Focus On: Emmanuel Eboue - Arsenal Contender or Pretender?

If you listened to Arsenal fans during the summer, the one player most people wanted to leave Arsenal was Emmanuel Eboue.

The much maligned Ivoirian midfielder has never been a favourite of the Arsenal faithful.  Fans say he doesn't have the necessary talent or skill in passing and movement to be included in the Gunners side.

Eboue has also been the object of criticism for his seemingly short temper on the pitch and accused by many opposition fans of being too hard in the tackle and of being a 'football thug'.

Granted, he hasn't always been in Arsenals best players in the last season or two, and he has had problems with his short temper and occasional malice in the tackle.

He has memorable run ins (and poor tackles) in the past with players such as Patrice Evra from Manchester United and John Terry from Chelsea to mention a few.

But I believe this is one Arsenal player who may have left all of that behind him and turned a very big corner.

Anyone who has watched the 25 year old this season will have noticed his overall attitude towards other players and the game in general, not to mention his passing and movement have become better than they were last season.

He has also seemed to tone down his abrupt temper and made much better tackles in the games Arsenal have played so far.

I believe this is down to two reasons:

1) Arsene Wenger has given Emmanuel Eboue more responsibility so far this season, using him in central midfield alongside Cesc Fabregas as well as out on both the left and right wings.

I believe that Eboue is the type of player that responds to this sort of management, show him a little faith and he will repay you.

Maybe he isn't quite of the talent of a Kaka or a Fabregas, but what he lacks in pin-pont skill, he makes up for in truck-loads of effort.  Any Arsenal fan that has watched him this season will testify to that.

2) There is a lot more pressure on Eboue to perform this season with Tomas Rosicky, Abou Diaby and Samir Nasri returning from injuries,  Theo Walcott playing well on either wing and the prospect of a new midfield signing in January.

This may be the kick that 25-year-old Eboue needed to step up, he knows that if he under-performs, or finds himself on the wrong side of a red card his position is up for grabs and he may find it difficult to force his way back in.

Either way, I believe that Eboue has started to sort himself out on the pitch both in effort and attitude.

He is a markedly better prospect so far this season, most noticeable in the recent game against Bolton where he scored his first Premier League goal.

I don't believe that Eboue is the complete article yet, and his temper could always get the better of him and resurface from time to time.

I do believe however, that if his improvements continue the way they have so far this season, he could be an integral part of the Arsenal midfield.

Who knows, we may yet see his best form in an Arsenal shirt.

So, thats my opinion, whats your take?