The name of Francis Coquelin has been on the lips of many an Arsenal fan in recent weeks, especially since his disciplined and destructive performance at the heart of the Gunners midfield helped to produce our first big away win in a long time.
Although most Arsenal fans would still like to see Arsene Wenger spend good money in the transfer market on an experienced and top class central midfielder like Morgan Schneiderlin, we do not seem too concerned about the boss waiting until the summer and giving young Coquelin the chance to keep strutting his stuff for the rest of the season.
And that seems likely to happen as our manager explained to Arsenal Player what made him give this latest chance to his fellow Frenchman, and also why he kept Coquelin at the club despite not getting a Premier League start for nearly two years.
It was not just the fact that Wenger saw very encouraging signs from the midfielder in the training sessions, although that was a part of it and the reason the boss sent him on loan to Charlton was just to gain the match fitness he needed to play for us.
Wenger revealed that Coquelin having come through the academy system, spending nearly seven years as a Gunner and having the club at his heart was a major reason for keeping patience and hoping that things would click for the young player.
He said, “Francis is contributing to the team well at the moment and he has shown that he has matured through difficulties. I kept patience with him because I saw his talent and also because I give a huge importance to people who have been educated at the club and who have been brought up together because they know what the club means.
“When you have six or seven players in the squad who think this is the club they want to be at, of course this gives us strength and brings stability to the team.”
The effectiveness of the Arsenal academy has been under question in recent years, with many of our graduates failing to make the grade and move on, but if Coquelin keeps it up he will have given it a massive boost and will join the likes of Wilshere, Gibbs, Szczesny and Bellerin in the current first team. Not too bad Gooners.
And it seems that Wenger is going to give Coquelin every possible chance to make it by not signing a DM this month. Do you think this is the right thing to do?
Le Coq is going to make sure he gets the DM spot permanently by holding out on signing a new contract…Big ups Dude…
how the tables have turned.
le coq be like …
“charlton? charlton – me? ok le poof, can u spell CASH, thats right I NEED THE DOLLAR DOLLAR- DOLLAR IS WHAT I NEED”
With our luck with injury, we need one more dm
wenger will say bielek is cover for le coq
not if AW wants to win PL next season.
Artetas agent said he has a 1 year extension. He has been poor this season but he could play a similar role to Rosicky being preserved till he is needed.
We would still need to get rid of abou n flamini for free and sign a top player and give coqulan a new contract
I know everyone is thinking that Schneiderlin is the ideal signing for us, and I may agree with that, but, I have been following the games Paul Pogba have played lately and, to me, that kid is worth every penny Juve is asking for. Talk about the next Patrick Viera!! Pogba is an amazing talent, good reader of the game, has the physique, good with the ball at his feet, a mean shot fro outside, lots of speed and more than decent aerial game. At only 21, he will be an ideal signing for our Arsenal…hope Arsene surprises us again with another expensive signing (as he did with Ozil and Sanchez) and drop the money to bring in the ” real” next Patrick Viera home…
my bet is on the big money going on a WC striker in summer: suarez? to really challenge for PL, we cant have giroud/welbeck only.
Barcelona will ask for ozil or santi in any deal for Suarez. They just spent 75m on him we won’t match that price we could get two high quality players for that.
Totally agree with pogba he has what it takes to be a footballing icon,legend, bal on dor winner plus it would be nice to get one over Manu for a change.
The knock on effect of this is that khedira would probably go juve to replace him so he won’t be joining our rivals, and one of falqao or cavani would go juve meaning that Manu won’t get one of them.plus the other would entertain a move to Real Madrid to replace hernandez.
We can’t afford him. Simple
And he’s not a Vieira type at all he’s far more attack minded. Truly brilliant player but not what we actually need. For Pogbas fee we could easily buy Schneiderlin AND Lacazette, which would improve us more than his signature alone.
So you’re trying to tell us Wenger that is going to spend 75mil pounds and more on only one player? Worst comment i’ve ever seen, how on earth is Pogba going to chose arsenal over Real Madrid or any other top team? How are we going to pay 75mil+ for a player and stay in the ffp thing? Can’t understand how you could even imagine this. I’m sorry lad you’re getting over-exited. To even afford this guy we would have to sell 2-3 players worth 10-15mil each.
We can’t even manage to sign a EPL proven DM ( Schneiderlin ) and yet you want us to buy the most sought-after DM/CM/B2B in world football?
I still think we need an experienced DM, maybe one that is around 30 with lots of quality and experience.
If he continues playing as he is then people are going to have to articulate precisely why FC isn’t the answer. If Wenger had spent £30M on a big name and they had played identical matches to FC then the whooping and hollering would still be drowning out this site. The problem is that the internal progress of a player is not celebrated and nowhere near as sexy as splashing the cash.
