Wishlist Abou Diaby

[Special Juan 27,093]

Might merge with the joke thread

[ChelseaFanUK 1,014]

9 yrs at Arsenal, total number of matches played equalled about 4yrs. So more or less 5 yrs out of 9 injured. Fuck that

[OhForAGreavsie 5,773]

In the first post I was speculating about whether Diaby could be signed to a pay-as-you-play deal. It then emerged that he had turned down exactly such an offer to stay at Arsenal so it seemed he must be seeking guaranteed wages. It is now being reported however that the mooted deal with West Brom, if it comes off, will be pay-as-you-play after all. On that basis recruiting Diaby is very low risk; amounting pretty much to the opportunity cost of having someone else in the squad instead. Since, in any case, our group looks set to be rounded out by youngsters who can be listed without affecting the number of senior players named, I'd say that risk is really no risk at all.

Obviously the odds are stacked against Diaby ever recovering full fitness but, in my opinion, he's such a good player that I would definitely go for this. Has to be acknowledged though that if Chelsea were interested you'd think he'd be headed to Montreal right now, not to the Midlands. Shame.