Arsene Wenger says that under-fire Emmanuel Eboue will face Porto on Wednesday despite being cheered off the pitch on Saturday.
Eboue looked close to tears when he left the pitch against Wigan after a series of misplaced passes saw his substitution be greeted with the biggest cheer of the day.
But Wenger says: "Eboue will play in Porto on Wednesday.
"I have urged the fans to show more patience - I guess they didn't hear me.
"In the end I think they were so nervous as well. They expressed that and took Eboue as a target.
"I must take some responsibility for playing him on the left when Samir Nasri had to come off.
"When we won at Blackburn he had an outstanding game there but at home when he lost confidence that is not the best position for him.
"I will talk to him. I believe everything sad that happens can make him stronger and more determined to show how good a player he is.
"He is a good boy and you could see when he lost confidence it was very difficult for him but he is really loved inside the team by all the players."
Kolo Toure was shocked by Eboue's treatment at the hands of the fans, saying: "I was surprised because normally our fans are really nice.
The tension was really high and that's why they went mad. It's really hard for him but he has all our support because we know he's a great player and he tries his best for the team, even if he was not 100 per cent ready after six weeks out.
"Eboue is a great lad, he loves the club and just wanted to do his best for us. We hope that next time the fans will help him to come back.
"That's the only way that they can behave. With the injuries we have at the moment, we need him. He is a strong boy."
Your Comments
holdinfoldin
"had we still been at highbury i doubt this would have happened, yes you are always going to get 1 or 2 who will tend to pick on one particular player i've listened to it for years i.e. paul davis, ray parlour, amongst others. the problem we have at the emirates is we are now catering for thousands more supporters who think they are entitiled to instant success and take it out on the likes of eboue when they don't get it, yes eboue was poor on saturday i'll be the first to agree but will the abuse he got make him a better player ? would the same abuse be given had fabregas had such a shocker. given the chance i would like to personally appologise for the abuse he recieved from so called supporters the same supporters who will no doubt be cheering should he win us a big game. "
Jawn_Jawn
"Absolute disgrace. He had a poor game but nobody deserves that kind of treatment, he has been injured for a while and was played out of position and Wenger to be blunt, was an idiot taking him off. Eboue's confidence is shot, and to expect him to be comfortable playing at home again is naive. He won't forget that.
Proves conclusively that Arsenal fans are by and largely just twats, booing their own player. As a united fan, i have seen some of our players have shockers, but to boo a player on your own team when you're winning is idiotic.
you can go back to Keano's prawn sandwich tirade to find the root of the problem with boo-ing your own players, it was one of the most disgraceful things I have seen.
English fans boo their own national team, and now we see the fans of a team who play arguably the best footall in the league boo a player back from injury and being played out of position. Says an awful lot.
If i were Eboue i wouldn't put the shirt on again, the manager essentially fed him to the lions, and the "fans" sit silently as their team wins and boo their own players. Idiots. I can't stress that enough. Idiots.
"
kanoute
"As F365 resident "opposing opinion guy" in most scenarios, I'd just like to say that the people sitting around me were absolutely disgusting on Saturday. Im not going to reference what they said as it wouldn't be allowed by the moderators anyway but it was to do with Eboue's roots. Granted, they are scum, in fact they were taking the p*** out of FANS who did chant. They were like the two old guys in the muppets show who sit in the private box and criticise. But one thing I will say is this; Players like Bendtner and Eboue DO have the ability to change a game in a very, very negative way unfortunately. We all want to see them do well, but every game i've watch them play with the exception of Bolton away these two are often the break-down of the ryhtm. Im sorry. Its true. We will never win anything with players like them. It hurts me too. What hurts me more is the divide occuring between Gunners who get behind their team through thick and thin which I cant help but admire, and the ones who justifyably have had enough. Neither are wrong. We were f&cking shocking against Wigan, and anyone who gives me the bulls@it that 'we won, whats your point' wasn't at the game. Unfortunately us Gooners are becoming not dissimilar to Spurs supporters, frothing at the mouth to defend a team that everyone else in the country takes great pleasure laughing at."
dude_javis
"I think we should take a look back approx 2 weeks ago when Gallas came out and made those comments, we all said that he should have kept shut and tried to keep some spirit in the team, and yet we try galvanise the team by booing a player in an Arsenal jersey....nice logic lads! "
Von_Strangeduck
"Come on people!! The guy is a clown and he needs to wake up and start playing some football. His passing is sh*t, his shooting is sh*it, his decision making is awful and he is a diver who makes us all look like idiots.
I don't care if he a good guy and everybody likes him. MY feelings are hurt every time he is giving away the ball not his. Stop being soft and face the reality, Eboue. Maybe we should have booed Wenger for playing him so often."
Cesc_Bomb
"I agree with gremlingunner - We have no shame in this country when it comes to the treatment of certain players. It only highlights the problem when England play and even if the opposition fans are losing, they still get behind their team and sing til the end. It's embarrassing at the Emirates. Not many want to get behind the team BEFORE they score a goal and get them going and those that do are made to feel bad by certain 'fans' who wish to enjoy the game in silence. I can understand fans not wanting Eboue at the club but he is at the club and as supporters of Arsenal, its your duty to get behind the team no matter what. Despite what you read in the papers, we are a good side and we are doing ok. With the support recieved by some of our players, we don't deserve to win anything."
Stokie_Rich
"Another week another opportunity to laugh at Arsenal. Was this the most noise that has ever been made by home fans at an Arsenal game?"
gremlingunner
"I hope the booboys will look back on this and feel utterly ashamed. It seems that unless we win every game 3-0 there is a certain set of 'fans' who behave this way. Utterly disgusted after the game. Like most Eboue scares me when hes out of position (scares me playing in position too sometimes) but no matter what we never should boo our own. I'm not english, but I noticed England doing the same thing with the national side when they had a bad run. Why? No matter what the result, they're your own. The oppoition fans can look after the boos by themselves."
Goonerboy
"I only go for the Chicken Balti Pie's .. Oh and watch the game as well...To be honest ... I still cant stand Eboue ..Why...well its the same reason as always. He is a crap player who dives a lot of the time,Some of his dives are embarrassing Also he could not find the net with a map ... Personally I didn't Boo him but I can understand why some people would...He is not the kind of player I would like to see play at Arsenal...His smug laughing when coming on against spurs when we were ahead showed a complete lack of Focus.he is one of a few players who are quite simply not good enough "
smudger21
"Agreed, Eboue isn't the greatest of players but booing him whilst he's on the pitch then making the loudest cheer of the day when he's substituted is really not on. May be its just general frustration at the team which is being directed at him but I can't see how booing is really going to help the situation at all? He did get thrown into a nervy game at left mid after 6 weeks out too after all."
All comments on this story