Arsenal Football Club News

• Nickname:Gunners
• Founded:1886
• Manager:Arsene Wenger

• Ground:Emirates
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Wenger hails in-form Diaby

23 Mar 2009 - 14:50:43

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Abou Diaby's style of play is very similar to that of Patrick Vieira's.

Vieira was a stalwart in the Gunners side for almost a decade before he left the club in 2005.

Diaby has endured an injury-ravaged three-year spell with Wenger's side but showed with his goal in the 3-1 win at Newcastle United that he has the ability to become another Arsenal legend.

Wenger admitted: "There are similarities between Vieira and Diaby. They are the same stature and the same size and have a similar style.

"Also Patrick is from Senegal and Abou is from Ivory Coast. But there is a lot of room for him to get where Patrick was. He is only 22-years-old and Patrick is a good role model for him.

"In the first half I was not always happy with his performance. There was not a lot wrong but our positioning in the middle was not right some of the time. We were on the back foot and did not protect our defence.

"But in the second half he did well. Abou has power coming through the middle of the park and he showed that on the goal.

"That is interesting for me. I feel there are similarities with Vieira and I feel he is growing at the moment."