Why Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny is pivotal to the team

Laurent Koscielny, or “Bosscielny” as we gooners affectionately call him, is among the top five centre backs in all of Europe. Captain’s armband or not, he is undoubtedly one of Arsenal’s leaders and most influential players, and is pivotal to the team’s fortunes.

His excellent strength and tackling ability means he is a superb one and on defender, while his recovery pace means he can track runners and beat forward to dangerous through balls. He has a fantastic leap and aerial ability as well to cope with crosses and long balls into the box, so he has all the attributes of a top class defender.

Perhaps what separates him most though is his supreme intelligence. He reads the game superbly meaning he is always in the perfectly place to cut out the danger. It is very rare you find a player in any position that tick all the boxes.

Where other defenders maybe excel in one area over another, Koscielny really does do it all and we gooners are most thankful for it.

His presence was sorely missed for large periods last season, and the effect was clear to see. Arsenal struggled defencively without their main man and you could sense that the calming and assuring presence he brings to the team had gone.

I always maintained that he should have been given the armband ahead of Vermalean years ago, and for me his a bit underrated. He would easily walk into most XIs in world football, and deserves to be named among the likes of Kompany, (Thiago) Silva, and Hummels as far as center halves go.

He played today despite a slight injury to his back, which goes volumes toward showing just how selfless and committed he is to the side. Top stuff from Laurent as usual.