Can Abou Diaby Be Compared To Yaya Toure?

When questioned whether he would be the ideal replacement for Alex Song, who left Arsenal for Barcelona earlier this season, Abou Diaby boldly replied ‘no, I see myself as more of a Yaya Toure, as I like to get forward when given the opportunity.’ A bold statement it may have seemed, but with the French midfielder getting playing time with the club after recovering from injury, the midfielder looks set to be an integral part of the team, with his performance against Liverpool showing that he looks to be reaching new heights in terms of personal performance.
Signed in 2006 for a fee of £2 million, the tall Frenchman was seen as the new Vieira by Arsenal fans because of his physique, but has emphasised in many interviews that he is a midfielder who likes to get in the final third of the pitch more often, rather than remain disciplined and distribute the ball from deep. Wit...