Not so long ago I had written an article on how Coquelin had picked up his form and hence had risen from the fallen. He was considered deadwood by most fans and now is a player that just cannot be dropped. Even Arsene had some nice words to speak about Francis.
WHAT THE PLAYERS HAD TO SAY..
Ramsey believes Coquelin has played a key role since returning from a loan spell with Charlton Athletic. “He has done well,” the Wales midfielder said. “He’s at that age now where he understands the game a lot more and he has done really well in the last few weeks.
"It is funny how quickly things can change in football. One week he was on loan at Charlton and then he comes back in and he has been in the team every week. He has done a very good job defensively for the team.
“He wins it back, keeps it simple and just keeps things ticking over. Hopefully he can build on his performances that he has been showing of late and he has got every chance of turning into a top defensive midfielder.”
Koscielny “I’ve known him for a long time and knew that he has the quality to play for Arsenal,” the France defender told Arsenal Player. “Now he is ready in his head and you can see that he’s played four or five games and he’s very important because we are stronger in defence.
“He cuts out little balls in front of us and after he has the quality technically to give some good passes for players like Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil or Theo Walcott."
Oxlade Chamberlain “He's been really patient and I’m sure there’s been tough times for him since he’s been at the club,” Alex told the official matchday programme. “I know everyone here has always known what a talent he’s been, it’s just been a case of the numbers and the type of personnel that we’ve had. It can be hard.
“As a young lad, sometimes you do feel the wrong end of that and those are the times when some people need to go out on loan to find their way.
“He’s been abroad and in the Championship but he’s never lost his quality and sometimes it’s all about luck and opportunities.
“Since he’s come back, he’s taken his opportunities, he’s taken his chances to show how good he is and now I see him as a big part of our team. He is a really influential and key part to our success, especially at Manchester City.
“In recent weeks we’ve seen it but the Manchester City game really showed how important he is and how good he is. Hopefully that will continue for him because it’s good for us as well."
WHAT THE PLAYERS HAD TO SAY..
Ramsey believes Coquelin has played a key role since returning from a loan spell with Charlton Athletic. “He has done well,” the Wales midfielder said. “He’s at that age now where he understands the game a lot more and he has done really well in the last few weeks.
"It is funny how quickly things can change in football. One week he was on loan at Charlton and then he comes back in and he has been in the team every week. He has done a very good job defensively for the team.
“He wins it back, keeps it simple and just keeps things ticking over. Hopefully he can build on his performances that he has been showing of late and he has got every chance of turning into a top defensive midfielder.”
Koscielny “I’ve known him for a long time and knew that he has the quality to play for Arsenal,” the France defender told Arsenal Player. “Now he is ready in his head and you can see that he’s played four or five games and he’s very important because we are stronger in defence.
“He cuts out little balls in front of us and after he has the quality technically to give some good passes for players like Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil or Theo Walcott."
Oxlade Chamberlain “He's been really patient and I’m sure there’s been tough times for him since he’s been at the club,” Alex told the official matchday programme. “I know everyone here has always known what a talent he’s been, it’s just been a case of the numbers and the type of personnel that we’ve had. It can be hard.
“As a young lad, sometimes you do feel the wrong end of that and those are the times when some people need to go out on loan to find their way.
“He’s been abroad and in the Championship but he’s never lost his quality and sometimes it’s all about luck and opportunities.
“Since he’s come back, he’s taken his opportunities, he’s taken his chances to show how good he is and now I see him as a big part of our team. He is a really influential and key part to our success, especially at Manchester City.
“In recent weeks we’ve seen it but the Manchester City game really showed how important he is and how good he is. Hopefully that will continue for him because it’s good for us as well."
PRE and POST COQUELIN..
Well this was the time our star player Flamini was playing in the DM position. At least most of the times as Arteta would be injured.
