as i truly think he makes all the difference… Read more »