Laurent Koscielny says his performances at Arsenal prove he’s one of the best defenders in the Premier League.
The Frenchman signed from Lorient in 2010 with only one season of top flight football under his belt but has gone to establish himself as a consistent and important defender for both club and country.
Reflecting on his career the 30-year-old told BeIN Sport [translated by Get French Football News]: “I am trying to stay the same. My performances show that I am one of the best defenders in the league.
“The difference is that I am attacking my 6th year here and in Ligue 1 I spent just one season. So yes! I think that the English know me better than the French, certainly!
“I have had to work harder than certain other players to get to where I am and to have a good career.”
Looking ahead to EURO 2016 Koscielny also outlined his grand ambition to reach the final in front of his countrymen:
“What is my aim at the Euros? To go as far as possible: the final! The squad has progressed. The World Cup in Brazil did us an enormous amount of good and that has allowed us to arrive at the Euros with more confidence.”
Elsewhere, Chelsea’s interim manager, Guus Hiddink, has praised Arsenal for the way they’ve stuck with Arsene Wenger through thick and thin.
The 69-year-old, who has held 15 coaching posts but not stayed in any of them for longer than four years, pointed in particular to the importance of having an opportunity to instil a philosophy.
“I think he [Wenger] might be one of the last to sit on the chair that long,” said the Dutchman.
“Him being in charge regarding those nine years without a title means there is a lot of confidence from the board. And from both sides to see they can go into a future where they are stable, although not winning every year a title. But there are many clubs fighting in England, it’s very competitive.”
He added: “I don’t know why [longevity at clubs is dying]. Maybe the instant result is required.
“It depends on the club, on the philosophy and the calmness of a club. It’s always good to have men who are a long period in a club, to have them in very good management positions.
“That doesn’t mean they have to be on the pitch always, but they can also be very good later in their careers as help for the buying and selling stuff of the club. Then you maintain a philosophy, strategy in the club, which I think is important.
“If you change – and the manager has a lot of influence, let’s say, on yearly or half-year basis to sign, not to sign, or to sell – then that might cause a bit of irregularity in clubs.”
Kos is absolutely head and shoulder above all chelshit defenders no doubt.
BOSS KOSCIELNY… SCORING THE WINNING GOAL AGAINST CHESKI
Seems like a bit of a backhanded compliment from Guus there.
I’ve literally no idea what Guus means there. I guess he was asked a question which he replied to like that but without knowing the question it just comes across as odd. Whatever he meant, I actually think the opposite might come true. With more clubs being run as businesses, there will be more pressure on the boards to identify the top managerial talent and then back them. The Southampton approach – if they lose a manager and key players, they identify replacements and revise their expectations. So if no-one tries to get Koeman and he doesn’t get itchy feet,… Read more »
Yeah I think the factor missing from Hiddink’s list is the manager’s themselves. Look at Guardiola. He left Barcelona and now Bayern.
Yea until a bigger clubs comes along
Took me a while to read the headline properly.
Highly underated. Not by Arsenal’s fan But the British media. Kos is the best in the league at the moment and I’ll be surprise If He’s not in the EPL XI At the end of the season. Meanwhile, in an era Where Mangala cost approximately £40M and David Luis passed the £50m price tag, you can only imagine How much Kos would cost At the moment. Another Wenger master class. Yet, They said He doesn’t know defense, He can’t spot defenders, He only won the league with the famous back five He inherited. He shamed them all. With Class. Koscielny,… Read more »
People do seem to miss the fact that the ‘Invincibles ‘ defence were Wenger players….
Kos is the boss. But he makes a hell lot of mistakes to be called the best defender in the league. One of the best? Sure.
Absolutely agree he is one of the best in the league, not the physical thug so many are, but a great combination of strength, agility, technique, timely goal scorer and reading of the game. I think many Arsenal fans take for granted just what a great defender we have in Koscielny.
Get in!
Kos is definitely one of the best out there, though in my opinion his form can suffer when he is given too much responsibility (for example games without Per). Hasn’t been very solid on internationals either, when he plays the senior centerback.
Yes laurent. Yes you are.
Feel unusually tribal about this one. Want to see us obliterate these fu*ckers.
Glad Clattenburg is the ref by the way. Hair transplant or not, he’s generally very good.
Didn’t he ref the West Brom Game where the officials gave them the win….
Clattenburg stopped being a decent ref quite a few years back.
Told you so!
We have 3 matches against the big clubs after this while City have 5. Let’s get a result please.
On today’s performance (Chelsea) he is not one of the best