Published: 23 August, 2012
by RICHARD OSLEY

ABOU Diaby, the midfielder whose Arsenal career has been blighted by injury, says he’s ready to repay Arsene Wenger’s unshakable faith in him.

With Alex Song moving to Barcelona, the Gunners’ manager turned to Diaby to play alongside Mikel Arteta during Arsenal’s season-opener against Sunderland on Saturday, a drab goalless draw.

Despite promising appearances when he first arrived at the club from Auxerre in 2006, Diaby’s name on the teamsheet is always met with a lukewarm reaction from home fans who have, instead, been calling for marquee signings to replace exiting top names like Song and Robin van Persie.

Wenger repeatedly compared Diaby’s return to fitness with a new signing during pre-season.

He has not forgotten that on 15 occasions Diaby has been considered good enough to represent France at international level.

“Every morning when I wake up I’m really happy to drive into the training ground, come what may,” said Diaby, speaking to the club’s programme.

“I feel very good. I’ve been fit for every training session so far and I’m really happy with how things have gone.

“I am optimistic, just as I am before every season.”

He admitted it had been a long time since he’d been able to avoid injury for long enough to complete a full season.

For that reason, Arsenal fans have appeared to have less patience than Wenger with the playmaker. He is often grouped with players like Carl Jenkinson and Gervinho who need to prove they really are good enough to fire an Arsenal challenge for trophies.

Diaby must be keenly aware that the arrival of Nuri Sahin, expected to arrive on a season-long loan from Real Madrid imminently, will add to competition for starting places, even with Song’s departure.

Arsenal are well stacked in midfield with Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Emmanuel Frimpong, Francis Coquelin, Arteta and – at some stage – Jack Wilshere in the mix.

It’s this crowded cast which has made the Arsenal prospects for once-touted youngsters Craig Eastmond and Henri Lansbury suddenly look limited.

“Every season we prove we are one of the best and I hope this season will be the one where we achieve something special,” said Diaby, who has not ruled out playing for France again.

“I haven’t been in touch with the new French manager yet but I’ve spoken to some of the staff. Hopefully if I get a run of games together here I can come into their thinking again.”