Laurent Koscielny is a very strange footballer. Not because of his Polish-French heritage. Not because of the upright, short-armed running style that makes him resemble a stalking velociraptor. Laurent Koscielny is a strange footballer because he manages to look extremely competent whilst also being at the heart of a defence that is occasionally in disarray.
There’s no doubt he’s got plenty of ability. He’s quick, assertive, and a very clean tackler. After arriving for £10m from Lorient last term, he had several outstanding games, most notably in the home tie with Barcelona, where his fleet-footed style was well suited to keeping the likes of Messi and Villa in check.
However, he was also part of a back four that crumbled at Newcastle, and was a hesitant figure as Obafemi Martins grabbed the goal that won the Carling Cup. It was a season as typified by signs of inexperience as excellence. It’s easy to forget that prior to joining us, he had just one top flight campaign in France under his belt. Although his own individual performances were often impressive, the defensive unit around him just didn’t seem to function.
Perhaps, one could argue, he didn’t have the right partner. Thomas Vermaelen was absent for almost the entirety of the season, and Sebastien Squillaci proved to be something of a disastrous signing. Although Johan Djourou and Koscielny did at one stage form an effective pairing, their shortcomings emerged when it came to the crunch. And Arsenal’s end to the season was very crunchy indeed. Not in a delicious, Kelloggsy way, but in an awful, legs in a blender kind of way.
At the start of this season, however, Vermaelen was fit and Koscielny was finally alongside his intended partner. They were impressive at Newcastle and Udinese, and then Vermaelen succumbed to injury once gain. We all know the consequences of his loss and the subsequent hammering at Old Trafford.
Now Koscielny has a new partner again: Per Mertesacker. The teutonic titan is arguably an even better partner for Laurent than Vermaelen, as he provides a contrast. Koscielny is an instinctive, reactive defender, whereas Mertesacker is a more composed, organisational figure. And it’s paying dividends. After a clean sheet against Swansea, Koscielny turned in an outstanding performance in Germany. Arsene Wenger said of his display:
“The fact that he has such a short experience at the top level makes his improvement potential bigger. I believe he will be a great central defender.
I have always thought there is a massive potential in this player. That is why he has already grown this season and I felt in the last 20 minutes he was immense against Dortmund.
Like every central defender who comes to England, he was surprised by the intensity of the game but he has adjusted now and adapted.”
This weekend at Blackburn will provide another test for the new pairing. When Thomas Vermaelen returns after the international break, one would imagine the vice-captain will be an automatic starter. Koscielny now has the added motivation of a fight for his first-team place.
Vermaelen could be joined in his October return by Abou Diaby, who has begun fitness work. As regards this weekend, Aaron Ramsey has a chance to be available after missing midweek with an ankle problem. Full preview tomorrow.
The answer is simple: Koscielny and Vermaelen must start.
Read this article – http://arsenalcolumn.co.uk/2011/09/15/dortmund-press-arsenal%E2%80%99s-full-backs-and-the-problem-with-wenger%E2%80%99s-defensive-strategy/. Then you will understand why the defence gets caught so much. The simple fact is when the defence pushes up for a high offside line, the midfield in front is supposed to push up too and press properly with the three forwards putting pressure on the opposition defenders.
Curious case??? Because of the games against Newcastle and Birmingham??!! That’s very unfair. At newcastle, it was phil dowd who crushed Arsenal(never seen bias till such extent ever) And against birmingham, it was both keeper and defender’s fault. But hey, didnt Tony Adams never fucked up for Arsenal? You may say out of sort comparison but Kos is better than Gallas and Toure and most of recent Arsenal CBs. Not a curious case, he’s a proper CB.
Lest we forget, we could have been 2 or 3 down in the Westfalen before they got their positions right Kos on a couple of occasions headlessly running about all over the place.
Kos is becoming a super defender. I wonder what Wenger will do when all Ver, Kos & Mert are all fully fit. I think he will go with Ver & Mert. But time will tell. We have a nice collection of good center backs now.
