Arsenal boss, Arsene Wenger, has admitted that he took a massive gamble with Abou Diaby’s fitness in the early stages of the season.
Wenger sold the club’s main holding midfielder, Alex Song, in the summer, expecting Abou Diaby to play a key role in the midfield for the Gunners this season.
The French midfielder has been at the London side since 2005, but has started less than 100 games for the club.
After seeing Diaby pick up another injury at the weekend against Chelsea, Arsene Wenger, has admitted that he took a gamble on not replacing Alex Song because he was expecting the return of players like; Abou Diaby, Emmanuel Frimpong and Jack Wilshere.
“Diaby’s injury record is not good,” said Wenger after the France international was replaced early in the first half of Saturday’s 2-1 defeat by Chelsea.
“I was concerned about him, of course. It was a gamble but I was calculating as well that Jack Wilshere was coming back.
“Francis Coquelin is here but was sick and Emmanuel Frimpong is back, while Tomas Rosicky is coming back. We have many midfield players. We don’t have many physical players.
“But Mikel Arteta has shown he can be a great defensive midfield player. We’ll see overall if it was a good or bad decision at the end of the season.”
Abou Diaby injured his thigh during Arsenal’s 2-1 loss to Chelsea and looks set to be out for at least three weeks.
Alex William Batt