Perhaps it was the fact that the Arsenal and France international defender Laurent Koscielny had been rested by the manager for the last Premier League outing against Bournemouth that helped him to react quicker and beat the Newcastle defenders to the punch today and score the only goal of the game.
It was a vital goal and a vital win so if it did help that Koscielny had not played for over a week, then Arsene Wenger got his team selection spot on. It did look as though the centre back and the other rested Gunners Nacho Monreal and Mathieu Flamini had more of a spring in their step.
Koscielny himself spoke about it after the match today, and you can read his full interview on the Arsenal website. He admitted that the break had done him good and also suggested that one of the main reasons for the Gunners making hard work of it against the Magpies was the fatigue factor that comes from the busy run of matches over christmas and new year.
He said, “It was a tough game. Newcastle were playing very well, especially on the right-hand side with their right back and Sissoko as well. It was difficult but in the end we won and that is the most important thing for us.
“We started the game well in the first 10 to 15 minutes. We had good movement with good passes. After that we were a little bit tired and at this moment we knew we needed to be stronger at the back to keep a clean sheet. After that we knew we would have the opportunities to score the goal. During the game this was the case and then I scored from a corner to help us win 1-0. Sometimes we need to win like this.
“I’ve scored against them before but the most important thing is that the team wins and I am happy with the goal. We need to stay top.
“I was given the opportunity to score on the second ball and I did it so I was happy. It was important to start the New Year with a win.
“We need to stay focused because we have many tough games in the second half of the season. Next week we have more tough games and important ones against big teams so we need to have everyone focused on the job.
“During the Christmas period, when you play three games in a week, it’s very difficult for our physique. We have a good squad and we were able to rotate against Bournemouth, so all the players who played were fresh and able to do their jobs well.”
Now the Arsenal players have a week before the FA cup clash with Sunderland three days before we travel to Anfield for the league game against Liverpool. Do you think Wenger should rotate again for those two games and if so, which players should it be?
Is KJ injured or something?
Haven’t seen a player ratings in weeks!
if you need a kj ratings post- u need help my little twig-let
his ratings are as accurate as my eyesight after 12 beers
You know what? It’s always the post that fans are always looking forward to judged by the numbers that read and react by form of comments. Please Admin, is KJ injured as Twig inquired? Will he be available post Sunderland?
ADMIN: Errr We realise we are a leetle short of numbers in ze post-match deepartment, and we will be bringing een at least une writer for ze Player Ratings in zis weendow.
@Twig Comment noted and will be rectified.
@Godswill KJ has left us for University reasons. Is there anyone interested (and capable) in taking over from him in the Ratings Department? If you are email me please.
@G-Rude I am not French!
You don’t need to be “capable” to come out with KJ ratings. All you have to do is put some random numbers next to players names and there you have it. Don’t act like these are some kind of god sends ’cause they are not.
Unfortunately we will need to rest players for FA Cup.
Chambers and Gabriel may be our CB or Chambers may play DM
Gibbs and Debuchy as FB ??
Ospina may GK
It will probably be like 50/50 starter and backup
Thank you “bosscielny” for all that you do, towards the arsenal cause! Coyg!
Cannot express enough how much i love bosscielny’s fighting and commited spirit when defending! He wears the arsenal badge on his sleeve! Coyg!
i think wenger has got one needed signing in the bag (neny) but is trying to pull a rabbit out with one more signing
question is what position is he trynna find for?
direct replacement for debuchy?
hes already making excuses for any ‘dream ‘ signing as its january
i disagree ….players that have been bought in january….
luis suarez
javier mascherano
daniel sturridge
nemanja matic
Wouldn’t be that optimistic. What I got from Wenger’s ‘one or two’ comments is ‘Elneny and that’s it’. Must be Elneny – he said we’ll probably have a signing done within 10 days, and we aren’t strongly linked with anyone else. By saying ‘two’, he’s just left the door open for another in case something goes wrong.
Wenger has more or less said one player in and that it.
HE has to be joking Arsenal need at least 3 new players
This is I will not spend Wenger at his best.
enough of keeping adeLaide on the bench
he’s gotta start in the F.A against sunderland….. I mean , how is sitting on the bench all day or just doing mere Training, aiding his development?
While a few players in the senior team (won’t mention names) are out ere squandering precious chances..
Newcastle had played a few days ago as well, pleSe stop with excuses about tiredness!
Right you are, and they have the most players out injured. Ramsey plays for himself in the final third, wants to do something spectacular everytime I watch him, and his selfishness and goal misses when others are in better positions to score is goung to haunt us if it has to come down to goal differences in winning the title. Poor Ozil, laying it on a plate for Walcott also. While 3 points are what we after, Ozil is laying many chances on the plate for Walcott and Giroud , which are being squandered. Players like Kane, Vardy, Lukaku, Aguero, will put more of Ozil’s passes away than Walcott and Giroud. Wenger needs to get more effort out of Ramsey, Oxlade and Walcott. Cazorla, Cambell and Sanchez are much better in those positions, while Gabriel should always start ahead of Mert.
Oops….. Looks Like Jenko is noLonger a regular starter for westham
who knows….perhaps wenger’s considering offloading debuchy this window and bringing Jenko back
*just a thought*
Jenkinson can’t come back early. It is against Premiership rules.
Didn’t think Koscielny had a great game today, aside from the goal of course. He wasn’t ‘bad’, but certainly wasn’t at his best, but then again, neither were the other 9 outfield players we had.
Petr Cech was the real hero of the game. 170th Premier League clean sheet. Hope he makes it to 200 in an Arsenal shirt. Should be able to get that within 2-3 seasons?
Kloop will want blood and I think he will have 2 new players by then do Arsenal need to be on there game. Fa cup game is hard for tbem it’s all they can win so again hard game.
i,ve realised something,since petr signed for us all the players from theo to le koss always seem to be talking about how important it is to keep clean sheets,what a change!!!