Is anyone else pissed off with the sky sports, media etc?? They where harping on about how we needed a tall assured experienced defender like Cahill, Samba etc. Then Wenger buys Mert and and shuts them up, but now they change their tune saying he will be found out cus he is to tall and slow!! Wenger just cant win this these muppets!
would have loved if you had written slightly more about koscielny! i’m a french fan too!
The answer is very rarely so, athlon
Fine post GS, it’l be nice to have some real options on TV5′s return, eh?
spot on.
koscielny is still our 3rd choice defender, and that means our defence is better than in previous years. for a 4th choice defender, djourou is good enough.
playing offside is the only problem atm..just defend ffs
I think per, Vermelen and Kos should start in the centre.
I wonder how useful kos would be as a right back? hmmmm, he has speed, can he cross?
Santos as well, looking much better with options. Go Gunners.
i thinkn Kos is going to be a top class defender. the more he plays the better he will get. When TV5 returns and If Mertesacker turns out to be top draw. we’ll have 3 excellent centre backs to call on… happy days
Up The Arsenal
Gotta laugh..
Just some classic quotes by the ever so optimistic, but always proved wrong GS:
“He’s quick, assertive, and a very clean tackler” – really..seriously…quick..assetive yes CLEAN TACKLER..don’t make me die of laughter..how many red cards does this guy clock up…how clumsy is he normally…how many loose balls did he grace us with against dortmund
dunno where this myth of us playing well on tuesday comes from – we were POOR all over…draws were gained all over the CL, however our draw was the poorest quality of football out of all of them – better we was playing europa
and another classic quote:
“and then Vermaelen succumbed to injury once gain. We all know the consequences of his loss and the subsequent hammering at Old Trafford”
woah woah – what verminator playing in that old trafford match would’ve changed something – yh right…the only thing that would’ve changed is the feelings of the team – as vermy’s biggest quality is not to do with him on the pitch but the passion and realistic view he has of the team when we perform badly..whether he plays or watches ..he gives an honest analysis…the opposite to wenger and the gullable players we have…but losing vermy – could’ve changd the old trafford result – DON’T me roll over in my grave after i’ve died of laughter
last classic quote..again on vermy:
“When Thomas Vermaelen returns after the international break”
have you learnt nothing GS – WHEN you say…WHEN very comes back – so your taking him coming bk after intl break as GOSPEL – please you can build up blind-deluded expectation of vermy coming bk this SEASON..let alone after intl break..but a realist fan knows better
comical as ever GS – love your blinded…deluded..ignorant optimism!
keep up the good work!
A classic idiot… please dont leave this website…. everytime i read ur comments I DIE OF LAUGHTER……..
You’ve killed me like… 67 times.
Just shut up, deluded spud!!!
@NOT-A-DELUDED-GUNNER! maybe you should start your own blog and not read other Deluded posts. That way we don’t have to read your sane comments and you don’t have to read our crazy rhetoric
@NOT-A-DELUDED-GUNNER. Surely you’re trolling. None of what you said makes any sense and your spelling and delivery is atrocious. Tell you what, support the Arsenal for over 10 years, complete your education and then come back and try again. Until then, please don’t ever LOOK at a computer keyboard again.
I can’t see a reason Koscielny would not succeed in the midfield.
Something that really has come on this season is his passing game.
Imagine him in front of TV5 and Mertesacker.
Our new fortress.
Shut the fuck up,not a deluded gunner my ass!don’t even know why u support arsenal. Your dumbass is the most negative fan, no sorry the most negative human being on earth. How old are u ? Just shut ur ass up damn.
@NOT-A-DELUDED-GUNNER Just read this from your post
DON’T me roll over in my grave
Care to elaborate?
Ha! Yeah I thought that was a curious bit of prose too.
Good article, and i agree with much og the argument. Problem is that this fact goes for many arsenal players not just Koc. Diaby, Walcott, Arshavin, Ramsey, Song etc. They can all seem on fire one day, and poor the next game. I can only imagine that its down to the boss to make sure they stay on the top of their game, that is his job, to motivate. Sadly……………….
Am still much more concerned with the left back situation, unless Santos proves out. Very worried about Gibbs — completely out of his depth, a lightweight in a super middleweight position.
