Arsenal have confirmed that young French midfielder Francis Coquelin has signed a new long-term deal at the Emirates after a successful first half of the season which has seen him progress from Reserve team status to valuable and versatile first team squad member.
The 20-year-old, who moved to England in 2008 from Stade Lavallois, was handed starting berths against both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the centre of the park earlier in the season but has since been pressed into action in in the full-back positions as Arsene Wenger shuffles his squad in the face of injuries.
Speaking to the official matchday programme ahead of last night’s FA Cup showdown with Leeds, the dynamic midfielder spoke openly about his love for the Gunners.
“It’s a very big club and I’ve always wanted to succeed here. I’m getting games, I’m training with great players and working with great staff. I’d love my future to be here.
“Things have been really good for me recently. In October and November I had to be patient because the team was doing really well and there weren’t many injuries – when the team is winning the manager will keep things the same.
“But I’ve had some chances of late and I’m taking them when they come, whether at right-back, left-back or midfield. Obviously I see myself as a midfielder but everyone knows the quality we have there at the moment so I’m just doing whatever I can.”
Ever since Coquelin made his debut as a skinny 17-year-old Arseblog News has felt him a natural successor to the energy and determination of the long-departed Mathieu Flamini. That he has signed a new deal is terrific news both for him and the club.
Here’s to a lot more Coq in the future.
I definitely want to see more of the CoqPong axis.
That Andros Townsend is a vile little player.
Diving little cunt he is.
Isn’t he? You could tell he was a Spud from the self-entitlement he obviously felt with diving about the place, probably not helped by being dealt with so professionally by a Spanish kid who can’t even find a barbers… Also, glad to see the Coq sign a new contract and more than a few youngsters could do with seeing what he’s done by forcing his way in with hard work in addition to a bit of class and see what Bentley did with his refusal to work hard and graft, not that finding Bentley would be easy, I assume he’s… Read more »
Poor limp Coq, trying his best and now he is bent out of shape. I feel for him.
*Cue Coq jokes
Don’t be a coq
Delighted to be getting many more years of Coq.
Le coq is miles ahead of frimpong. He is Song’s deputy.
..and Sagna and Santos , the coq is very versatile
I’m pleased we’ll get to see the Coq’s vigorous tackle longer. He strokes balls beautifully.
Great to see an extension of le Coq
Darn.I came here to make that joke.
Before too long we’ll have 90 minutes of coq every week. And sometimes on Wednesday as well.
And with Coq on top, we’ll have no problem coming from behind.
Got a feeling that Le Coq’s career will overshadow that of Flamini’s, and that it’s not the CoqPong axis we’ll be talking about, but the WilCoq axis…
Or CoqJack maybe?
I’m hoping Le Coq’s penetration up front will improve with experience….
Shame the Coq arrived too late to play with Seaman
Bwahahaha! that’s brilliant.
You might say he “came” too late.
How long is the extension?
Coq has great presence. He’s going to get bigger and bigger.
Until 2015 !!!! Smashing young player
long term is usually about 5 years isn’t it? so more like 2017, no?
Imagine how big of a pain in the ass this coq is to the other teams
I love a hot cock in my mouth….
Wrong site, but this mistake can be easily done.
Why is everyone spelling it differently?
*blushes*
The future is erect.
Love Le Coq because he can adopt and be REAL hard when needed.
I know I might get a lot of thumbs down here, but I would say it. This boy is the closest thing you would get to young Steven Gerrard in every way.
Ladies and Gentleman we have got a special talent in our hand.
Not sure about that to be fair. If I we see him score a screamer, then I’ll agree.
I will take it you have never seeing Gerrard play between the age of 20 and 23 and what position he use to play when he broke into the team before he was moved to play behind the striker!!!!!
I’m not sure either – when I see him rob a corner shop, then I’ll agree too
The Arse loves the Coq and the Coq loves the Arse ‘n all.
It’s time to coq off with the coq jokes- but I think we ve got another one on our hands, Christ now I m doing it!
Come on Tache, there’s plenty of length still left 🙂
Yep the Coq gags are just going to keep on coming…
wanna see the extended coq shoot more often!!!!#coq is a terrific playa
Contract signed, player out injured. It’s the only way we do it at the arsenal.
You aren’t kidding. Can we even be certain he didn’t call his agent at half-time to bring the papers down for signing while he sat on the training table?
It got to be the most unbelievable thing ever.
it’s a bit weird, hey perhaps somebody is going to have to pay a norwich player to crock RvP about 85 minutes into our last game of the season just to make sure he rigns an extension as well. Or, should I say, a player from whoever will be losing to us in the European Cup Final because of course that will be our last game of the season. Don’t want Robin to miss out on scoring a hat-trick in that one! as to le Coq, agree with much of the above. I also think that unlike, say, poor Theo,… Read more »
Coq can sit in the hole and stroke balls all over the place !
So we will have a coq in our hands a little longer that’s good news
Denilson who?
Great news I love seeing the coq enter the box at speed
Lovely to see Coq get an extension. Hope to see more forward thrusts up top, stroking the ball and spraying it from the middle. Everyone will come and get excited from his exploits. Up The Arse!
Has it got to the stage for anyone else that there’s so many coq jokes flying around you can’t tell which ones are intentional anymore? Here’s to Coq, up the arse!
good to see the coq coming good
I love this kid! He has really good work rate and has a cool head and swagger despite his age. I hope he’ll recover from his injury set back soon.
Where did Eastmond disappear to?
[…] Francis Coquelin has officially extended his contract with the club, which is fantastic news. He says: It’s a very big club and I’ve always wanted to succeed here. I’m getting games, I’m […]