Coquelin made his first start on 28th December against West Ham. Prior to that Arsenal had played 18 games, out of which they had won just 8. Drew 6 and lost 4, but lost against Swansea when we really should have won that match.
We lost from a winning position as we had taken the lead in that match. An image will illustrate why we needed a DM so badly.
Well this was the time our star player Flamini was playing in the DM position. At least most of the times as Arteta would be injured.
Coquelin made his first start on 28th December against West Ham. Prior to that Arsenal had played 18 games, out of which they had won just 8. Drew 6 and lost 4, but lost against Swansea when we really should have won that match.
We lost from a winning position as we had taken the lead in that match. An image will illustrate why we needed a DM so badly.
Since his return however, in the 7 games he has started we have won 5 and lost 2. A stark improvement. An example of how he has helped defensively can be seen in his heat map against Manchester City. His best performance that maybe, it just shows the need for a proper DM in the team.
He hardly ever crossed the half way line. While this was against Manchester City one could argue that against a team like Swansea we do not need an out and out DM.
But the thing is we are a team that have tend to struggle at the Liberty Stadium. Just to prove my point let us have a look at the average positions of Flamini in the Swansea game and Coq in the Man City game.
But the thing is we are a team that have tend to struggle at the Liberty Stadium. Just to prove my point let us have a look at the average positions of Flamini in the Swansea game and Coq in the Man City game.
Everyone can see Coquelin was almost playing as a 3rd CB albeit one who would push forward a wee bit. Fact is that since his return as a team we are playing better.
Before his arrival we had 4 clean sheets in 18 games and since he has returned 4 clean sheets in 7 games. Has he helped the team offensively? On his own certainly he has not. But his defensive duties have ensured Arsenal's more nimble footed and creative players have been able to get on with the things they are good at.
We conceded 20 goals in 18 games before the match against West Ham, an average of 1.11 goal per game. Since the West Ham game we have conceded 6 goals in 7 games, an average of 0.86 goals a game. Certainly the difference he has caused defensively is there for everybody to see.
Arsenal scored 30 goals in 18 games prior to his first start for the team. That is on an average 1.67 goals a game. Since his return however we have scored 19 goals in 7 games, an average of 2.71 goals a game!
Almost a goal more in every game! Well he himself does not have a single goal to his name. So what difference has me made? As told above he has helped ensure stability at the back. Hence players like Santi have been able to have a better control of the game.
Talking about Santi, let us see what could be the possible reasons for his raise in performance levels.
RISE OF SANTI..
I like most people have enjoyed watching Santi off late. He seems like a breath of fresh air and some one who just seems unstoppable. All this has led to people talking about him being our best player form wise atleast right now.
Also bizarrely this has apparently led to Alexis wanting out according to the Spanish local Mundo Deportivo. But I do not know if most people here have a memory as short term as some of my friends.
They went on about how we are ever so reliant on Santi and that should he not perform we never will be able to win and etc. I remember writing reviews during the beginning of the season and almost every game Alexis was winning us and Santi would be anonymous.
It was truly very frustrating. He was having no output whatsover. I kept hoping he would get dropped and some one like Podolski would get the chance to play ahead of him.
He had to deal with playing at times on the flank else in a deeper role, often being unable to defend. Our manager as always kept faith with him and that faith is being vindicated right now. But is just playing time the reason we are seeing a new Santi?
In 17 games that he played without Coquelin in the side he scored 3 and assisted 3. In the 7 games since he has 3 assists and 3 goals. Most certainly Coquelin is not the only reason for his rise in form.
He started to pick up form only after the WBA game in late November. He provided the assist for the all important Welbeck goal. That was a month before Coquelin started for the first time. One could argue that pretty much everything started for him from then.
Before Coquelin started playing regularly for us, Cazorla would end up playing as a DM. We were sort of playing a double pivot with Flamini and Cazorla as the DMs. Since Coquelin has returned however we are playing with 2 box-box midfielders.
