ARSENE WENGER admitted losing Abou Diaby is a massive blow for Arsenal.
By ANTONY KASTRINAKIS
The Gunners will face Greek champs Olympiakos without the midfielder who faces “at least” three weeks on the sidelines after suffering a thigh injury in Saturday’s defeat by Chelsea.
And Arsenal could also be missing midfield mastermind Mikel Arteta, who is a major doubt with an ankle problem and will have a fitness test this morning.
But Emirates boss Wenger is refusing to rush Jack Wilshere back in to action.
Gutted Wenger said: “Losing Diaby is a blow, yes. Not only because we lost a good player but because he has qualities that the other players haven’t got.
“For example, on Saturday when he went off, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain came on, took his position straight away and we lost the ball for a set-piece.
“It was a ball Diaby would have won easily because he has the size. We have better balance with him because he has the power.”
Diaby, 26, has been Arsenal’s best player this season but has always been injury-prone and played just five games last season.
Wenger admitted: “It is really frustrating because once you think you get there it happens again.”
It is no coincidence Arsenal’s first loss of the season came against Chelsea after Diaby was forced off the pitch.
Wenger blamed Diaby’s injury on the French insisting he played in a World Cup qualifier against Belarus. But now he is urging the rest of his midfielders to step up and carry Arsenal’s hopes.
He said: “We have Aaron Ramsey, Francis Coquelin, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere. It depends on if you want to be more offensive.
“Arteta can play higher and deeper, as well. So we can put a deeper midfielder in like Coquelin and then Arteta can move forward.”
But Wilshere is unlikely to be thrown in quickly despite coming through his first appearance in 14 months — an Under-21 match against West Brom on Monday.
The England midfielder has been recovering from a stress fracture of his foot and Wenger said: “He came through it OK. It is now down to taking the right time to get him slowly back.”
Wenger also revealed Olivier Giroud’s confidence is shot after missing three key chances against Sunderland, Liverpool and, most notably, Chelsea.
Arsenal’s £13million signing broke his duck against Coventry in the 6-1 Capital One Cup romp but the Frenchman has yet to find the net in the League and Wenger admitted: “Olivier is upset.
“I told him not to worry but a striker who does not score, does not really listen to you.
“They run it through their minds over and over again.
“He had a chance against Liverpool, a chance against Sunderland and a chance against Chelsea.
“Once the first goes in, maybe the rest will follow.
Wenger admitted he had to lift his side after Saturday’s morale-sapping 2-1 defeat to the Blues. After beating Montpellier 2-1 in their Group B opener, another triumph tonight will give Arsenal’s chances of going through a huge boost.
He said: “The players are focused and disappointed after we lost the game.
“But there were a lot of positives in that game as well, what was not good is easy to correct. I believe the championship is long, but we have to make sure the Champions League is long as well.”