How about this for a backline in the big matches — Sagna, Mertesacker, Kos, Verm?
you’re either a kid…should support spurs or fuck off ay…
dam you guys really don’t like hearing the truth init
rocko i was getting ahead of myself – i mean DON’T “make” me roll over in my grave
but ok …
scores for blackburn?
2-0 to the arsenal me thinks!
And you can fuck right off! Dont need or want your type supporting the arse!
HA – DONSKI… jus go suck your mum – PRICK
@NOT-A-DELUDED-GUNNER – are you high??
that aside, well Wenger’s gonna make some tough decisions this season such as CB – TV5 Per Kos when all are fit ; CM – Song Frimpong Wilshere Yossi Arteta Ramsey when all fit ; Wings – Gervinho Walcott Arshavin if all fit;
I believe youre right about Kos. Deep down Im lso a little afraid that youre completely wrong. This season will tell.
i jus wanna apologies to my fellow gunners…all of you (even the ones i agree with) are all in it to support the team…i feel as though i’ve lost my way a bit, in being too brutal (to the point that i make no..or little sense). Forgive me – i’m a gunner through n through…from now on if i have nothing constructive to say – i won’t. not the best composed when blogging (purely cos it’s not being marked by a teacher or i’ll be burnt and punished if i get spelling or grammer wrong) but yes i’ll try harder to be fair – but still not deluded
so sorry guys – don’t have to accept but i’ma try n be bit more cooler and calmer in my approach
on that note this guys blog mite of went a miss (being on the previous blog by GS) so here it goes…practically what i was trying to say lol:
“GP September 16, 2011 at 1:18 pm
Afternoon all.
Just a few points;
1 – We did NOT play well. We were battered by a team who played who were technically FAR better than. A team that played with a greater hunger. They could have been ahead by 3-4 goals in the end had they been more composed. Attacking wise we were piss poor as usual. We had three decent chances in 90 minutes and scored 1. But that has been the case for all our games thus far. Even against Swansea we created fuck all and scored from their keeper fucking up.
2 – The myth that we defended well is utter bollocks. Watching the highlights i’d say our defending was desperate as opposed to defending well. There was no composure, no calming presence at the back, it was a case of hanging on for dear life so how the fuck is that defending well? Anyone watch the Milan/Barca game? Nesta was a beast. He single handedly kept the goals down just 2 – one of which was a hell of a free kick. Now that is what you call defending well.
3 – Song was man of the match. What a joke! We gave him that because he is what he was supposed to do – play in the fucking defensive midfield position!!! That’s like giving my bus driver a pat on the back for dropping me off at my stop – IT’S WHAT HE’S SUPPOSED TO FUCKING DO!!!! Thing is if the cunt kept it simple and did that in every game then perhaps we’d get somewhere!
4 – Only plus point for me was watching RvP and Gervais linking up – there was glimpses of what is to come. If Wenger had the balls then he would play Arshavin in the Cesc role and Gervais and Theo on the wings. Trust me defenders would struggle against that quartet. I remember one RvP chance which came about through Gervais going central and RvP drifting out to the left – it split the CBs allowing for RvP to get the space. We need more of that.
5 – Last thing (I promise) in a game where we were struggling to get out of our own half as we were pinned back by wave after wave of attacks why didn’t we have a plan B? Now I haven’t spent half a second never mind a day in top flight football but surely we could brought on Park and Chamakh to act as focal points?
Sags-Per-Kos-Gibbs
–Song—Arteta–
-RvP——Gervais
Park–Chamakh???
They could have helped us to use the long ball to relieve the pressure on our backline as well as by passing a congested midfield? RvP or Gervais could pick up the loose balls.
Anyway i’m not paid 6.5mill per annum so what do I know hey?”
——————————
fair or not then??
Have to agree with this. I don’t know what every one else was watching but the match I saw was one where simple balls over the top were splitting our central defenders with consummate ease. Luckily the Germans didn’t have their shooting boots on.
All the talk about Gotze/Hazard etc. for January is just that, TALK!
