Laurent Koscielny has had an extraordinary career at Arsenal which ultimately shows that you can go from the depths of the unknown in professional football, all the way up to becoming arguably one of the very best players in the trade for your position. Koscielny has not only been rated as one of the Premier League’s best defenders, but also one of the best in Europe and the Frenchman absolutely deserves it.
During his time at Arsenal he has grown into a world class player and looks completely different to the young unknown Frenchman that joined the club back in 2010. Koscielny is no doubt the first defender on the team sheet when fully fit and he’s earned himself a high status at Arsenal. At 31 years old it is disappointing to know that his career will be winding down soon, and we’ve already begun to see a slight decline in terms of fitness.
Back in 2014 Koscielny was diagnosed with chronic tendinitis in both feet by the French Football Federation. This was during an international break and he subsequently missed around two months due to the injury diagnosis. It’s an Achilles injury that just will not go away for the Frenchman and as a result he’s suffered with setbacks numerous times over the past three years. His last encounter of an Achilles injury came last month and he has now revealed that in order to stop the injury from becoming as aggravated as it sometimes does, Koscielny has to have daily treatment applied to the effected area.
In a Evening Standard report, Koscielny is quoted saying: “I have some problems. Now it is better. I know it is a difficult injury because you need to work every day on this. Every morning I have my treatment for my Achilles and I know I need to do this to the end of my career.”
“Now, every day I do this and it is OK but sometimes with all the games we play every three days, it is difficult and I need to have a rest to recover well for my Achilles. That’s why last time I was injured but now it is OK with this.”
With a very important final tough test in the league against Everton on the last day of the season, Koscielny will hope to be fit and ready to face the task of handling powerhouse striker Romelu Lukaku. Lukaku is always a tough striker to play against and he troubles defenders so easily. The Gunners cannot afford to drop any points in their final game and so our defence needs to be watertight. Then of course we have a FA Cup final to ‘look forward’ to against the newly crowned Premier League champions. Chelsea will be on the lookout for the Double in Conte’s first season and Arsene Wenger cannot afford to have anything less than a fully fit strengthened side.
Will Koscielny be fully fit for the end of season run in with the Gunners, despite plenty of injury concerns in recent weeks?
By AH
Hello Gunners!
Yes he is one of the best defender in the world considering he was playing with players like Djourou, Squeilliaci, Mertersacker and who not. But i still believe if we manage him carefully he can play here for 5 more years and considering that we will now most probably going with Back 3 for next season so he will have less responsibility in defense.
COYG!
One thing for sure is arsenal and koscielny have to really take note of this condition, it finished my career at the age of 23. Ok times were different then, but I now have to wear splints on my feet every night, just so that I am able to get around using 2 walking sticks. I take such strong painkillers and anti inflammatories that my colon is on the verge of having to be removed and replaced with a colostomy bag. If someone had told me this would be the case when I am only 40 I would have quit the game 2 years earlier when I first had the problems, instead of struggling on for 2 more years and now having a daily fight and horrible fight for the rest of my life.
Koscielny is a very good central defender, but he is getting older and has made a lot of blunders in the past two years. The fans always blamed Mertesacker, but actually Koscielny was often out of position in the offside trap schemes, in the predictable 4-2-3-1 formation. The new three central defender formation has made Arsenal’s defense more solid.
It seems Kolasinac is a good central defender, at least physically. Kolasinac and Chambers can learn from Koscielny, also provide good competition.
He has hair like Peter Pan so yes he will play forever!
No matter how good or important a player is, nobody can continue forever. If there are signs that Kos is reaching the end of his top-level career due to physical issues, then the situation needs to be managed, and he should be phased-out with a top-quality replacement.
That last thing we need is for him to get injured after a few games next season, and spend the next 3 years in the treatment room, while unprepared players try to fill the vice-captain’s shoes.
None of this is difficult to figure-out, but somehow we always seem to have key players out with predicable long-term injuries (Like Cazorla at the moment) and then hear the team’s failures blamed on injuries.
Please Arsenal, try to manage this situation properly for once!
Had him joined an ambitious club in 2010, guess how many trophies he’d have had and how many songs that would sing his greatness.
Koz has won 6 Wenger trophies.
he has won 2 FA Cups.
He has played 284 times for Arsenal.
He has played 44 times for France.
He as played in Europa 2012/2016 and the World cup 2014.