Every Arsenal fan in the world was very angry that Arsene Wenger did not invest in a young strong defensive midfielder in the summer transfer window, especially as both Mikel Arteta and Matthieu Flamini were getting a bit long in the tooth to do the job for a club with title aspirations.
But of course Wenger let us down and (surprise! surprise!) both of our over-30 DMs got injured at the same time, but we had yet another surprise waiting for us. Our long-forgotten midfielder Francis Coquelin got recalled from his loan deal at Charlton and has performed at a much higher level than any of us remembered from his previous exploits at the club.
Wenger at first admitted that it was a gamble for him to play Coquelin, but it seems that Le Prof is now gaining a bit more confidence in the 23 year-old. Wenger said on the official Arsenal website after yesterdays win over Hull: “I think he’s a satisfaction over the Christmas period. Francis has done well in all the three games he’s played over the Christmas period. He’s matured a lot and he’s very strong in the fight. I would say I have a very positive impression of his last three games.”
So now Wenger could be left with a dilemma as (at last!) the club is getting a weeks rest before facing Stoke City, and it looks like Flamini could well be ready to return to the squad for next Sunday’s game at the Emirates. Wenger said: “Mathieu Flamini could be back, Aaron Ramsey has a little chance. Nobody else. Mikel Arteta will be longer. I think Flamini should be available for selection and maybe Ramsey has a little chance to be back.”
So if both Coquelin and Flamini are available, should Wenger give the young Frenchman another chance to carry on his improvement, or bring Matthieu back to he starting line-up? Or, perhaps, as we are playing Stoke, should he play both of them in a 4-2-4 formation?
yes…
but flamini was worth every penny in his transfer fee…how much was he again
ARSENAL draws BRIGHTON and HOVE in FA cup 4th round…….. Stars of mother Luck just keeps shining BRIGHTon hOVEr us …L()L
Arsenal is one of the 1st premier League team to do business in this winter window (poldi’s inter deal) and may probably be among the last teams to bring in reinforcements and/or replacements …. Ridiculous!
How can you call something that hasn’t happened yet, or may not happen, “ridiculous”? It has only happened in your mind, nowhere else. Stick the knife in to AW however the hell you want to but getting a bit moronic to start inventing scenarios in the future and kicking him for it now.
@Jonestown1……tell me you haven’t watched this movie before
Predicted Sheff U. but Brighton
will do. Amazing how all the big
clubs got soft ties.
The only thing that flamini does better than the coq is shouting and clapping
flamini giving you the clap…somethin u will never forget
Yeah muff, as they say Le Coq is perfect in the hole. Or for the hole if you prefer.
only AKBs and their boss don’t know that…
Look a defensive mid fielder is to breakdown an attack before they get to back 4 then feed the player to get things going now Coqhele dose this very very good better than Flamini who gives free kicks by not winning the ball correctly and better than Arteta who is a very good player but tires ,so why spend millions on some one that Coqhelin is doing He is 23 has played 2 now and is up I hope to put all doubts away that he plays against Stoke who are as strong as any a midfielder will meet Judge the man then and if he is the answer spend on a very good midfielder to distribute to front like Fabagas Question who Ozil at the moment but he does not chase back oh to have Bergamp back CB
Coquelin is what Flamini was 7 years ago, lots of energy and drive with youth on his side, so except we are comparing the Flamini that left for AC Milan then there is no contest.
Diaby, Arteta and Flamini will all be free in the summer.
Bets on who will get a new bumper contract in the following months?
Actually add Coquelin to that list as well.
Arteta has signed a contract extension so he won’t be going anywhere!!
yes…i have bin impressed wit le coq
Yes he will keep him out at least until the end of the transfer window, face palm
dont worry, flamini is injured he wont be rushed back, which means that coq will start against stoke, we need all big players fit for them.
Campbell–Giroud–Sanchez
——-Cazorla——-
Coq———–Rosicky
against stoke!!!
Yes, Coquelin should be starting ahead of flamini…at least for now
Coquelin has impressed me this far with his performance, its only fair that he gets his chance!
Coqelin link has been very impressive. I know he has only played against ‘lesser teams’ but you can only play against what is in front of you.
Dare I say it but maybe out priority this winter transfer window should be a centre back (which we know we need) see how Coq copes with the rest of the season and then if we need a replacement buy in the summer when there are better targets e.g. Schederlin
Thoughts?
Lesser teams or not Coquelin showed he’s good enough to start ahead Flamini, we’ll def need to buy a CB & DM this window, no matter how good coquelin plays, we still need that top class DM, but finding one in january who is avaible is another thing. We can’t take the risk to have Coquelin as our only good DM.
‘Lesser teams”
Would that include Southampton who are above us in the table and have beaten us on both occasions we played this year?
Le Coq actually turned big Wanamana a few times in that game, he is tough and game.
Once again we see Wenger’s favouritism has caused issues with the team, I can’t comprehend that no one saw Le Coq was better than Flopini in training!
Le Coq had to go through the same kind of education Flamini went through all those years to toughen him up, playing left back, right back, bench, back on the pitch, some more bench and finally the Flamini that played like an F16 figher jet not the Flamini 2.0 we have now.
They can beat us how many times they want, at the end of the season we’ll end in the top 4 like we have been doing for the past 17? years.
southampton aren’t a lesser team. they are better than us this season. hard to argue against it…
Both coquelin and flamini can be rotated!
or both on at the same time when we need to be more defensive.
