Frustrated Wenger blasts Les Bleus over Diaby injury

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is frustrated with Abou Diaby’s latest injury and has accused the French federation of failing to heed his warning over the player.

The 26-year-old has endured a torrid time with injuries ever since breaking his ankle at Sunderland six years ago and made just five appearances last season.

Diaby had looked back to his best at the start of this campaign and was in splendid form until he was forced off 17 minutes into Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League defeat to Chelsea.

Wenger has revealed the France international now faces three weeks on the sidelines with a thigh strain, a situation which has frustrated the Arsenal boss.

Wenger apportioned some of that blame to his handling by the French national team, claiming he was called up too soon when he played against Finland last month.

“I said many times that if France wanted Diaby in Spain (for the World Cup qualifier on October 16) they should not take him for the qualifiers against Finland and Belarus,” he said.

“They could have taken him but not played him because the guy has been out for a year, played four or five games.

“You have a breather, give him two weeks to recover completely. I think it was a mistake to play him with the French national team.”

Wenger added: “It is as well an opportunity for somebody else to stand up and play but it is a blow, yes,” he said.

“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 moved out Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain comes in, takes his position straight away and loses the ball on set-pieces. This is a ball Diaby would have won easily because he has the size.

“We have better balance size-wise and strength as well because he has the power.

“It is really frustrating because once you think you get there it (an injury) happens again.”

Diaby could be joined on the sidelines for tonight’s Champions League Group B clash with Olympiacos by Mikel Arteta after the Spaniard suffered an ankle knock against Chelsea.

The former Everton player did not train at London Colney yesterday, where four-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Johnson watched the session. Wenger views tonight’s game as an opportunity to make amends for Saturday’s defeat to Chelsea.

“The players are focused and disappointed that we lost the game,” Wenger said.

“They are still down of course, but we have a Champions League game in front of us at home and we want to put things right.

“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.

“It is about how we respond. I am impressed by the mentality of my team, but the mentality is as well about how you respond to disappointment.

“I am confident we will, but that is what we want to show.”

Olympiacos will have to do without talisman Rafik Djebbour. The Algeria international was rested for Saturday’s 1-0 league win at Atromitos but has failed to recover from a thigh injury in time for the match.

Djebbour is joined on the sidelines by Ljubomir Fejsa, Vassilis Torossidis and Tassos Papazoglou, while Francois Modesto faces a late fitness test.

“Our aim is to perform well,” Olympiacos coach Leonardo Jardim said. “We are not the favourites in this match, yet in football you never know what can happen.”