Today marks the end for Ebouè
It seems Arsène Wenger has come to his senses.
All the talk in the newspapers this morning is of Andrey Arshavin being unleashed against Sunderland this afternoon.
The Russian playmaker may not yet be match fit and he’s certainly got a way to go to learn how to deal with the rough and tumble of the Premier League, but as long as he keeps his head, I expect him to have a positive impact on the rest of the season.
Given that he is known to be outspoken and prone to lapses in self-discipline, keeping calm when opponents try to rile him will be a domestic challenge.
There has been much debate about where exactly Arshavin will play. A second forward perhaps? He could easily play that role although Wenger has a habit of blooding players in wide positions who he later hopes will play more centrally.
He did it with Thierry Henry, he is doing it with Theo Walcott and Carlos Vela.
I fear Wenger still doesn’t entirely trust Vela to start Premier league matches, and the Mexican needs more playing time to force himself into the mix.
But it seems as if Wenger has realised that Manu Ebouè simply has no place in Arsenal’s first team.
For a manager who talks about playing with flair and adventure, in the right way and ‘with the handbrake off’, Ebouè has been the cause of so much stalling in the Arsenal machine.
So I was delighted to read Wenger’s comments this morning about his new record signing.
“The potential is there, the skill is there, the technical quality is there. We have always played with two creative players on the flanks.
"It is very important for our efficiency. I believe he will start right or left because that is a position where we can move a lot – so I can start him on the flanks. I feel always when a player can pass people in the final third they have something special. What I like about Arshavin is he is calm in his final ball.”
Er, no you haven’t always played with two creative players, Arsène, because Ebouè has played wide for the past 18 months and done little to justify his place. Of course, injuries have forced his hand but can Wenger really say that the Ivorian has contributed more than Vela would have done?
Today should be the day we get back to the type of football we used to see under Wenger - the days of Marc Overmars, Freddie Ljungberg, Bobby Pires and Jose Antonio Reyes. Heck, even Alex Hleb brought some magic to the team even if he was equally infuriating.
As I mentioned earlier this week, a fellow Addict said to me that with Arshavin, Nasri, Walcott and Rosicky, Ebouè should never play for Arsenal again apart from when Sagna is injured.
Let’s hope he is demoted at the start today and that this really is the beginning of the end for a player who has never understood what it means to play for The Arsenal.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!
DA
Reader Comments (15)
I hope that Wenger has at last seen tha vela is so much better than Eboue. The question has to be asked , if Wenger thought that Eboue was a good player , then why did he sign Sagna???????????????????????????
don't be so sure.
Eboue must still have picture of wenger in the nude
eboue is now the fall guy as Wiltord, Gilberto, Senderos, Cygan etc have been in the past. for some weird reason, arsenal fans always have to have one in the team and it doesn't matter what they do, everything is viewed through the 'they are crap' filter. in a sense, the club has failed eboue rather than the other way around. the guy is undoubtedly a talented footballer - pace, good first touch - and was our best player v spurs until the red card. however, mentally he is all over the place. in these days of sports psychology, you would have expected the club to address this. but then perhaps they have!
Finally.... I cant Stand Eboue playing for us at all.. Whenever he receives the ball the move nearly ALWAYS breaks down.. Lets hope we've finally seen the back of him. I have got a feeling however that he will be replcing the wingers after 70 mins or so.. Especially if Arshavin plays. Doubt he'll make a full 90 min game.
Eboue is a capable squad player who would have spent this season sat on the bench if it wasn't for the unprecedented run of injuries to our squad. Instead he's started a lot of games this year, had his best performances for Arsenal, and also had quite a few complete stinkers. Overall he's proved that he's not good enough to start for the first team on a regular basis. What's weird is how he's become the near complete point of focus for the bile and blame of Arsenal fans, almost to the point of obsession. Hence you get odd, pointless blogs like this one, on a day when a win for the Arse will see us make up points on one or both of Villa and Chavski and we should really be talking about the football.
cmon people he is one of the best FBR in Europe, he is not WNG player so leave him peace
we dont have to blame eboue for all of our problems,generally d fringe playas has underperformed and our strikers r not just up there wiv d best n i think this is d first season in many whr we ve played wiv no cutin edge,hopefully d return of d injured plays wld rescue our poor season no mata wot arsene says
Yeah..quite happy u remembered reyes..he had an impact on Arsenal team
I know i'll ne on my own but I think Wenger has ruined Eboue' career. Rather than improve his defensive abilities as an attacking fullback he tried to turn him into a winger, and Eboue has not had the heart to demand to go back to RB and fight it out with Sagna. In his 1st season Eboue was an excellent FB who needed a bit of help from a Keown or Dixon. Wenger messed him up and is too proud to admit that he got it wrong...
i completely agree with king kolo amd ensa..eboue is one of the finest right back in europe, defensively he's sound but wenger tried to improve his attacking play and played him on the wing which backfired cos eboue doesn't offer what typical wingers can do that is to take on players and deliver a final pass..our run to the champions league final in 2006 consists of eboue on the right, sol and senderos in the centre and flamini deputising on the left and of course mad jens in goal..and if my memory serves me right, we had 10 or 11 clean sheets up to the run to the final..so people don't pick on eboue cos he's just a cover for sagna dat's all..wenger has to admit that he ruined eboue's career and he should have played nasri on the right wing and vela on the left.like for like..
I say get rid of the son of a bitch in the summer. So many gooners can't be wrong, and I completely concur. Even if Sagna gets injured, God forbid, we have more decent replacement than that antifootballistic-can't pass worth a fuck-diving redcarder.
I would not be surprised to get there today and hear Eoue is starting. Then for him to play 65 woeful minutes that will include; falling over, running down blind alleys, giving the ball away, slowing down our attacks and of course the traditional 'injury'. We'll also proaly see him hiding in the hope noody passes to him then he'll come off for Asharvin and we'll spend 25 minutes trying to score while Sunderland cling on.
I hope not. Vela played well the other night and we actually saw a bit of the old Arsenal with quick passing and movement off the ball. Vela, Nasri and Eduardo were all linking and we had the full-backs pushing on and it was all quick crisp passing not like in recent weeks.
I'd like to see Vela start on the left, Nasri on the right and our new boy to come on for either Nas or VP to rest them for Tuesdays game.
We'll soon find out. Eboue shouldn't be anywhere near the team - i'd rather see Ramsey or Jack in there or on the bench instead. Adebayor and Eboue can both leave in the sumer just as they should have last summer.
3 points today, keep the run going as we reach the critical stage of the season. We should reach the FA Cup semi final and we have a good chance of progressing in Europe so the season is far from over.
Come on you Gooners
John-Upper, i wish all fans are as realistic and patient as you are cos i just dont understand how people get so impatient this days, failing to realise that people are different in their ways and adaptations. Someone once told me that Rooney played better as a 19 years old compared to Walcot failing to realise that Walcot is used more on the wings and not a forward man where i believe his potential lies. Correct me if i'm wrong but the last time i checked Walcot got his first England hat trick before Wayne 'Round-Head' Rooney.
I believe what eboue needs now is a good psychologist and some patience, he still has that rawness and drive which was quite obvious prior to his sending off at WHITE SHITE LANE.
i really rate eboue. its just a pity he loses his head. i think he is arsenals most underated player.
and it would be good if he stopped diving and whining