Koscielny

Defender Laurent Koscielny is confident he and fellow centre-back Per Mertesacker can help shackle former team-mate Robin van Persie to continue Arsenal's “story” against Barclays Premier League champions-elect Manchester United next weekend.

Mertesacker's header at the end of the first half proved enough to secure a 1-0 win at Fulham - where both sides finished with 10 men after Gunners' striker Olivier Giroud saw red in the closing moments.

It was a ninth win in 12 league games for the Gunners, who are in third place, a point ahead of Chelsea and two clear of Tottenham although both have played a match less.

That record, though, will be severely tested next weekend, when United head to the Emirates Stadium looking to close in on the title, spearheaded by the goals of Arsenal's former talisman.

Koscielny said: "I hope we can keep Robin quiet. He is a good player.

"I enjoyed my time playing with him, but I hope we keep the story with us."

The France defender said: "It will be a hard game for the whole team, but we are at home and we will try to get the three points.

"It will be a good game against a big team and I think they have won the title (already)."

Koscielny, 27, has formed a good understanding alongside Mertesacker, whose close-ranger header just before half-time proved enough for victory over a battling Fulham side. So much so that it has kept captain ThomasVermaelen on the bench.

France international Koscielny believes the 6ft 7in German provides a steady influence at the heart of the Arsenal rearguard.

He said: "We play well together as a pair. We communicate on the pitch well.

"His experience is vital and it helps us work together on the pitch, so we try and talk to each other a lot and it is important at the back to have an understanding."

Koscielny added: "Per is a very good player. He reads the ball well. He is clever, attacks the ball and wins headers whereas I can go behind and be quick and cope with the long balls.

"He is good technically so he is good for the defence. Per is calm on the pitch.

"He is good for me, he uses his experience, this helps me, and he helps the team."

Wenger has been impressed by Vermaelen's response since being benched.

"Thomas is one of the best defenders in England, like the two others," the Arsenal boss said.

"I told them at the start of the season we have three outstanding central defenders.

"It is about game by game that I make a decision, and it is about partnership as well."

Wenger added: "Vermaelen has been a substitute for quite a few games and he still plays a big part in the game. I don't see him as a substitute at all.

"Koscielny was a long, long time during the season in that position and that can change very quickly."

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/laurent-koscielny-confident-per-mertesacker-can-help-shackle-robin-van-persie-on-return-to-arsenal-8582419.html

http://news.arseblog.com/2013/06/video-laurent-koscielny-season-2012-13/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
What a boss

Arsenal legend Tony Adams says Laurent Koscielny reminds him of Martin Keown.

Adams and Keown formed a fearsome centre-back partnership at the turn of the century, helping Arsène Wenger's side win the Double in 1998 and 2002.

More than a decade on Koscielny has been earning rave reviews for his performances at the heart of Wenger's back four. Adams is an admirer of the France international and he explained why after a run-out at the World Refugee Day charity match.

"Koscielny was brilliant [at the end of last season]," Adams told Arsenal.com.

"He reminds me a lot of Martin Keown. He's very tenacious. I hate labelling people because Martin Keown was one of the best we've ever had. But there are similarities there, the way Koscielny marks and his last-ditch tackles.

"He's tenacious in the tackle. [When it came to] that tight, one-to-one defending, there wasn't a better player that I've played with, [than Keown]. To put Koscielny in the same category [to Keown] is an enormous compliment I think."

Adams also praised Mertesacker, whose relationship with Koscielny was vital to Arsenal's strong end-of-season form.

"I think he's a really nice boy and, in a few games at the end of the season, he started to push people around and say 'come on!'" said Adams. "I think he came out of himself a bit more. He's a fantastic player.

"I thought Arsenal were first class defensively. But you defend as a team. That's what the philosophy of Arsenal always has been - attack as a team and defend as a team. The [attacking players] need to put a shift in as well.

"We looked better when we've had two in front of the centre halves. Later on in the season, with Ramsey and Arteta, I think it looked much better."

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/-koscielny-reminds-me-of-martin-keown-?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arsenal-news+%28News+Feed%29

Koscielny doesn’t score very often but when he does they’re important.

Despite being one half of arguably the best defensive partnership in the Premier League, Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny has a bizarre goal-scoring record.

Not that the centre-back finds the net often – with the 28-year-old having scored 10 times in his entire Gunners career – but when the Frenchman does, they’re generally important.

In the past two seasons goals from Koscielny have clinched the north London club’s place in the Champions League places and this time around the defender wants to go one better.

“I took the bet on that I’ll score the goal that will make us champions because for the last two seasons I’ve got the goals that have got us into the Champions League,” the France international told the Sun.

“In 2012 I scored the winner in our final game at West Brom and last year I scored the only goal at Newcacstle.

“Both times those goals clinched our place in the top four so hopefully I can score an even more important one this year in our last game at Norwich.”

Alongside defensive partner Per Mertesacker the duo have become a formidable force at the back for Arsene Wenger’s team and the side haven’t lost their last 30 matches with the pair both playing.

The 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday was the 10th clean-sheet the club have kept this season with the two in defence and restored Wenger’s men at the top of the table.

An extremely hard run in is coming up for Arsenal however, with games against Liverpool (twice), Manchester United and Bayern Munich coming up in February, so Koscielny and Mertesacker will need to stay sharp.

http://www.fanatix.com/news/arsenal-star-wants-to-keep-up-impressive-scoring-record-to-clinch-the-premier-league-title/181162/

A slight clusterfuck to the weekends results......


Gutted we have let slip 3 very important points....but on a slight bit of better news I am hearing Ramsey is close to fitness