Laurent Koscielny says it was an honour to follow in the footsteps of club legends, Tony Adams and Thierry Henry, when he sported the captain’s armband in the Premier League for the first time against Southampton.
In the absence of Mikel Arteta and Per Mertesacker, the France international had twice captained the Gunners in this season’s FA Cup before leading the side out at the Emirates last Tuesday and again against Bournemouth on Sunday.
Reflecting on the landmark occasion in an interview with France Football, Koscielny explained what it meant to him.
“I felt more pride. It was the first time in the league. I’d already had the armband in the Cup against Sunderland and then Burnley, but this honour doesn’t add more pressure.
“I believe every player has an important role to play in a team and he needs to fulfil it.
“However, [wearing] this armband will remain something important in my career. Legends like Tony Adams or Thierry Henry wore it before me. That’s not nothing!”
On his form this season he added: “I think I’m having my best season at Arsenal and I hope there’s more to come.
“I’ve found fulfilment at 30-years-old. I feel more serene on the pitch, I manage the game better.
“I’ve gone a step further compared to my first five years in England. I’ve grown continuously to get where I am today.”
“I always try to take positives from my mistakes. I’ve stopped being so reflective. I’ve also changed my game. I used to put the emphasis on anticipation, trying to dispossess attackers by stealing opposition passes. It put me in dangerous situations.
“Now I expect more in a game, I’m positioned more safely and make interceptions thanks to anticipation.
“I am better at analysing situations, with a constant wish to take the ball away from dangerous situations and make clean passes upfront.”
Kos – quite literally the boss on the field. He’s certainly in with a shout of the vice-captaincy should Per Mertesacker take over from Mikel Arteta at the end of the season.
I think we can all agree that when Mert and Arteta don’t play, Kos is the clear captaincy choice.
Hypothetically, if Kos doesn’t play either, who gets the armband? It’s gone to Cazorla a couple times so I can see it being him, until he’s back though?
Totally 100% disagree,
not meant as a slight on Kos, but he does not have a captains mindset at all,
few players do, Per and Arteta have done ok,
the only player we really have who shows a captains mindset currently, is Cech
Coquelin?
Sorry but it has got to be Walcott if he starts the game. He’s been with the club for 10 years. I am trying to spark a discussion, lol.
Lol..Walcott? A captain is a leader..and someone who can grab a game by the scruff of the neck. Not something Theo can do of late
or ever.
So Walcott it is then.
he doesn’t do anything else on the pitch anyways nowadays. He can focus on being the captain 🙂
Our captains tend to be sold for high prices. Walcott for Cap
I’ll get a load of thumbs down for this, but I personally don’t think we have any genuine Captains in our side at the moment. I think a lot of the players in our squad are too soft mentally to be considered as Captain material. Cech is great, but I am personally not a fan of having a keeper as Captain – For me you need a vocal leader on the pitch who is in the thick of the action, so a Centre Half or Centre Midfielder. But we have missed that real stand out player who just commands the… Read more »
Hilarious
Lol
The clear choice is Peter Cech. He’s the true Captain armband or not.
Perfect example why Cech should be captain- After the chelsea game, he picks up kos off the ground telling to get up and applaud the fans. Per,did the same thing with Ozil. That mental fortitude is what’s needed both on and off the pitch. Cech took positives afterwards in his press interview- Signs of a strong leader.
I would say Cech!
Give it to Alexis and let him demand that everyone ran at 500mph for 90mins! 😀
Next season captain should be either Cech Cazorla Koscielny or Sanchez naturally I’d say Rosicky but he may not be aorund next season let alone play
Captain Koscieny’s Mandolin
loool, I’m done!! haha
Surely it would be an accordion, non?
Ramsey had it in the friendlies I guess
Unfortunately, I’d say Ramsey is too selfish to be captain.
I think you’re wrong. Players should be allowed to try take-ons, have shots and believe in them selves, especially when they have the ability of Ramsey. Would he have scored that screamer against Galatasaray, the goals against Liverpool, Norwich, Norwich etc etc, if he didn’t believe he had the abitily, thus making him try the more difficult of options?
I believe Ramsey have just the right amount of selfishness aswell as unselfishness to be the captain. That said, I think we have better options for the captaincy than Ramsey, with Cech the most obvious candidate.
Good point, Ramsey would be a good vice captain. I think Wilshere would be a good captain as well if he could keep fit consistently.
He is not selfish. Anyone else sick to the back teeth of hearing this about Ramsey?
