Laurent Koscielny insists that his focus is on improving at Arsenal and not on whether he will be selected by France for Euro 2012.
The French centre-back only spent a single season in the top flight with Lorient before making the switch to London and subsequently has a much lower profile back home than some of his contemporaries.
Despite his apparent disadvantage, the 26-year-old insists that he is pleased with his form this year which has seen him make 39 appearances for the Gunners.
“This [season] goes well for me,” he told French publication Le Parisien.
“I’ve been here two years. I know the players, the atmosphere and the opposing teams better. I can develop myself well in the field and to give the best for the team.
“I’m here to grow, helping Arsenal to finish in the top three and play Champions League next season. After, people will judge whether I deserve my place [at Euro 2012]. Everyone has an opinion, but I do not focus on what others think of me. I’m focused on my goal.”
Eric Abidal’s recent liver transplant looks likely to rule out the Barcelona man from the European Championships, but despite the prospect of an extra space being available in Laurent Blanc’s squad, Koscielny made clear he wants to earn his place for the right reasons, not be called-up as a de facto replacement.
“The coach will make his choice. I have always said that to be called-up, I must make especially good performances at club level. If I’m in the squad for the Euros, it will not be because of the absence of Eric (Abidal), but because I deserve it for my performances on the pitch.”
You can’t argue with that last statement. Amazing really that doubt lingers over the participation at Euro 2012 of not just Koscielny, but also Bacary Sagna. They play England in their first group game, a match which could potentially see them go head-to-head with Theo Walcott.
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Cheers to @SiuFay for the heads up on the interview.
So is Le Coq. What? Too early for dick jokes?
I’ll start!
I hope Le coq grows bigger
That’s the joke.
With your name, there’s little more to expect…
😉
On a more serious note though, I don’t hope Kos is here to grow. I hope he’s here to stay!
Get some beef into the Arsenal kitchen, and put some loam under him, will ya?
Can we just be done the the Coq jokes? They’re getting pretty stale.
*with the
stale coq? you’re sick in the head.
Better than John Terry by a Mile.
And a Cunt-ry mile at that.
As a person yes, as an Arsenal player yes, as a non-racist yes, at not falling over when near van Persie yes, at not having a shop lifting mum, drug dealing dad, ginger suicide provoking brother yes kos is better than terry.
But as a CB in the modern game, still no
In my opinion John Terry is average. He is overrated because he is English. There are probably 10 centre backs better than him in the Premier League.
Its not even close…just look at the systems both teams play. Arsenal can afford to push forward, play high pressure, and attack because Kos has the speed to back them up.
Chelsea has to play a defensive, counter-attacking game to protect Terry because Terry can’t run, cant tackle in the open field. AVB tried to play Arsenal’s system early in the year, and Terry was so out of sorts he quit…the scumbag. Terry is extremely overrated.
If Kos was English he’d be their 1st choice CB. Can’t understand who the French think is better. Sakho maybe?
Spot on Joelio,
What is more this Josh doesn’t notice is coming out with the ball from defense!, have you seen Cunterry coming out with the ball from defense all he does run towards the touch line like a little girl doing skip.
Kos, has develop his game coming out through the middle with the ball, assured with head up and the ball under control. He is getting better and better defending high balls, that is why he is called now THE BOSS.
wake up u fat ass…..don’t comment on any topic if u don’t know anything…u mr know all!!
Example #1: Terry slip against Arsenal.
Example #2: Terry knee jab to Sanchez
Example #3: Terry is an ass
Enough examples of why Terry is average?
don’t lump koscielny in with the likes of that cunt, in time he will be recognized for the great defender he truly is. What has john terry done in his career besides being an exceptional cunt above all other cunts? He is an ok defender, over hyped and over valued simply because he is english… koscielny is a fucking tank, underated and very much so undervalued. If he where a bit more built he would be up there with the most dominant defenders in the world on current form! Just watch him next game, every tackle, every challenge, always spot… Read more »
Koscielny is pure class. I may be biased but I think he has been the best defender in the PL this season and is the best centre back in the French team. If they don’t pick him they’re mental.
If they don’t pick Sagna and Koscielny, then i think it’s still domenech selecting the team by looking at stars or the moon or something. They have played consistently on the highest level
sagna lets not forget came straight back into the side after missing about 4 months and has played every game since, talk about mr consistent, even when re-finding his touch and extra edge he is still a class act!
Kos is fucking amazing
Possibly among my favourite Arsenal players. But then again, they’re all bloody awesome.
Its about time we had a decent ugly centre back again!
Nothing wrong with this comments, Keown was not the most attractive!!!!!.
Neither was he ugly
Tony Adams wasn’t exactly a pin-up either.
How he pulled Caprice still has me scratching my head to this day…
I’ve no idea why but he reminds me of the yellow Angry Bird.
ummmm………. belgian waffle and french toast, a delicious combo at the back….what am i saying????
most improved player in EPL and he deserve to be first team in Euro 2012 . we are lucky to have strong defense now : Koscienly , Per, TV 😀
Now add Vertonghen to that list *drooling* 😀
We only play 2 CBs at a time buddy. I really don’t see Vertonghen coming in, Djourou recently signed a new contract this season.
Bosscielny!
Who are France’s CBs? Koscielny should surely play for them unless they have 2-3 amazing players who I just can’t remember.
