Pre-season is upon us again and the excitement for the new season is beginning to return. Many players are trying to show the manager wheat they can do, to give him a problem when selecting the first-team squad for the new season. With many players still not back from the WC it is a chance for some lesser known players to make a name for themselves. Here I run through some potential players to watch in the upcoming preseason.
1. Abou Diaby
Diaby returned to action on Saturday against Boreham Wood after a 14 month lay-off. Injuries have of course been very unkind to Abou in the past, and it now seems as though he will have one last chance to prove he has left the injury problems behind him. In eight years at the club the Frenchman has only notched up 179 appearances and his career has a ‘what could have been’ feel about it. Because of the problems he has encountered in the past this pre-season is a very important one in his career and just getting through to the start of the season injury free could prove to be significant. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs, hopefully he still has his power and physical presence on the ball and isn’t scared of going into a challenge. If Diaby can get through to the start of the season without any hiccups then he could prove to be an important member of the squad next season, and finally show the talent he has on a consistent basis. Use the navigation below to read about the other four Arsenal players to watch this pre-season.Â