No one wants to join a club that can’t compete for it’s own domestic title. I know that other clubs have greatly inflated the wages to ridiculous levels, but these are the market rate. If we are unwilling to break our clubs wage structure then you can forget about “super quality”.
Arteta, took a wage cut to come here, thats how far off we are too the Manchester clubs/ Chelsea etc and that’s Arteta, FFS!!!!!
Really, is that you or has someone nicked you i.d
Don’t think I’ve ever read a post from and managed to get to the end before. Congrats on that post, whilst still incredibly negative, some of it made sense, to the point I almost found myself agreeing with some of the argument. May be hope for this lad after all
@ gibbs was solid against dortmund. I have faith in him, I would like to see how good santos is but perhaps the carling cup would be a better start for him.
the other way round to be honest mate…gibbs has been bombarded with too many bad memories – they can either make or break a player…in gibbs case seems to be breaking him slowly
dortmund match he was solid but a bit clueless…didn’t know if he was coming or going ..so he just made about 20-30 passes diagonally back to PER or Sczeney
guess we have to have faith in him – but the degression of ashley cole…to gael clichy…troare at one point…now gibbs – hmmm
Exactly. I like Gibbs and it really hurts to see him flounder. This is the problem with a squad of boys and no senior players. He has no one to look up to. NO one to mentor him, encourage him, and help his confidence. Instead, as we can see, he will get steadily worse as he loses confidence completely.
Remember AKB’s, there is NO trophy for 4th place!!!
and 4th place Does NOT guarantee Champions League Football!
Wenger’s arrogance with his “project yoof” has reduced this once INVINCIBLE TEAM to this level.
There were times when teams like United would be quietly shitting it when we went up to Old Trafford. Christ, how times have changed………………
There were times when teams like United would be quietly shitting it when we went up to Old Trafford. Christ, how times have changed………………
————————
sssshhh …keep it down – you’ll piss off the AKB’s
ay you read the “sport” magazine – cesc’s interview
even he explains how he KNOWS arsenal are not gonna challenge for anything – and that he’d stop developing as a player (instead he might of been getting worst)
cesc mate…it’s like he saying he’s jumped a sinking ship – like nasri lol
Got too agree. I love Arsenal too, and it hurts to slag the Gaffer and single out individuals but it has to be done. If we ever want to compete for the Title (forget Champions League) then we need to be honest with where exactly this team is NOW!
We are a WEAKER team than before. The loss of Cesc and Nasri is huge. If only these signings had been made a season ago then things might not be so bleak now.
I do believe Wenger has a lot to answer for (he’s on 6 million a year but we couldn’t find the money for good quality signings – Cahill etc.) BUT at the same time I have to wonder what the hell the Board are up to. Chasing after a Spanish hat shop in Spain is ludicrously bad PR.
What the hell is our FAMOUS SCOUTING network up to? Where is the quality? They seem to be asleep or dropped the ball big time.
The only hope is to still be in the Title race and Champions League in Jan, break the wage structure, offload the rest of the deadwood and buy “Super Quality”.
Failure to finish in the TOP 4 this year will be the start of a free fall that will take YEARS if ever to recover from (AKA LIVERPOOL).
Am going to open another one here;
Everyone gives Squillaci heaps of stick.
I think it was Tim Stillman (over @ Arseblog) who pointed out that The Squill is actually more of a kind of Koscielny-player, meaning he is deployed in the wrong position while playing along with Kos.
We’ve seen Vermaelen and even Djourou launch attacks down the pitch and loved it. But there’s a need for a ‘mopper’ (Tim’s word) to clean up, and as Squillaci has been deployed as more of an aggressive player, he simply has been in an unnatural environment.
Not saying he should start every game, but he must be partnered right. But maybe that all has changed now, with the new zonal-thingy and all.
Just saying Squillaci still has a lot to offer and doesn’t need the stick he’s getting…
I think also he lost something during his second (last) season at Sevilla, when he suffered several ankle injuries. I remember during the 2008-09 year, he was absolutely phenomenal, starting almost every game as Sevilla finished in 3rd place conceding only 39 goals (the 2nd best figure in La Liga, behind only Barcelona, who won the league).