Playing box-box will reduce the defensive burden massively. And so it has proved. According to whoscored.com Cazorla was the most highly rated player in a match just once in 18 games before Coquelin arrived and 3 times out of 7 since.
I hope everyone is seeing a pattern now. Ever since Cazorla has been given the license to roam forward more because of the presence of a proper DM behind he has started to express himself much better. As a result of which the creative side of his is showing.
Cazorla is not a player who can defend greatly. His strength is in his dribbling and passing. Because of the license of a free role now he has started to light up the stadiums with his performances.
Arsene called Cazorla "the master of midfield" recently. But would he have been able to say that if Coquelin hadn't returned from his loan spell? Has Coquelin stabilized the Arsenal team? I think so. What do you feel? Let me know in the comments.
Before his arrival we had 4 clean sheets in 18 games and since he has returned 4 clean sheets in 7 games. Has he helped the team offensively? On his own certainly he has not. But his defensive duties have ensured Arsenal's more nimble footed and creative players have been able to get on with the things they are good at.
We conceded 20 goals in 18 games before the match against West Ham, an average of 1.11 goal per game. Since the West Ham game we have conceded 6 goals in 7 games, an average of 0.86 goals a game. Certainly the difference he has caused defensively is there for everybody to see.
Arsenal scored 30 goals in 18 games prior to his first start for the team. That is on an average 1.67 goals a game. Since his return however we have scored 19 goals in 7 games, an average of 2.71 goals a game!
Almost a goal more in every game! Well he himself does not have a single goal to his name. So what difference has me made? As told above he has helped ensure stability at the back. Hence players like Santi have been able to have a better control of the game.
Talking about Santi, let us see what could be the possible reasons for his raise in performance levels.
RISE OF SANTI..
I like most people have enjoyed watching Santi off late. He seems like a breath of fresh air and some one who just seems unstoppable. All this has led to people talking about him being our best player form wise atleast right now.
Also bizarrely this has apparently led to Alexis wanting out according to the Spanish local Mundo Deportivo. But I do not know if most people here have a memory as short term as some of my friends.
They went on about how we are ever so reliant on Santi and that should he not perform we never will be able to win and etc. I remember writing reviews during the beginning of the season and almost every game Alexis was winning us and Santi would be anonymous.
It was truly very frustrating. He was having no output whatsover. I kept hoping he would get dropped and some one like Podolski would get the chance to play ahead of him.
He had to deal with playing at times on the flank else in a deeper role, often being unable to defend. Our manager as always kept faith with him and that faith is being vindicated right now. But is just playing time the reason we are seeing a new Santi?
In 17 games that he played without Coquelin in the side he scored 3 and assisted 3. In the 7 games since he has 3 assists and 3 goals. Most certainly Coquelin is not the only reason for his rise in form.
He started to pick up form only after the WBA game in late November. He provided the assist for the all important Welbeck goal. That was a month before Coquelin started for the first time. One could argue that pretty much everything started for him from then.
Before Coquelin started playing regularly for us, Cazorla would end up playing as a DM. We were sort of playing a double pivot with Flamini and Cazorla as the DMs. Since Coquelin has returned however we are playing with 2 box-box midfielders.
Playing box-box will reduce the defensive burden massively. And so it has proved. According to whoscored.com Cazorla was the most highly rated player in a match just once in 18 games before Coquelin arrived and 3 times out of 7 since.
I hope everyone is seeing a pattern now. Ever since Cazorla has been given the license to roam forward more because of the presence of a proper DM behind he has started to express himself much better. As a result of which the creative side of his is showing.
Cazorla is not a player who can defend greatly. His strength is in his dribbling and passing. Because of the license of a free role now he has started to light up the stadiums with his performances.
Arsene called Cazorla "the master of midfield" recently. But would he have been able to say that if Coquelin hadn't returned from his loan spell? Has Coquelin stabilized the Arsenal team? I think so. What do you feel? Let me know in the comments.