I’d be prepared to give him the rest of the season, if he plays well he will keep his place and will then be more likely to sign a new deal. Good for the home grown quota and boost for academe system.
With Le Coq’s emergence, it will only be wise to give him a chance to prove himself. Signing an established DM now will limit his playing time and stall any progress he is to make. (remember Pogba and Sir Alex?) The situation now has changed from when we had no viable option in that position. If Le Coq does not live up to expectations by the end of the season, then by all means sign a proper DM in the summer. If he progresses well, then keep playing him with Bielik as a future contender for the spot.
I just wonder if Wenger will keep faith with Jenko since his also one of our own. Personally I think he should.
We do need additional DM, but this must be high quality – like Schneiderlin (not Tiote etc.) – and he will not be available till summer.
Le Coq has earned the right to an extensive run to end of season – with Santi and Ramsey as MF partners, and Ozil further forward. Wilshere should have to fight for a place like everyone – so he may be warming the bench for some weeks yet!
COYG win today!!
Wenger must stop with the BS Le Coq only got gametime because of injuries to the old guard and a member of the beloved British Core. I second him on stalling in signing the new deal. I’d love us to sign Bender is we are to sign another CDM in the summer, we need squad depth and to promote the culture of fighting for ones position in the team
Complàcency! Coq is good and improving but we need an experienced DM he will learn from and b a cover in time of injury.
@Dozie
Even if we buy an experienced DM now, unless he hits the ground running, he won’t be much good to us given he would need time to acclimate to the league as well as AFC style of play. Le Coq is already there on all fronts…
@ny gunner le coq does not trust wenger because he fav wilsher and i too think jack will mess it up,not only coq will have a problem but ozil and carzola too will have them
@Thando
Sad. But it looks like that. SMDH…
Actually IF Wenger favours Wilshere this will work for Coquelin. Why? You get in the team by being in outstanding form or if the coach favours you (honestly I don’t believe these stories with Wenger favouring anyone but I will accept your point even if you have no proof to back it).
This means competition and this will make Coquelin to put his bones in the works and being sharp for 90 minutes every game from now on. The danger is that he is still very young and success kills the ambition (see Szceszny as an example) at this age so I truly hope he’s a different mould.
I remain faithful to my idea of having a very experienced DM along him. Not because Coquelin is bad but because of our injury history and why not, stamina and form of our players. As they say in Casino : why take a chance?
Of course Wenger has favourites.
Wack Wiltshire playing means we lose more games and that stat has been with him since he joined the senior team.
Yet at every opportunity Wack plays while other better players sit on the bench.
Loan Jack or sell him, whatever, he simply isn’t good enough for Arsenal.
How many top 6 teams would he be an automatic starter for?
Case closed!
I say sell him in the summer because he really has no future at arsenal @savearsenal,i know some fans feel like we are hating on a kid but the truth is the kid is a mess with szsc
Remember when that kid used to be Aaron?
OK, but where is the proof that he is Wenger favourite ? Wilshere was easily one of our best men until the injury. Hardly a case of favouritism.
I will defend every Arsenal player (including Diaby and Mertesacker) but in this case I don’t need to do that. Wilshere played well and was pretty unlucky. EXACTLY LIKE THE WHOLE TEAM. Not sure what was the kickstart (maybe Hull game) but now we are playing good football.
Stay by our players is what I say. You bashed Giroud , Ozil and Ramsey last years. Seems like Wilshere is the man on duty this season. And it’s stupid because he doesn’t even play ffs.
Wilshere is just not a DM – certainly not in the same way Coq is. Hopefully, Wenger sees this as clearly.
Certainly coq’s playing time is directly threatened by another Wenger favorite – Arteta.
But I just have a feeling that Coq will become a Wenger favorite so long as he performs
I don’t understand why people are running with this narrative that Coquelin is waiting to see what happens when Wilshire comes back. Wenger has always played with at least one DM and Wilshire, by my memory, has never been selected by Wenger in that role. I can see him wanting to know whether the Schneiderlin/illamerandi rumours are true but Wilshire’s return? Doesn’t matter a bit.
Wilshire has the lowest tackle success rate at arsenal this season so he shouldn’t be the dm
Cm ramsey,santi>wilshire
Am ozil,sanchez,santi,Rosicky,ramsey>wilshire
We’re does jack fit in?
I understand that a way to keep Lecoq is to not sign a Dm in the moment but I may point that we had him from the start of the season and if Wenger was doing well his job he would have used him earlier and we would not maybe be fifth in the table. From the start given the limitations of Arteta and Flamini, he should have been the first choice.
All is the past now, I must say I am rather please with Wenger, we should have our back up CB and we have a good potential player in Bielik.
Slowly but surely we are getting there.
