A Tribute to an Arsenal Cult Hero EMMANUEL EBOUE!

The day that I’ve been dreading,yet kind off looking forward to its imminent arrival is here. Well it was here yesterday..but What day you ask? The day the news of Eboue’s departure would be made official. The statement on Arsenal.com read..

"Arsenal have agreed terms with Turkish side Galatasaray for the transfer of Emmanuel Eboue."

We could all see it coming,though I was silently hoping that he’ll be at the emirates for another season. And as I’ve mentioned here before,not necessarily for footballing reasons but for his personality and what it adds to the club off the pitch.Which I understand is rather a stupid reason,as he is a footballer and this is a football club.I’d describe Manu from my own understanding,as the gell that holds the boys together.

For those who have been in a class system,I’d compare him to the funny,social guy who seemed to have a special connection with everyone in class,the one who you couldn’t stay mad at. Sometimes referred to as the class clown,In most cases he/she (just remembered not all of us went to boys schools) was not the sharpest tool in the shed but their contribution in the well being of the class could never be overlooked. During a boring lesson they’d crack the class up with a comment or an answer,play pranks on everyone and anyone. In one way or another they made school bearable. Now imagine your class without this character..It’s not like class will grind to a halt,but it will be that much less bearable.

Back to the football. Eboue signed for us in 2004-2005 season,made his debut against stoke city in a FA cup game, he scored his first goal vs sunderland in the carling cup in 2005. He was mainly limited to reserve and cup games until January 2006 when made his first team debut as a sub vs liverpool at Anfield. He went on to cement his place at right back,replacing the cameroonian international and invincible Lauren by getting in solid performances against the likes of Juventus and Real Madrid in the champions league while Lauren was out with injuries. By the start of the 06-07 season he was a firm fan favourite winning player of the month in September 2006,his problems started when he got injured at the Africa cup of nations in 2007. As many put it,he never actually came back,was on and off for the remainder of the season struggling with injuries. The arrival of Sagna at the beginning of the 07-08 campaign meant that prof would try him at right midfield and what a disaster that was! He began going to ground way to easily,he started running out of ideas faster than you could say fast. Although this was the season that saw him score his first premier league goal against Bolton at the Reebok,it also saw him become prone to primary school boy errors and lose out on the support of many fans. But in typical prof style he turned a blind eye to his failed plan and persisted with Eboue at right midfield. Come the 2008-2009 campaign and most will remember the date 6^th dec 2008 a game vs wigan at the Emirates when he came in as a sub for the injured Samir Nasri on 32 minutes. He was coming back from injury and as always he put in 110% despite being in an unfarmiliar position on the left and at times at central mid field. Things just did not work out that day,which saw him replaced at 90 minutes with Mikael Silvestre after some nervy balls and a really harsh crowd at the ems on the day.

That day,I felt had devastating effects on the player,though he did put in some spirited performances notably his brace at Blackburn Rovers.As if to pay back,the next season (09-10)he scored against the same Wigan side at the emirates.By now he mostly came off the bench,scoring against Porto. As was with his last season (10-11) and when he got a decent run of first team appearances due to Sagna’s injury towards the end of the campaign. Which saw him score his last goal for the gunners a screamer vs blackpool at bloomfield road. It was during the same run when he conceded a penalty in the last minute (102 or something like that) against liverpool which saw our title hopes fade away yet again. It was that incident in my opinion that sealed Eboue’s fate. In total he made 214 apps scoring 10 goals and creating 25 others.

When Eboue was good,he was world class but when he dipped unfortunately the same could also be said. I’ll miss him a lot am sure most gunners will. Join me as I salute Emmanuel Eboue a CULT HERO at the Arsenal Football Club.My memories of Eboue will include the face he made (yes the one captured in title photo of this post),rather his reaction,when he conceded the liverpool penalty (A very funny one indeed) then these shots of him holding a weeping Jack Wilshere after the Carling cup final.

With that Ladies and Gentlemen...on a sad day for me..

KWISHA!