I think that’s the Squillaci that Wenger thought of when we signed him, and you can still see what was so attractive about him – for all of his faults, he plays with absolutely no fear and has a strong mentality. I wonder if he just lost some pace and jumping ability from those injuries (he’s not the youngest guy either obviously), and that’s contributing to the bad performances we’ve seen from him so far…
I think Kos is quality, the game against Dortmund i thought was quite good. It was the most solid our defence has looked in a while, constantly fending off waves of attacks.
Wenger has no balls, he’s a weak man, you can see that just by looking at him, the difference between now and 7-10 years ago is that he had players with experience and motivation, now he has players with no experience and no motivation and he has no fing clue how to put that in them except to keep playing them nonstop for year after year of trophlisness until they either breakdown or leave, or both.
EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wenger’s worst quality is that he refuses to give players the hair dryer treatment.
Rumours are that when things are going really badly, he justs sits the dressing room in absolute silence. Of course this is just a rumour, I can’t confirm this but I suspect that this is quite close to the truth.
Screaming and shouting is not a substitute for good tactical advice, but sometimes it needs to be done (especially when the squad is made up of boys of millionaire wages).
Wenger’s second blindness is that he never changes his tactics to his opponents, relying on the, “we’re the Arsenal, we play like this, and we don’t change for no one”. Well I’m afraid this doesn’t work and he’s being paid enough fucking money so should be able to come up with a PLAN B and PLAN C.
Finally, Wenger’s blindness to Defence “training” is astonishing. It’s true to some extent that keeping possession is a good Defensive tactic, BUT IT IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR KNOWING HOW TO DEFEND A FUCKING CORNER/FREEKICK! Again Wenger is being paid enough money so no sympathy for not rectifying our defensive frailties.
last point is so so true mate!
went to the members day…even spoke to keown and parlour (right manager’s pets now)
and the training, i know its jus a snippint of what they actually do but you could tell they just have it easy…atacking training this…5-a-side match that…
defending does not exist as far as i’m concerned…we don’t know how to properly – and once upon a time vermaelen knew how to defend…not anymore – mertesackher next!
“went to the members day…even spoke to keown and parlour (right manager’s pets now)”
This is a huge problem. Wenger seems to convert sane men into simple “yes men” whose only contribution seems to be to rubber stamp everything he does.
The post match interview with Pat Rice on Tuesday was really telling. This was his big chance as Arsenal No.2 to do things differently. However he came across as so meek and subservient to an absent Wenger it was cringy.
If I had been Arsenal no.2 for all these years I would relish every opportunity to manage the first team “my way” with the benefit of all those years of knowledge.
We are looking at complete power in the hands of one man. No manager should ever be more powerful than his employers or beyond their criticism. At Arsenal the money men bow down to the football man and now that the football man has lost the plot the whole thing is unravelling before our eyes.
Arsene Wenger is not that man anymore i’m afraid. Tony Adams recently even said he used to laugh at Wenger’s attempts to motivate the team. You can understand what he meant but, frankly, the joke isn’t funny anymore
Your comment adds further wait to my previous post about Wenger’s inability to motivate players when we’re under the kosh!
Good article….thought provoking, there’s plenty to be positive about.
mmmhmmm yh mmmhmmm sure sure (poor guy)
For me, the right man to change the ethos of Arsenal Football Club is David Moyes – a manager with a track record of identifying quality players and motivating those players to achieve feats far beyond the resources and budget Everton have at their disposal. A man who will scream at players, will speak the honest truth and will ensure that any man who pulls on the Arsenal shirt will give 90 mins of unadulterated blood, sweat and tears.
-but here we go with the AKB’s bashing me for drawing moyesy out the bag…
soon tho…soon it’ll reacha stage where AKB’s will have been converted and be so desperate they’ll stoop lower than david moyes!
