Can Abou Diaby fill the void in Arsenal’s central midfield?

After yet another spell on the sidelines, 22-year-old French midfielder, Abou Diaby, is set for a first team return following the international break.

Since his transfer from French club Rennes in January 2006, Diaby has so far failed to establish himself in the Arsenal first team for a consistent period. This has been largely due to a succession of injuries.

On the sidelines

Most notably, a horrific ankle injury sustained in a brutal challenge with Sunderland’s Daniel Smith kept Diaby out for eight months very early on in his Arsenal career.

Since then, niggling muscular strains have interrupted Diaby’s progress. Speaking to Arsenal TV this week, Diaby said he feels strong and ready to fight for a first team place.

Arsenal are currently craving for Diaby’s potential dynamism and long, elusive legs in the centre of their midfield.

Arsene Wenger failed to recruit a sufficient successor to the combative Mathieu Flamini in the summer, and Arsenal have paid for it in some of their Premier League results already.

Flamini's tenacity in the centre of midfield was missing in Arsenal’s away loss to Fulham in August, and their recent home defeat to Hull and away draw to Sunderland last week.

A lack of clinical finishing by the Arsenal strike force has also been responsible for those lost points. But the young Brazilian, Denilson, and Cameroonian Alex Song do not yet seem to have the composure or the ability to make a telling challenge or bursting midfield run.

Diaby has this ability. Comparisons have continually been made between Diaby and ex-Arsenal captain, Patrick Viera. Viera has himself referred to the player as having “the right potential”.

Up until now, all Diaby has is largely untested potential in Arsenal’s central midfield. In his 28 appearances last season, Flamini’s form consigned Diaby to the left-side of midfield.

Although Diaby did not always look comfortable in this converted role, he did come up with some magnificent goals - a wonder strike against Derby at home in the league and a pivotal Champions League goal at Anfield.

Physical presence

Diaby’s tall, imposing frame and physical presence suggests he is better suited to the centre, and he has continually professed this to be his preferred role.

Before Diaby’s unfortunate collision with John Terry in Arsenal’s Carling Cup Final against Chelsea in 2007, he had comfortably held his own in central midfield. Indeed, his superb dribbling around Chelsea’s box led to Theo Walcott’s opening goal.

Diaby will have to learn to eliminate ill-timed challenges from his game in order to provide Arsenal with a much needed defensive rock in their midfield.

At a towering height of 6ft 2ins, Diaby could help anchor a midfield entirely bereft of tall players (Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri both measure 5ft 10ins). This addition of height to the midfield would also augment the under-fire defence – Kolo Toure and William Gallas’s central defensive pairing has been criticised as deficient in height.

Many young players come to Arsenal because Arsene Wenger offers budding talent, rare opportunities to test themselves at the highest level. Diaby is now ready for that challenge and the gaping hole in the centre of midfield is counting on him to succeed.