@Grim Bligh
I agree. Le Coq has been our only true DM for a long time. And has showed when given the chance that he has what it takes to hold the position. A good run of matches would have seen him help our situation…
It was not long ago that Wenger claimed Diaby was the answer at DM.
This sounds like a joke but……. Yes, he actually said that about a month or so into this season.
actually the rise of le coq has shown us that wenger, the emperor, has no clothes. le coq has torn a hole in wenger’s DM plans … … …
Coquelin won’t be the week in week out answer but he gives us a more defensive option for those games when we are likely to be pressed or when we have a decent lead to protect. I would līke to see his passing improve but that should happen fast with the players he has around him.
Will we see a top DM? Yes but not before the summer, I can see Flamini and Arteta moving.
Arteta has just signed a 1 year contract extension. I see value in keeping him. After we buy Schneiderlin I see us having 5 DMs. 3 of them senior players. If all goes well next season we can sell Arteta in the next winter transfer. I see it like a proper handover.
Schneiderlin/Le Coq/Arteta/Hayden/Bielik
Flamini to be sold coming summer. I read somewhere he has a contact that runs to 2016.
Flamin: I would rather keep him than arteta he has been a good squad player this season and always there when needed in terms of availability people have been harsh on him he only has 5yellows this season in his 20+ games so he isn’t a walking yellow as people like to say.his contract is up this season but he deserves an extension he isn’t even 30yet.
Arteta; as much as I love having him here he has been a liability this season.he has the lowest tackle success rate in our team,he has the most fouls per game the only thing going for him is his passing,but he lacks mobility. Arteta is turning into a Ednilson this season so we shouldn’t have give him the new deal flamini and coqulan should get it.
Diaby; how long can we wait for him to arrive?the only way he should stay is on a reserve team wage less than 10k and bonus on game time, but unfortunately for him I think it’s the end of his arsenal career and maybe even top level football.
Arsene does not like to spend so……..
He will let Coq finish the season with the hope he will continue to shine and the further hope that Bielek emerges as a good understudy.
If this plan falls apart, only then will Wenger deal in the summer.
In other words….. No new DM for a while at least.
Play Le Coq for the rest of the season,if he does well give him a new contract. Then sign a top DM,someone that is considered better than Le Coq and let them battle it out for starting DM.
We have lot of injuries so having one established DM is suicidal.
We need TWO top quality players in each position.
Wilshere and Ramsey must battle it out for that CM spot.
Ozil and Cazorla must fight for that CAM spot.
Theo and Oxlade for that RM spot
Debuchy and Bellerin for that RB spot.
Gibbs and Monreal for that LB spot.
Ooospina and Szcerzny for GK.
Kos and Chambers for CB.
Merts and Gabby for CB.
Sanchez and Rosicky for LM
Giroud and Welbeck for ST
So Le Coq should have someone to compete with, not Bielik…he’s still unproven.
I feel that our ST are both too average though.
if AW wants to content for PL next year, the big summer splurge has to go on a WC striker like suarez or cavani. suarez not doing so well at barca. plus he loves the EPL.
If Arteta has signed for one more year I’m okay with him backing up Coquelin (provided Coquelin continues to play at this level and this isn’t just a playing for the contract issue) and coming in as double pivot for games when we need a bit more protection for the back four. When he is healthy he is still a good option, just don’t think he should be the first option.
Le Coq is good. He is not great…yet. Give him more time and more games we shall see. His passing still leaves a little to be desired but his organisation, passion and defensive ability are clear to see. Right now he’s our best option so why not keep with him and reassess in summer? No point in saying “We need to buy Schneiderlin” right now – we have no clue if Coq will suddenly become as good as a Schneid or Wanyama or anyone else!
This kid will have a great few games then bang broke foot or leg lol or he won’t sign and some team with United or city will pay him big cash. Always the last minute with AW or the toss pots up stairs. Theses things should never be done in the football season but at the end. AW you will lose him coz it’s not about love for the club it’s about how much millions they can earn. Sorry the days of CAPTIN tony Adams has long gone
Why so negative. Before has last 6-7 games for Arsenal, everyone was thinking Le Coq was heading for the exit doors. Hence why a new contract was never negotiated. Now that he is playing well we suddenly find ourselves in this position.
For cried lord,leCoq is not the nswer to our DM problems.he can be a good cover but not long term solution so stop it.couple of decent games doesnt mean he’s the answer of our flwas during the past 6 years or so.A DM in the stature of Yann M’Vila is what we need.i’,m and always be a fan of this boy not for his physique but ability to read the game.he’s his personal issues but it is only 24 and Wenger can give him the chance to shine once and for all.
that boy was DM of French team under domenuec until all those reports came to life but apart from him and capoue ( hotspuds 0 were my favs for long time…real BEAST NEEDED IN THERE.