Were Arsenal seriously expected to win the Carling Cup against Chelsea? For starters, despite what manager Arsene Wenger may have said, fielding a team with only two regular senior players cannot be regarded as a serious attempt to win a cup final. Furthermore, he did this knowing full well that the opposition were champions two years running and were going to field their best 11.

To the credit of the Arsenal kids, they did play very well for long spells in the match. Maybe that was just down to the exuberance of youth. Certainly many deficiencies in their play were exposed. The defending and general play of Armand Traore leaves a lot to be desired and it's as well that Gael Clichy holds down that regular berth at present.

The rapidly fading influences of Theo Walcott, Jeremie Aliadiere and Julio Baptista are a serious cause of concern for the Arsenal manager if he needs to rely on them in the future. And Denilson has a lot to learn about holding, running and passing if he wants to be a Premiership player.

However as a collection, the Arsenal kids did show that they have the makings of the right stuff. The team that played on Sunday would have at least deserved a mid-table place if they were named week-in, week-out (or at least a place above Spurs) and that says a lot for their achievements and maturity during this Carling Cup campaign.

But if there was one positive thing to take away from Sunday, it is that Wenger has uncovered a real diamond in the rough. What’s better, there is no hype of media bubble surrounding this prodigy – and that man (or kid) is Abou Diaby. Yes, Cesc Fabregas did play better, but Cesc - even though he is as young as the rest - seems a seasoned campaigner and a near-finished article already. And yes, indiscretions aside, Kolo Toure was Arsenal's outstanding performer.

But watching Diaby, there was almost a sense of knowing that this boy is going to be a bit special. His tactical awareness off-the-ball is already outstanding in the way he kept being in the right place when Traore went AWOL. And his sense of timing and touch seems more appropriate among the opposition ranks boasting millionaires and established internationals. His short passing is assured and his vision is developing amazingly well. What is more, he has the size and physic to be a dominant midfield player.

Despite this, Diaby doesn’t use his height and his power to his advantage. His balance is still awkward and his strength is suspect. And he still lacks that grit-your-teeth driving influence coupled with an intimidating fear factor that would scare any opposition into submission.

It was too bad Diaby had to leave the game due to an injury. The ineffectiveness of his more-established replacement, Aleksandr Hleb, spoke volumes about the capabilities of Diaby.

I'm looking forward to Diaby's return. I'm looking forward to him working out in the gym to develop the same strength that Toure has and the same balance that Emmanuel Adebayor has. I'm looking forward to Wenger making him watch a few videos of Roy Keane at his prime, or David Batty or Paul Ince or Steve McMahon at their peak.

And for goodness sake, feed the man some pure 100 percent British beef and get some blood flowing in his eyes. Diaby needs to develop a scowl and a look that would scare little kids off street corners two blocks away. Then, my God, he would be some player. Cesc and Diaby - Beauty and the Beast. Now that would be a combination that would dismantle anyone's game and nerve for eons to come.

As a postscript, I remember at the same stadium in 2001, Arsenal met Liverpool in the FA Cup Final. Arsenal lost 2-1 that day, too - to two goals by Michael Owen, that generation's goal scorer supreme. But the outstanding performer in that game was a certain tall lanky French midfielder to whom Diaby bears a striking physical resemblance.

Patrick Vieira went on to define Arsenal. I'm looking forward to when Diaby does the same.

Do you share this particular Arsenal fan's view? Let's have your opinion at Sportingo.