Arsenal News 24/7Writer: Tim Stillman 
Date:Sunday March 13 2011
Time: 2:52AM
UK time is: 22:54:43
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Chin, Chin Djourou
Before the recriminations begin (frankly, having had quite a torrid journey home, reading the reels of wrist slitting can wait until the morning), I thought it proper to react to the sad news that Johan Djourou`s badly disclocated shoulder has ended his campaign. Quite simply, the boy has been utterly immense this season, forcing his way back from a debilitating knee injury to become a guaranteed first choice pick in the centre of defence. For all the tired critcisms of Arsenal`s defence, only Manchester City and Chelsea have conceded less this season and Djourou has been a massive part of that.
Johan, get better soonand we look forward to seeing you next season. When the pecking order for the Player of the Season award begins to occupy minds in two months time, I think you`ll not be too far from people`s thoughts.LD.
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Your Comments
Good shout LD. JD was a little shakey upon return, we didn't know what we were going to get week in week out, but a run of games saw him become our best defender this season. I remember Arsene Wenger telling the media to forget about Djourou as he tried to draw the attention away from him .... I think we're finally seeing what the boss saw all those years ago. Get well soon.
Rocky7
He's a really gifted CB. He's good on the ball as well. And certainly he and Kos have been solid to say the least. Will miss him sorely until Vermaelen gets back and I do hope that it is soon because the Squilscielny axis gives me the jitters whenever I think about it.
Eboue=GOD
Sad for you guys... I think its going to be next year when your players will be more mature.. Though some of the players are getting old enough to be sold for serious clubs.. Arsene, i think will stay as he has got his 2 million bonus for getting into the champions league and the directors also have shared good profit among themselves.. Such a profit making club by the way..
danish chelsea
I wonder if some around here come back to re-read what they posted and feel embarrassed? Not worth replying so let's not feed the trolls who fail even to think or post on topic. JD has been immense this season and it's such a shame to see his campaign ended abruptly like this. Get well soon! I've also been thinking in case we forgot, there's a guy called Vermaelen somewhere on the treatment table. Do you think TV-JD would be a good partnership? Or are they a bit more similar, e.g. both tend to attack the ball first time? Next season we'll see I suppose.
GoonerLou
Bit of a downer losing yet another player for the rest of the season. At the beginning of the season few saw JD as anything other than back up but he became first pick and a really good defender.
Amos.
He's a real loss for us. Such an assured CB who was really starting to show his class. Despite the goals I thought he and Kos were having a good game yesterday. We seemed to be cursed with fragility. can only imagine how awesome this team would be if some of our key players were less injury prone.
Wyn Mills
@Danish Chelsea. Thanks for your comments, however our Board and shareholders do not take a dividend from the club, and haven't for years. The board take a salary/expenses and that is it.
wembley79
...and there goes our season, I'm afraid. What a player he's been for us. We've shown we can win without Fabregas and RVP this season, but I don't think we can win consistently without JD. At the start of the season, who woulda thought that he would arguably be our most pivotal player? He's got a rare combination of size, athleticism and technical ability. The thought of a Vermaelen/Djourou partnership next year is very exciting. Provided Vermaelen is still alive, of course.
krismon1
Can I just add that Djourou seems like the genuinely nicest chap to play centre back for any team in the Premier League.
krismon1
The only solace is the injury is a complete freak incident, nothing to do with the past injuries he's had. Massive props for the way he stepped up this season.
Iceman10
Djourou has been a revelation for you guys, absolutely brilliant and it's a shame he won't feature for you in the run-in (good news for us though). I genuinely believe he was the difference between a 2-0 defeat last night and a 4-0 defeat. On many occassions he intervened with a Rooney ball to Hernandez he was creeping in front of Koscielny (also good but a little shaky and lost at times I believe). Most noticeably when he went off injured we broke more in that space of time than any other. Unlucky guys and I guess we will be seeing you in a title-decider (well I hope so anyway) at the Emirates soon.
TheFamousNo7
Rooney ball to Hernandez *who* was creeping in front of Koscielny.
