Wenger: Van Persie, Diaby and Koscielny Out Injured

Arsene Wenger confirmed that Robin Van Persie, Abou Diaby and Laurent Koscielny will all be out of Arsenal's next game against Stoke City with injuries, although Diaby wold have missed the game with suspension anyway. Arsenal host Stoke on Wednesday, but Wenger is positive that the trio will all be fit for Sunday's Carling Cup final clash against Birmingham where Arsenal have the chance to win some overdue silverware.

Wenger said:

"We don't have Van Persie, Diaby and Koscielny available."

"Everybody else is fit. Diaby is suspended. Van Persie has a hamstring problem and Koscielny a back problem."

"Both are short term and they have a chance for the game on Sunday"

Johan Djourou has been in very good form this season, making up for the absence of Thomas Vermaelen alongside Koscielny in the centre of defence, and Wenger will welcome the Swiss back into the side after missing the F.A Cup draw against Leyton Orient.
The Arsenal manager said:

"Johan Djourou is better and will play."

The replay with Leyton Orient in the Cup isn't going to help, as although Arsenal are favourites to win, it is another long 90 minutes and risks injuries or fatigue that they will not want in the lead up the back end of the season, as well as a second leg with Barcelona at the Nou Camp awaiting them.

Arsenals Diaby Wants Barca Transfer "At Some Point"

His teammate and captain, Cesc Fabregas has been subject to several substantial bids from Barcelona, and just a week before he will be up against them in the Champions League, Abou Diaby has expressed his desire to one day move to Spain to play for them.

The 24 year-old Frenchman was speaking upon being asked of the prospect of playing Barcelona in Europe in a few days, and it turns out he is also a fan of Barca's rival Real Madrid:

“At some point I would like to play for Barcelona or Real Madrid, but I would prefer to play for Barca, because I prefer their style.”

Diaby has been compared to the former Arsenal captain, Patrick Viera with his positional preference as well as physical appearance. Wenger once said: "His ability to win the ball back is just like Vieira. He is capable of a very quick transitions from defence to attack and has fantastic strength box to box, nobody can go with him."

Wenger will be needing this quality when his team takes on The Spanish Champions next Wednesday in the Champions League, and Diaby recognises this too:

"We played them last season, and we found them at their highest degree of effectiveness, both individually and collectively. This year will be the same, so we know what to expect. Barca are a great team, and this year they are very strong."

The Arsenal manager will be especially concerned about Lionel Messi - the player who he described last year as "unstoppable" and the best player in the world "by some distance" immediately after the two sides met in which Messi scored all four goals in Arsenals 4 - 1 loss to Barcelona. Abou Diaby highlighted however, that his team should not concentrates solely on the quick feet, trickery and sheer class of Messi, as the rest of the Barca team are just as big a threat:

"Messi is the best in the world. We all know that the Argentine is a great player who can make the difference at any time, but we cannot focus only on him."

If both sides play their football how we all know they can, the game looks set to be an absolute cracker, with beautiful football on show and hopefully plenty of goals. While Arsenal fans will be hoping Abou Diaby doesn't lose his temper and do anything rash like in the Newcastle game, he will be wearing the red of Arsenal for now, and not the blue and purple of Barcelona.