ME!!! Dunno where all the hate has come from. I wouldn’t change the way he plays one bit, he’s been one of our better performers since December all whilst playing next to invisible man Flamini, can’t expect Rambo to do the job of two players. To call him selfish is just silly as well, like Carlsenal said above, we wouldn’t have been able to celebrate those fantastic goals of his if he didn’t have a level of selfishness. Every team needs a few players who are willing to be selfish (Alexis, Rambo) mixed with those who are not selfish (Ozil,… Read more »
we can judge by the performances on the pitch, and on that merit Koscielny certainly qualifies…but we have no clue what goes on in the dressing room…
I’d be perfectly fine with Ramsey as captain, but other than these two and Cech, I can’t see any captain material in our team right now…
Please not Koscielny! That band is jinxed!
Yep. Historically, captain arm band means you are on your way out.
The thing this discussion raises is really that we have a wealth of leaders in the team now that the strange Logan’s Run/City of Lost Children policy seems to have expired. Serious contender across the pitch include: Mertesacker: The dressing down he gave Ozil at one point last year for not applauding the fans showed his commitment. Arteta: Might not have the legs but he has the head (and the hair). Cazorla: Leads by example, not the ultimate athlete but he gets everywhere. Cech: Has commanded that back line. Kos: He has 100% league clean sheet record as captain (don’t… Read more »
In comparison to say 2004 I’d probably say we still don’t have enough – think Vieira, Gilberto, Keown, Campbell, Toure, Parlour, Bergkamp, Lauren, Lehmann…
I can’t understand why anyone would disagree with this statement, presumably they’ve only been fans for a couple of years and have no idea what a proper captain looks like. But as you say in the early Wenger years we had several players in the team who’d captained England at various times, Adams, Platt, Keown, Seaman and Campbell. Several captains of other nations, and a team full of players who took responsibility, something the team has lacked for several years. I actually have no problem with Mertesacker as captain as i think he’s probably been the most suited to the… Read more »
Thank you ! In 2004, all starting eleven was possible captain. What a team we had !
Strange that you mention the majority but leave out Alexis who stands out with those qualities in my opinion!
Hr captains Chile,doesn’t he? Or maybe I am wrong.
He doesnt speak english. Give him two seasons though 🙂
I think Coquelin would make a good captain
It can’t be Cech as captains have to sprint wild-eyed at the referee to dispute the odd decision and Cech could cost us vital time and pull a muscle cos he wasn’t stretching properly.
This is a bit left field, but I would out Monreal on that list. People that have seen him live tell me he’s a real leader in that defence and one of our most consistent players. Just an opinion, what do you guys think?
Jack Wilshere is our future captain if he ever gets back to playing regularly. Passionate, brought up through the ranks, wears his Arsenal heart on the outside. Really, really hope that he’ll get the opportunity.
kos is the captain in waiting
Xavi, Pirlo, earned their captaincy as they led with their actions, not mouths. Bosscielny does that as well. He puts in a fight and can withstand pressure as seen by his demeanor as he ignored Costa’s antics. That level of character, which Messi possesses as well, is captain material.
In the context of the Arsenal team, he can surely lead. Let us see how he fares through the tough periods ahead. Up the Arsenal!
Interesting. i hope he doesn’t overthink it and put pressure on himself.
Would love if cech wore the armband at one stage.
The obvious choice for Capitaine is the Flamster. He could slip a share certificate for 5 shares in GF Biochemicals into Mike Dean’s pocket, et voila! Costa sees instant red and it’s Mesut to stroke in our third penalty of the first half against Chelsea.
We can but dream….
Do you really think Mike Dean is honest enough to stay bought?
Mesut to take a penalty… Do you not remember Bayern at home 2014???
with 5 GF Biochemical shares burning a hole in his pocket, Dean would award the goal even if it went further over than Chris Waddle’s penalty in Italia ’90
Armband or not, Kos is the Boss!
Best CB in the Premier League!
Here’s an idea – Ramsey for captain? Would provide longevity (hopefully) as one of our younger and more consistently in the team players. Might help keep him around if the Catalan’s come skulking amorously over for another of our midfield gems (Song not so included).
Ramsey doesnt have that killer instict for the team, if you would call it that. Sure he puts in a descent shift here and there and runs hes socks of. But he is way to keen on putting himself in the headlines rather than putting the team in those headlines (might be a bit exagerated but still) i dont see him as a potentially champions league winning captain for Arsenal. And if we are giving the armband to somebody out of protection from bigger sharks, we other players to worry about first. Mertesacker is a good fit in this squad… Read more »
Cech is the obvious next captain. He provides calmness and leadership. He is also a proven winner!