France’s CBs from best to Squillaci
1.Koscielny
2.Rami
3.Abidal
4.Sakho
5.Mexes
6.Gallas
7.Kaboul
8.Squillaci
He’ll play.
…..
11246. Arsene Wenger
11247. Mikael Silvestre
On a more serious note, I haven’t seen Rami play, but Koscielny is far better than Mexes, Gallas or Kaboul, so he should DEFINITELY play.
Mr Blanc prefers Mexes and Rami as the starting two. We don’t care as I know Le Boss is better than both of them this season by miles as his developments over took both of them. But Mr Blanc don’t want to change his starting 11 when all fit based in last season form and experience.
Mexes and Rami, both great defenders in their own right, hoping for kos’s development that he gets the place though!
That’d leave us with an internationally experienced back four (santos, vermy,kosc & sagna)
Also, just imagine we got vertonghen, a french/belgian back four?? 😀
in all honesty I don’t think we want or need vertonghen, it would as arsene says “kill kieran gibbs” who ( god willing ) will stay injury free for long enough to establish himself, and that failing we’ve got andre santos whos a fucking lad!
France has recently played with 2 of the following 3 CB: Philippe Mexès: Who i think is not that good, but to whom Laurent Blanc was thinking about making France’s captain Adil Rami: I think he’s really good and composed player. Bigger and bulkier than Kosc, but a different kind of CB Mamadou Sakho: PSG’s captain. Quite physical and good in the air, also bigger than Kosc. I think that Kosc would make a good partner for either Rami or Sakho, because their characteristics are quite different and complementary, but i can see Blacn taking the bigger pair as well.… Read more »
The guy can walk into any team n pick his shirt quite easily
I baptise him Laurent ‘The Boss’ Koscielny!
Failing that, then I’m with Borneo Gunner!!!
dunno about you lads, but “bosscielny and the verminator” has a nice ring to it!
“the boss” is arsene’s name 😉 he also answers to le proff and big daddy cool
The most improved Arsenal player this season. His transformation from the dodgy guy next to Squillaci to one of our most solid perforners is little short of miraculous and once again proof that Arsene knows best.
Borneo Gooner !! Sorry!
My own Arsenal player of the year and my family writers(Ndiarse family) best defender in the league..More of these kos-gna investiment Le Prof
To be honest this season has truly shown us the difficulty that Wenger faces in keeping us competitive. Just how far we have fallen in terms of financial muscle was rather ruthlessl driven home at the start of the season as we lost Fab and Nasri and Fab was so desperate to get away that he paid a part of his fee from his own pocket. Once we realised the struggle that was ahead even the fans were a lot more patient and the team have come out with flying colors. I think the realisation will help us next season… Read more »
I think we need to nurse his growth so we can pull out the best in him.
😉
Is anyone else growing tired of the juvenille ‘Le Coq’ puns?
No, I can’t get enough Coq.
See the thumbs down for the answer.
Gutted. I only came on here to do the Coq joke and can see it has already been dragged through mud
Suppose that makes it a dirty Coq
Ko is a great player and has so much potential but when I look at him I cant help thinking that he looks like the very early Bart Simpson.
Thats not a negative to the guy it my warped sense of humour 🙂
He always reminded me of someone / something and I never really put my finger on it. I think that’s the one you know… Very good sir!
He does need to grow, about 1 foot.
he’s already got two mate..don’t know what mutant fetish your into…
in kos and tommy v we got two soldiers of a different kind and in santos and sagna we got two cool proper full backs and in SZCZ we got a mad man at the back.well that’s the arsenal defence i dreamt of.
Dont want to bash on Theo, but compare Kos and Sagna attitude of “try to be the best for Arsenal and Country will follow” with Theo “England England England”. Then again he has not expressed these views in a while, and he did pick up a hamstring injury that might jeopardize his chance of a Euro callup ( then again its England, you guys are found of taking the walking wounded…..I kidd, I kidd).
I often wonder how good a full back koscielny could have been? he defintely has a height problem similar to tv. whilst both are good in the air and have exveptional jumps against some of the bigger strikers i do fear for the 2 together. hence getting vertonghen will give us a tall left footed option as well as a tall right which we currently have in abundance. mertesacker djourou bartley and younger ones like boateng angha hayden. whilst miquel and monteiro are left sided they are still a couple of years off the first team. for me its bring… Read more »
I really think that TV5 and Kos form a really good pairing in all aspects, and have really settled down, and if you talk about even more dominance in the air, we already have Mertesacker…………..I know he has been found wanting for pace at times, but I can hardly fault him in the air. Plus remember it was his first season, and if you think of the improvement made by Kos then Mertesacker should also improve by leaps and bounds next year. Even without him however we have been good and I surprisingly don’t remember the last time we let… Read more »
He had,ent got a height problem against that stick andy carroll he;s becoming an all round defender and im delighted for him after his tough first season when he was getting a bit of stick, always gives 100% and we miss him when hes out now
The progress this guy has made surpassed everyones expectatioons. From “play koscienly and djorou as CBs and we are dead” to “play bosscienly and verminator, yep! we should be okay”. I don’t know how wenger picks his signings but he surely got us a gem in koscienly.
After this season he’s officially Laurent Bosscielny not Koscielny. And if there are doubts about him to go to Euro, it only means that with a coach like Blanc France won’t be dangerous in the tournament
True.
i hope Kos grows to a 7′ tall monster of a CB. Failing that a continuation of his immense defensive form, and excellent rusn from the back will suffice.