TheFamousNo7
JD's deceptively fast too. I can recall a couple of occasions at the Nou Camp where he whipped the ball off Messi in full dribble mode.
Wyn Mills
TFNo7, while Djourou made a difference, so did Van Der Sar. He was the difference between a 2-0 and a 2-2. We had 11 shots on target to United's 6 and higher possession as well. That said, we had problems in the creative department which is essential to us as we are not a solely counter attacking team in the PL. There was low urgency and we were flat physically. Lack of incisiveness and killer touch in the final third let us down.
Deltaforce
I'm sorry Deltaforce but your statistics only tell half the story. Yes you had more possession but you never looked like breaking through Vidic and Smalling and your football in actual fact was very sideways. Which then leads to the fact that most of your shots on goal were predominately from the edge of the box. Whilst the stats might say you were dominant, the actual reality of it wasn't. In the same manner whilst the stats might suggest Van Der Sar was the sole reason we won the actual reality of it is you never split our defense like we did your's on numerous occasions and it was merely Djourou's brilliant intervention of Rooney's balls to Hernandez that prevented more shots on target on our behalf.
TheFamousNo7
Sure the stats tell only half the story. ManU set up to play on the counter and exploit the wide open spaces that our left flank has become - and they did it very professionally. The game might have panned out differently if we'd got the first goal which seems to be so important in these encounters especially when ManU set up as they did. But tactically we put out a team that was in some areas far too exposed to play away from home against a side with such an impressive home record. The cost to us can be measured more in the loss of Djourou as it can in losing an away game at OT.
Amos.
at this point, i think we should just accept the fact that goals wins game and possession wihtout end product leads to nothing.. we were playing really well with good penetration, better crosses and clinical finishing before we let diaby, denilson and rosicky ruin wat promised to be a fruitful year.. Diaby will not become another Vieira, Denilson is not a defensive midfielder.. we've played without our best CB the whole season and now we lost our 2nd best for the rest of the season and we were dependent on a rookie goalkeeper to win the Premier League and Champions League..to all those who believe we will at least win the league, with squillace, koscielny, diaby and denilson.. ah i might as well just stop.
McGooner
The fact was that your defensive back 5 was better than ours on the day. Check the interception stats to know that Smalling and Vidic made as many interceptions as Djourou made TFno7. The result is all that matters ofcourse but the way United play nowadays is like a well equipped Aston Villa rather than the United of even 2 years back.
Deltaforce
Didnt expect him to have the impact he had on this season alongside side Kosh,gutted to miss him for the title run in.I wonder when Vermaelen is back(next season too) if he can push out the pair that have looked the best two CBs in recent history for us.
ajwb
Ferguson gifted us possession, we didn't really control the game. United had a B/C team out there but it didn't matter because his players stick to his system, remain organized and focused, and have a team ethic. He can rely on his 2nd tier players when he has an injury crisis. Arsene can't. That's the difference. United this season are incredibly mediocre but they'll win the league because of that ethic that runs thru all the players.
jaelle
I agree jaelle.
Deltaforce
*sigh* Deltaforce I feel as though my opinions are falling on deaf ears. Statistics only tell half the story and in the case of the interception's Djourou made game changing one's, interceptions that prevented Hernandez with a one-on-one chance at goal deep in the box, whilst Vidic and Smalling broke up play much earlier on at the edge of the box, once again statistics wouldn't tell you this. I suppose your opinion is your own but I genuinely believe Djourou was much more influential for you than Van Der Sar was for us. Like I said see you on May the 1st.
TheFamousNo7
Breaking up play before a shot on target can be registered is as important as a last ditch interception or tackle TFNo7. Vidic an Smalling were more unseen in their work but along with Van Der Saar were man of the match candidates. *sigh* lets agree to disagree.
Deltaforce
JD has become a class act in the premiership this season. We have not lost a game in the premiership when he has been playing. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1365909/Arsenal-boss-Arsene-Wenger-backs-team-FA-Cup-loss.html
phreddy
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