Just wanted to say in the aftermath of Van Persie’s meekly cuffed penalty, the United players ran to De Gea and lauded and embraced him for what was frankly an easy save. Van Persie meanwhile – the new Arsenal captain – was left to scream in anguish while his Arsenal team simply turned their backs in resignation. Not a consolation or gee up in sight. Individuals, not a team.
sad
After every most teams..like United, Chelski..whether its a win or lose, the players are told, even forced, to go and applaud their fans. That Man U match the Arsenal players – Tomas Rosicky chief amongst them – ran off as soon as the final whistle went – not a shred of respect for the Arsenal fans who pay their wages and had travelled up to see their team get mauled. Wenger has never taught his players to respect the fans – this is a major flaw.
again sad
What about Rosicky though!!!! The way he just walked off after United’s free kick was astonishing. I’ve NEVER seen a player just walk off like that, not even to turn around to see what happened. He’s supposed to be one of the “experienced heads” in the team but he just looked like he couldn’t be bothered!!!!
I still can’t believe it happened, I’ve even saved the replay somewhere and watch it every now and again to remind myself that it actually happened.
AWWW….don’t torture yourself over that – the team isn’t they’ve decided to “forget” about the match – never mind learn a thing or two from it – but thats the modern arsenal all over…be ignorant bury heads in sand almost – when the tough gets going..
but when it’s all rosey – wenger is a genius..can wag his finger at non-believers – well not too many days like that happening and they’ll be less n less n less days of glory it seems
You know Football is about camaraderie, confidence, team spirit and psychological toughness. The “unbelievable mental strength” so often quoted by Wenger is a myth.
Is this post a wind up?
Laurent Koscielny is a strange footballer because he manages to look extremely competent whilst also being at the heart of a defence that is occasionally in disarray.
More like most of the time he manages to look in extreme disarray, at the heart of a defence that is ‘more’ than occasionally in disarray. The guy is dross to average at best.
Of course, if you want to include the Newcastle and to some extent the Swansea game, then the defence looked ok. But this is the kind of opposition that the AKB’s judge ourselves against these days. But put us up against any half decent team and we are all over the place.
And to suggest he is only shit when he plays with Squillaci or Djourou is insulting to those 2 clowns too. Squillaci and Djourou are shit, but to blame them for Koscielny’s shortcomings is pushing it.
Keep him out the way of the first team, and he can play Carling Cup with Djourou.
And Wenger believes he will be a great player? Think I’ve heard that somewhere before with players like Denilson and Bendtner. How many years did it take for the penny to drop with these?
Ah the voice of sanity. Be easy on the AKB’s mate, they just don’t know any better!
But I don’t blame them, better to be ignorant and deluded that face the reality that we are fast becoming/become a second tier team, right?
Tune in for tomorrow’s instalment – “Chamack looks assured in front of goal”
kos is not 3rd choice he will start more games than pers or verm his stats are first class he is a man marker who will not give his man an inch he also runs with the ball and psses like a midfielder if you watch he is the link to midfield see what odds you can get for most starts you heard it here first
Good article GS. I thought the team put in a good defensive performance. How many times has the team been criticized of giving away easy goals and the goal that one the game was a wonder goal. Good point away from home at a tough place. Credit to the team, hope they can build on it at blackburn. Come on you gooners!!!
Our defence is, “Occasionally in disarray?” You mean ALWAYS in disarray!
Dude… come on… the weakest link is Johan Dickhead Dju-fuckit-up-Rou-Rouh!!! Koscielny is really good and with time will hopefully be great.
He has made his mistakes, but unlike the Dick-Djorhou he is consistant and seams to learn. Dick-Djuju has learnt jack-ju-shit.
He makes the same mistakes over and over. Allows the ball to always bounce a gazzillion times befor he deals with it, usually caught out not marking his man thinking he can intercept every ball because with quif like that, who wouldn’t.
After Carling cup and Newcastly game, Kos hasn’t repeated any of those mistakes. And the Newcastle game, ok one penalty he gave away.. but the ref was also smoking someone’s cheesy gangrene infested foreskin because some of those calls were just vile and foul.