A definite YES to your question for now but we still need some other superb quality to take over from Coquelin hopefully by the end of the window this January!! That’s how desperate I am for us to have a proper DFM not a makeshift one!!
Think “makeshift” is a bit harsh, in his 7th year with us and been a CDM nearly all that time – still only 23. Two years younger than MS who wasn’t tearing up any trees a couple of seasons ago.
Coquelin has put a shift in every game he has played. Flamini barks orders but can barely do the basics himself.
So coquelin has to start for me
Flamini has done well he has a high pass accuracy he is a leader on the pitch and he is defensive unlike all the other central players
flamini has done a very good job for us, lets no forget that or his actual cost, plus lets not burn the boy out, there is a lot of games from now to the end of the season
Hell yeah, I like 2 see coq n ramsey but against d likes of toure, matic, fernador, wanyama; he’s like a lil kid- we. Still need dat physical presence; most successful teams hv it y not us??
Congrats to Santi Cazorla for getting the PFA player of the month for December!
***coughs***ladies and gentlemen.. i would like to digress into a “personal” observation on our beloved english lads especially the likes of theo walcott, ox, whilshere and chambers, before i get the thumbs down coupled with a knee jerk reaction..i meant no intentional disrespect or witch hunting on them. before cracks becomes canyons, i would like the arsenal technical instructor to teach the aformentioned some technical abilities for instance..1, first touch control/ deft touch 2, awareness and instinct to shoot or not too shoot 3, killer execution. there are some technical acumen that can’t be schooled such as goal sense and positional play. carzola,sanchez are gifted with abundant technicalities i guess it;s more to do with where they come from or inner gift. english players lack this vigor with much effete. their touches are usually rash and poor and not to talk of so many misplaced pass in technical areas. guys for a better arsenal some one in the technical office as to step up or step out oh! i read barcelona sacked their technical director. COYG!!!!
Coquelin actually does his work
Flamini just delegates defensive duties to about the most attack minded players there are in the league
Coquelin’s tackles are easier on my heart.
We need world class DMs not deadwoods….
Get MVILA and CAPOUE…
We can rotate both of them…
considering our injury record….we need 2 World Class DM
mvila an capoue are not world class in anyway
mvila is a known troublemaker-
capoue plays for the enemy-
carry on like this i will leave the
#house of rahman
We’re arse not class
4th place Champs
don’t need top quality.
Coq up, Flim flam, Arty farty and DRB.
Yes we have a veritable platypus of choices at DM.
A cornicopia of anatomically modified goblin sharks.
So many non arsenal fans on here it makes me sick. Get behind arsenal and stop this crap
your right. moanin is so much more savoury
@arsenalkid1970
your so right how dare they demanding world class players
I mean who do they think they are, for shore they can’t be Arsenal fans, like you said arsenalkid1970 get behind the Bank I mean the team.
do you even grammar bruh
Flamini should be cut/sold. Coquelin should be a sub with loads of potential, and schneiderlin should be bought as a starter.
Yes!
Coq should start ahead of flamini though with the amount of cards bothplayers will rack up I guess tthey’ll both be playing at some point, (until we get our coveted dm alternative – kondogbia/wanyamma).
Cb a must, I say keep coquelin and flamini as out and out dm players and buy sisokko and train him up to sit and shield. This guy is a beast and is versatile as well. Oh also he actually woukd like to play for Arsenal!
lets get luis Gustavo…
hes world class…played for Bayern for 6mths
and was outstanding when Brazil played Germany and Netherlands…
good protector of the back 4
Daily Mirror reporting that Szczesny has been fined £20,000 for smoking in the showers following Arsenal’s defeat at Southampton
A few points here:
1) the Mirror, Star, Sun etc are best used as toilet paper or to kick-start the kids bonfire next Nov 5th
2) has someone now invented waterproof cigarettes?
3) bet you know many people who reach for a cig to calm their nerves and after taking all the blame for the 2 – 0 defeat he would be under immense stress so even if true it’s no big deal.
4) he’s an Arsenal player – enough with the witch hunting please.
I think there is a big problem shadowing Arsenal FC. Ijuries.
We all know we are affected by it but how much?
We have recorded more injuries than any other team in the EPL during the last 10/12 years with a record of 889 injuries.
In fact the second most injuries affected club is ManU with 791 injuries.
From 2002 till 2014 (the article in the independent is dated 1st october 2014)
Arsenal – 889
Manchester United – 791
Tottenham – 785
Everton – 663
Chelsea 620
Manchester City – 595
Liverpool – 551
The new stadium and facilities where built to provide our club with the best infrastuctures allowing us to develop our athletes to the highest level.
This was the entire reason why we went thru those 8/9 years of financial struggle. And i get it and supported it as i realized a few frustrating years is a small prize for future glories but we are still recording 25% more injuries than our direct rivals in average and i think this is the real unspoken problem at the root of our misfortune.
what do you think?
I want answers…
there is an interesting analysis on arsenalreport.com but it is not covering all aspects.
Coquelin and Rosicky should be running Arsenal’s engine room vs. Stoke. I know it won’t happen but I really hope Sanchez is rested against the rugby playing Stoke. My 11 would look like:
Ospina
Debuchy – Mert – Kosc – Gibbs
Rosicky – Coquelin
Walcott – Cazorla – Campbell
Giroud
Subs: Martinez, Chambers, Monreal, Ox, Flamini, Ramsey, Welbeck (Apkom, if Welbeck not fit)
P.S. How many yellows before Le Coq gets suspended?