The situation for Aaron Ramsey was a little different to that of the young French midfielder Francis Coquelin, who seems to be one of the major talking points of the day after his fantastic performance in central midfield away to Man City, but there are certainly some similarities.
The Welshman’s Arsenal future also looked to be heading down the toilet as he struggled to recover his form after the horrendous double leg break inflicted by the Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross. It was almost three years and two loan moves later, at the end of the 2012-13 season when Ramsey finally started to really find his form again and silence his many critics.
Arsene Wenger had shown faith in him, just as he did by keeping Coquelin at the club when many expected him to be released and that must have required even more faith from the boss, because unlike Ramsey he had not already shown his ability on the big stage as the Welshman had.
But their situations are somewhat alike and so Ramsey is more qualified than anyone to know that a player can suddenly click and, as a report on the Arsenal website explains, he is backing Coquelin to continue his recent renaissance and become a top class midfielder for the Gunners.
Rambo said, “He has done well. 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.”
If he does, then is is fantastic news for the Gunners, especially as he is only 23-years old and Ramsey is just six months older, meaning Arsenal could have the two in the heart of our midfield for the next decade, growing and thriving together.
Can Coquelin really do a Ramsey for Arsenal?
His biggest change has been his physique, if he continues to bulk up and watch tapes of Patrick viera i can see him turning into a quality DM for a decade. All we need now is a CB and i believe AW will deliver this transfer window.
While your right about him bulking up, I would hope he watches vids of Gilberto rather than Vieira, last thing we want is our holding CM to make bursting runs into the oppositions box 🙂
Vieira was afterall a B2B CM, I don’t know why so many supposing articles around on the web call him a holding CM, Vieira was a master at turning defensive movements into brilliant counter attacking moments while also providing a physical presence in a CM which had attacking players willing to help press higher up leaving Gilberto behind to cover the def incase they didn’t win it back instantly.
Theory no. 5:
Cazorla’s best position is not as CAM, It is box to box. He might not have a physique to match this claim, but he has two footed-ness and dribbling ability to come out of the tight areas. And I was not sure about his defensive duties but after seeing the man-city match I am sure he can be deployed there as our biggest strength. Coquelin can cover for him and Other defenders as a defensive midfielder. His worst position is on the wings. So if we have a hard working wingers who like to do defensive duties i.e. Sanchez and Walcott/ Welbeck, we have the best formation.
That should be 4-1-2-3.
Best XI:
—————Ospina————
Bellerin–KOS–BFG–Monreal
————-Coquelin———–
——-Cazorla—-Ozil———-
Walcott—Giroud—Sanchez
This has to be the formation as Cazorla is becoming better in defensive department.
Do you think that part of the reason why Cazorla has improved so much on his defensive work is because he hates being put out wide?
I do believe that his defencive workrate dropped after the initial ‘honeymoon period’ with us and that was why Wenger put him out wide, told him to work on helping the fullback defend and when he has improved he will be moved back into the middle…
He got moved back into the middle after he started to defend better…
Ozil was put out wide for a reason and could that be the same reason that Cazorla got put out wide?
Lets hope that Ozil gets that fighting spirit as well, it would be impressive if he doesn’t though with the never stopping Alexis on our team ^.^
See, You are missing a point here. Only the part that he can defend better doesn’t decide that he should be a midfielder. Sanchez can tackle well and has lot of energy but he plays out wide and should never be in as a CM. Cazorla retains possession so immaculately that he doesn’t need to get into physical battles. That’s the only reason he can be deployed as a CM. See pirlo, Xavi, iniesta aren’t a great tacklers but the ability to keep the possession is what makes them world class. Cazorla can be our own Xavi, if not better. He can also join the attack and defend. We should give this formation a try against Villa which will give us better idea. I am sure it will work.
A bit of sense at last ….. On topic people need to look up the word “renaissance”
this whole season he has upped his defensive game! vs. city was just the best one.
maybe he can play with ozil ahead of him? ozil wants to contribute more defensively. if caz plays like that and ozil does what he promised, this will be an awesome midfield.
wonder how much wenger is egging cazorla on to defend better.
Hahaha…maybe thats what he has done….watched some Patrick Vieira tapes 😆
Le coq has stepped up and has truly been impressive for arsenal so far! Much respect to him!