You can’t blame ref’s generally though, clearly their gene’s were harvested from the bottom of the gutter,left over turd swipe, like most football supporters. Sadly though, ref’s get paid to ref and with every breathe they take, we are stuck with their shit flying through whistle hole
Koscielny is a great CB. It is very good for Arsenal to have three great central defenders now: Vermaelen, Mertesacker and Koscielny. The last two will certainly prove themselves in the near future, if someone still doubts them. And a guy like Djourou as a 4th option isn´t bad.
U guyz are cock suckers!
kos is a solid defender. Unfortunately squillaci and djourou are useless and let him down when they play together.They need to be sold. Lets hope Mertesacker makes the grade.
We’ve got a number of competent/talented defenders. The problem is that they’re not organised to make full use of their talents.
Koscielny is an interesting footballer. I’d like to see what he can do in the heart of a proper defence.
Good alliterative heading, GS.
I’d also have gone for “Kurious Koscielny’s Krisp Krunching Kombative Ktackles”.
Maybe: Kurious Kase of Kaptain Koscielny
Personally I think that Kos is a great defender. Besides that he’s quick and reads the game well he is very mobile defender. I think that Vermalean-Kos is a terrific pair. I see it as our main pair. Per will come as 3rd choice. Per-TV can”t be our first choice pair because Per lacks pace. He’s solid, composed but against teams with quick and technical wingers/strikers he will suffer (the likes of rooney, young, mata, Nani,…). But against mid-table teams putting Per -Kos/TV is enough because having a very quick and mobile partner around him will ensure the cover and will do the job. That’s how I see things. Who agrees ?
I agree with you about Kos, but I don’t see why you have to rule out Mertesacker just because of his pace. Was Hyypia ever a speed merchant? What about Adams and Ferdinand during the later stages of their career? You can make up for slowness with a quick reaction time and solid positioning. To give an example from Arsenal’s past, Toure never had the best defensive positioning – but he had great pace and reactions. You can make up for a glaring weakness with other parts of your game.
Being a former AKB myself and being an owner of perhaps the rosiest pair of tinted glasses on the planet I can understand the urge to see the best in AW and is squad. I can understand that true fans will always possess the belief that we can win something significant this year. The belief that we will topple the big spenders in a David versus Goliath-esque duel. Fair enough.
After all that is what being a fan is right? Surely if you don’t have those beliefs then you should fuck off and support xyz team?
As sentimental as all the above is why call a spade anything other than a spade? Koscienly is shit. He isn’t curious. He isn’t special. He isn’t quality and he isn’t potential. I will never shoot down a fellow gooner for daring to dream as every fan has his or her right to do so but to give piss poor players like Koscienly this kind of adulteration is unacceptable. The guys positional sense is non existent. He runs around like a headless chicken and gets bullied of the ball by ballers like Odemwingie (lol). The guy will not put his body on the line for the cause and mark my words, as soon as he becomes semi-competent he’ll fuck to anyone who wants him and will pay a fiver more.
Vermalen is quality. Lays it all on the line and gets a buzz from defending. Sagna is a warrior and has a hell of pair of lungs on him. Bar these two the rest are either squad players at best or piss poor. Nothing more and nothing less.
Let’s call Koscienly a koscienly and not call I’m anything else please.
Who let the dogs out on this platform?
Spot on GP
I think the loyalty of some fans to the club is blinkering their judgement of players.
I’ve been there myself. Watching the likes of Denilson, Bendtner, Senderos and Diaby years ago, and thinking I can’t see what all the hype is about these players. But I kept hearing Wenger sing their praises, and fans on forums were talking them up.
So you start to doubt what you’re seeing with your own eyes as everyone seemed to rate them and the potential they have.
And it looks like we’re going down the same path with Koscielny. Reading on here you’d think we had Vidic in the team. And I can’t see the evidence that suggests he’s going to be this top class defender.
Koscielny will go down in the memory with the likes of Cygan and Senderos.
Senderos was always better then Djouro. Hes certainly better then Squid & Kos IMO ofcos. Ebuoe better than Jeckinson, prbbly betta then Sagna(whos way overr8d) if he played continuesly. Wenger losing it?? yep thats rite.
Great assist from Song and a lovely finsih from Gervinho. So glad he’s off the mark in the premiership
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