Wenger - I feared Diaby's career was over

By Richard Clarke

Abou Diaby returns to the Arsenal starting line-up this evening nine months after the challenge that Arsène Wenger feared may have ended his career.

The distress signals rang out on May Day last year as the French midfielder, then 19, was stretchered off in the final minutes at Sunderland. He had suffered a broken AND dislocated ankle. He would need complicated surgery, infinite patience plus a straight-forward rehabilitation. Wenger was fearful.

“I had a big doubt in my mind that he would come back,” he said. “They told me first that the broken ankle was very serious and they needed advice from the surgeon. He was only optimistic after the surgery. That is when he said Abou should recover normally. It was the first relief for me."

Did he have thoughts it might end his career?

“Yes,” replied Wenger. “And even after the surgery you never know how his rehabilitation will go and whether he will have any set-backs.

“He did have to have surgery on his knee so he needed to be really patient. But what is good at his age is he can recover fully and secondly when they have such a big blow they come back stronger mentally. They go through such a lot of suffering and that makes them stronger.”

Diaby’s contribution should not be underestimated. For all the talk of Theo Walcott, Wenger's other teenage signing in January would feature in 16 games. His first start was in last season’s Carling Cup Semi-Final second leg against Wigan at Highbury. He was substituted at half time that night after the first 45 minutes passed him by. But his latter performances brought comparisons with another lanky French midfielder bought over by Wenger very early in his career. Though the manager is wary of calling him the new Patrick Vieira.

“They are not similar sorts of players at all really,” said Wenger. “In the style of run and behaviour and especially in the strength of the challenges he reminds me of Patrick. But after that he is a different type of player. At the start of his career Patrick was more of a tackler and defensive player.

“But, having said that, it is strange because since Abou has come back from injury he is going into that kind of role. Before he was only interested in attacking, now he uses his strength in the challenges more.

“Abou is one of these players who needs a big boost of confidence. That’s a little bit of difference with Patrick, who had an assertive authority in his own game. Abou has not had as much experience and you could see when he played regularly last season he became stronger and stronger. He had a real authority of his own. Now he will need to go through that process again.”