Call me a cynic but…….
I actually find this kind of talk empty and useless. After Coq’s recent great performances what would his teammates say other than they think he will continue to do well. What else are they supposed to say? That he will now start to struggle?? Seriously? This is just filling space and time with nothingness.
Yes I really liked the combination of Ramsey and Coqulan just ahead of the back 4.
Ramsey though was rusty in final third against city but was very vital. Having both of them will allow the frommen to flourish. I am sure Ramsey will find his attacking touch very soon.Coq was superb and just put Silava our of the game, he was also fanatstic in air and did not allow city to pass to Aguero
I am ok with the idea of waiting for Schnideraline in the summer as I think Le Coq will do the job for rest of the season
Once we have played the spurs away, we will only left with one tough away match against Man United towards the end.
Tough home match will be gainst Chelsea, so I assume rest all are winnable matches even with this squad.
Getting some other DM will block Schnideraline summer move.
Now Weistan reid has made it clear that he wants Arsenal move in Jan, West Ham wants 8 mil while arsenal offred 4mil,
So i dont think Wenger should think much for 3 to 4 mill. He will be a tremendous back up.
Also we must not loan cambell out as we need three CFs at least.
Interesting post ^.^
Ramsey could of been a bit better in the final 3rd but I was impressed with his desire to get back and defend again, I think he had lost that and that was a big reason in his drop in performances this season.
Last season Ramsey was doing fantastic and it was nice to see how he was getting back to help Arteta defend and then get forward to provide support for the attack, while this season he was letting others defend…. that was up till the City game which he seemed like a nearly match fit Ramsey from the beginning of last season.
If Ramsey can continue to help defend as well as he has shown he can then Coq will have that cover to help him grow and I do think the combo of Arteta/Flamini experience/training with will make Coq a more complete holding CM than either Arteta or Flamini. He defenatly had a bit of Flamini in him when I seen him yelling at his teammates to help him defend ^.^
If Coq performs till the end of season equally well then I do think we need to question the need for Schneiderlin who is only 2 years older and could hinder Coq continued development, we do have Bielik who Wenger will be putting into the 1st team and again we will be wanting to see him develop into the potential we are told he has which is going to require game time. Thats 2 holding CM.
Defencivly Coq has performed better than Schneiderlin, more tackles per 90 mins and less fouls given, more headers and winning a higher %… so yeah, we could have a valid argument that Coq is the better holding CM so far this season then the £25+ million man Schniderlin 😛
Agreed nice to hear positive remarks about Le Coqu. And all this talk about Schnidelin as if he is the answer Wait till summer by then Coquelin if he keeps it up will be in the French squad and then a world class player CB
So according to you a player can go from Charlton, to half a season playing well at Arsenal, to world class by the summer. No wonder you continually talk nonsense in response to things I comment….look at the state of your logic and understanding.
I’m waiting for “By next Jan Coquelin will be on the Ballon D’or list”…
it’s Wenger who couldn’t see the skills in him n that’s why he was in Charlton on loan. not that he wasn’t good 🙁
#Wenger is the blind foe
Haywill – you logged into a wrong account, you dumbass! 😆 😆 😆
Well judging by the thumbs and your thumbs down its you who is the idiot what is so wrong that if he plays the way he is going he will have a great chance for selection for France You seem so negative in your posts you have to be a Spurs idiot CB
Yea we’ll see that’s your issue, I don’t rule my thinking based on being thumbed up or down. Because most fans on here, you included, eb and flow in accordance to how the team/players are performing.
In two decades I’ve learned not to be so knee jerk and definitive about football. When flamini signed i said he wasn’t good enough and it was a cheap, almost disparaging, way of treating the DM position.
He ran around vs Spurs pointing and shouting and because the need at the time was for leadership, people like you jumped up and down and claimed he was awesome. I got a handful of green arrows and a shed load of red for that comment but what do you know…… Turns out he is garbage. Perspective moron, and don’t dare call me a spurs fan you little prick, I’ve been an Arsenal season ticket holder for 11 years.
I don’t seek gratification in greens thumbs. My thoughts are constant while the majority on here WB and flow depending on the teams form or whether certain players are playing well.