Bossielny
I have been reading articles here for about 2 years, tried to register a dozen of time but failed..
I have always have the intention of asking blog how to comment, so I’m asking now.. Sorry just filled with joy of being put Arsenal family and definitely the best football family.
Thank you Mr.Blog and everyone gunner here.
Cech is absolutely captain material but being ex Chelski that would be hard to take. I’d say it should be Captain Coq! Yes I know he’s young but look at the likes of Adams and the Spanish judas who left us, it didn’t hurt them to be captain at a young age.
Would be the perfect riposte if they make Fàbregas captain, though.
I recall the way Kos walked away from Costa’s nonsense in the first Chelsea game (which Gabriel did not). *That* demonstrated captain’s fibre to me.
Not grabbing hold of Gabriel and pulling him away from Costa didn’t show much captain’s fibre, though, eh?
Making Theo the captain on his 10 years anniversary is probably the most ridiculous.
I seem to understand that Mr Wenger doesn’t place too much importance on captains, that everyone should be trying to demonstrate maturity and captain-like qualities.
I always think that our players, under Wenger, have generally been very intelligent. There are pros and cons of that.
When (not if) Jack comes back to playing regular football he’s got to be first choice for captaincy! Quality player and proper gooner!!! Love the guy!
Found it quite amusing that he rightfully didn’t mention the dutch skunk and the other spanish guy currently battling relegation!
So when(not if) we win the league who should do ” the trophy lifting” , Mertscielny(like 2014 FA CUP)or Arteta(and maybe Rosiscky) as a perfect ending to careers(with us) or Artsiscky should be doing it when we win the champions league?
kos, kos, kos…. if only you’d stop over-hitting those passes
If wenger deems it fit he can as well put on the arm band i dont give a damn. All am just asking for is we lifting the PL come may. start by beating the foxes and make them forget the path to their holes
Nacho for captain !
Consistency, attitude, talent, work-rate… He reminds me of Lahm sometimes.
Flamini is the captain obviously. 😉
Seriously though, respect of the teammates and manager is the most important of qualities. You can shout all day long but it doesn’t matter if no one is listening. Chec is the obvious choice
Totally off topic, I know, but there are a few news stories today just crying out for comment. 1. Who gives a fuck if Kroenke spent a fortune on a ranch? Other than that dubious consulting fee, he didn’t use any of Arsenal’s money to do it, and what rich people do with their mountains of money is their business. Is anyone moaning about the owner of a cricket team in India spending nearly £700 million building a 27-storey house? Or the owner of another London team spending £1.5 billion on a boat? 2. While winning trophies is wonderful, honestly… Read more »
I saw BFG correcting sanogo’s stand in the wall once during a free kick. Can’t remember the game but I thought that was all right
Flamini is not the only one shouting. There is a reason why he is issuing instructions, he sits in a position where he can see and dictate obvious gaps. If he cannot fill it, he can instruct others to do so. For most parts, the gaps he points out are real and have come to fruition when not heeded so his instructions are spot on. If he left to fill the gap, he would leave the person he is marking open and that would lead to people criticising for being not discipline. Simply out, he will never be able to… Read more »
And I’m not saying all this because I am the Flamini fan club. I’m not. Far from it, I understand his limitations but people just tend to carry these criticism to unbelievable extremes without any basis in reality. Everything ends up being the fault and weakness of certain players and when these players do make a mistake (which all players have), they get amplified to no end. Case in point as well Metersecker. You now get this notion that Gabriel is competing directly with Per. He is not. He has come on directly for Koscielny as much as he has… Read more »
Lest we forget, some people were moaning about lack of leadership on the pitch and passion yet when Flamini issues instructions and fights for 50-50 balls, they start to moan about him. Again lets not forget Coquelin makes those same two footed sliding challenges and also misses a proportion of them. And lest we start to whinge about Flamini collecting a yellow card Viera use to do the same for that sort of niggly challenges we want to see our lads compete for. Not the world’s best DM but he has been doing sterling work for us unappreciated as per… Read more »
The one that really concerns me at the moment is Theo.
We need to get him up and firing them in again. We need goals.
Aside from Liverpool, we have been frugal keeping them out. We created plenty of chances against Soton so this whole thing about Rammini not working is overly simplistic to say the least.
What we need is goals. We need to tuck them away.
I love Santori
The lone voice of reason in a wilderness of righteous indignation, isn’t he?