Per Mertesacker

He's to be offered a new contract.

As much as we all love him, there seems to always be a lingering doubt amongst Arsenal fans about whether he is truly good enough to be in a CB pairing of a premiership winning side.

If you had the choice, would you sign a CB who could knock him out of our Best XI?

Mats Hummels or nobody else.

I'm a firm believer that the most important quality needed in title winning CB partnerships is a good chemistry between the two defenders. Per for me is one of those CBs who can team up with almost any CB in the world and form a good partnership with him. And let's not forget Sagna. Understands his defensive duties well, and with age catching up, think we'll see him playing centrally more than at RB. Hence, I think we need to sign a good RB rather than a CB.

I think Per is underrated. He isn't quick or elegant but his reading of the game is excellent, he looks more confident now and it shows as he is more vocal, he organises, gets the odd goal etc when he arrived people thought we'd see a Kos/Verm partnership but now Per is the always-present one and it is Kos or Verm who plays alongside him.

I've noticed more and more when we play games where Per is absent we looked terrible defensively. Terrible may be harsh but we aren't as good. I am glad Wenger played him against West Brom as I think we'd have lost otherwise. I'm glad he is being offered a contract.

I'm with you Subrat and Mike.

I also think he is underrated.

I bet he hated that goal against Swansea on Saturday. He read the flick, got a foot to it, but ended up going into Bailey and into goal.

That said, Per was playing that day against Spurs last season. So Kos has also been key in improving our defence. Although I do have faith that TV can grow and improve.

Out of the German center backs, I think he is the best and that speaks volumes. I've seen Hummels making too many silly mistakes. Of course I'd like us to get someone better than him because that will mean we will have an even better centre back, but I think right now, him and Koscielny is a center back pairing for a title winning squad. Both against Swansea, and Marseille, our defense won us the games, we weren't at our brilliant best in terms of attack and that is normal because they both were tough away games, but we were always in control, never under enormous danger due to our defense, and our attack could and did build on that and score goals.

Arsenal: Per Mertesacker and Tomas Rosicky sign new deals

Arsenal centre-back Per Mertesacker and midfielder Tomas Rosicky have signed new contracts with the club.
Mertesacker, 29, joined the Gunners from Werder Bremen in August 2011 and has played in 39 of the Premier League side's 42 games so far this season.

Rosicky, 33, joined from Borussia Dortmund in 2006 and would have been out of contract in the summer.
"They are players of exceptional quality and experience," Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger told the club's website.
"They have consistently proven themselves at the highest level.
"There is a great feeling of togetherness and belief in the group and this news will only help to strengthen this further."

Arsenal, who have not won a trophy since 2005, are currently third in the Premier League and host Everton in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Saturday.
They trail Bayern Munich 2-0 following the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
"I'm really looking forward to having more years coming up with this fantastic club," said Germany international Mertesacker, who has captained the Gunners 16 times this season.
"It took me a while to realise I can be a main part of this squad. Now I want to show that. We need to get everyone ready at this club and get the best out of everyone."
Czech Republic international Rosicky said he signed a new deal because "one big factor is that I want to win the league with Arsenal".
He added: "It's my big goal and I will do everything I can to achieve it."

Good news for both. Both are very likeable players.

Watch as arsenal players get back at twitter twats.....


http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-stars-per-mertesacker-lukas-podolski-and-mikel-arteta-respond-to-twitter-trolls-9334670.html

Its funny as!!!!

Couldn't be bothered to find my Koscielny thread so I'm going to put I there. He signed a new deal till 2019. Awesome!