I said Flamini was garbage after the spurs re-debut and his performance was not the standard. Got a few green thumbs and a mountain of red……turns out he was garbage, but one good performance made him invincible to morons like you.
Same with coquelin, although he’s miles better than flamini and has actual room for growth. Never have I said coquelin isn’t good or hasn’t played well…..I’ve only ever said we need someone of proven top quality still, and that’s true. You think coquelin will be “world class’ and in the French team come the end of the season. To say you’re a sensationalist is putting it lightly.
I’ll stick to my convictions, I’ve seen enough football to know not to go with knee jerk idiots such as yourself. Come the end of the season we’ll buy an established DM, and that will serve as proof of who understands the situation better.
And I’ve been a season ticket holder for 11 years you moron, don’t call me a spurs fan.
I said I hope Coquelin has a good game against City and shoves your negative comments up your Arse he did that and not me but 99 percent said of arsenal fans agreed as for watching football to be an expert no wonder you can’t see a good player Ya have to play the game to have any idea of quality if I’m a sensationalist then great I had faith in him ,and what’s wrong with playing for Charlton to get experience Ya don’t get it sitting on the bench again you know shit about how clubs use there players Enough of this back an forth crap I will wait till the end of season to see who was right about him CB
I’ve never been negative about coquelin so stop talking out your arse. As i’ve said a hundred times i’ve only ever insisted HE IS NOT ENOUGH.
look, you’re a complete joke and it’s obvious given your statement that coq will be world class by the summer. Pure fantasy. As far as playing the game, you have no idea what my background is you jumped up little tw@t so stick to the content of the article rather than continually talking sh1t and making assumptions that i’m a spurs fan or some armchair expert etc.
I already said we shall see come the summer. I guarantee you’ll be proven a moron, but that won’t change matters because people like you always find a way of continuing their nonsense.
Ramey’s confidence was 10/10 and he attempted a lot Zidane skills.. I don’t care about his form (that will get better with time), all that matters is that he believes he’s the best again which is what we’re seeing 😀
Go Coquelin go.All we need is a new manager!
Coquelin reminds me of Matuidi. Not the strongest, not the tallest. But does all the little things well. Wenger clearly favors Arteta and his passing which is why Coquelin was loaned out. But I hope now he understands what a DM in the EPL really is. Being physical, tactics, positioning, reactions, and speed. Hate to say it but Arteta and Flamini injuries might just have been the best thing to happened to AFC in a LONG time.
Makelele was the tallest strongest fastest and one of the best DM
Well said Dilla hope Charlie reads your post couldn’t have put it better and all the thumbs up Ya can’t be wrong CB
I am sure there was a point to your babble also, but I only speak English and German.
We all should have seen the win coming from this obvious good omen – Wenger reportedly had no trouble zipping up his coat.
well we are lucky to win…
City has 2 players unfit and another 2-3 players out injured……
come next big game fans will be shouting Wenger out and Coquelin not good enough…..etc
you a really f*cking annoying with your b*llshit remarks.
We lose, it’s spend, spend, spend on whoever happens to pop into your mind at the time, it’s “our squad is not good enough, we a re mid-table team, look at Chelsea/Man City/Man Utd and their massive depth.” Then when we win it’s bloody excuses for why the opponent lost, Man City was missing key players (we have missed 7 of our starting 11 for 5 weeks+ this season, Chelsea have the best injury record in the PL), or predicting the “future” about how shit we will play next week, or simply trying to pit everyone against each other by mentioning AKB AOB b*llshit and this or that player will lose form.
You are no Arsenal fan, you should be banned.
and you are a liar and exaggerate the circumstances in favour of the opponent. Man City had two out injured and one “unfit”, we have 5 out injured and 2-3 “unfit” players and this is our best injury period so far. I haven’t seen you mention how Chelsea has the best injury record in the PL or how Southampton have only just lost more than two starters in their lineup this season but when we have 10 injuries we apparently have no excuse for not winning every match.
@Tidan2 The house of Rahman likes to troll. He loves to see you flip 😆 😆 😆
Say good bye to No. 10
jeez have you not seen his heading duels stats amongst the highest at arsenal.