Laurent Koscielny has criticised the lack of defensive cover the back four received in yesterday’s 3-3 draw with West Ham.
Having been 2-0 ahead, an Andy Carroll hat-trick saw the Hammers go ahead, only for Koscielny’s 70th minute equaliser to salvage a point.
The Frenchman insisted the job of defending is not simply down to the defenders, and he was angry that the crosses Carroll thrives on weren’t stopped at source.
“You can’t let them get a cross in easy because they have some good players on the wings,” he said.
“It is a job for everyone, not just the defenders/ The guys on the flanks need to help their team-mates with defending.”
However, he did accept some responsibility, saying also that the defenders needed to be better when those crosses came in.
“He is quality when it comes to heading the ball. If you want to win the duel, you need to be stronger and arrive early on the cross.”
It’s certainly a combination of both those things. It comes down to effort and organisation, and on both counts Arsenal were found wanting yesterday.
This is getting monotonous.
This comment is getting monotonous
This comment is getting monotonous
#Bottleception
He’s got the fucking Armband on. As the captain, he should of been screaming at the fullbacks and the wide players after we conceded the first goal, no more fucking crosses!! Get out there and stop the supply!! But he didn’t do it, and we continuously let anyone who wanted to have a go at crossing the ball fizz one in to our area, and subsequently we made Carroll, the woman beater, look like top drawer centre forward. Nobody has any fucking bottle in our dressing room anymore. They’re all more than happy to roll over and get beat, then… Read more »
And he equalised for us. Think you should watch the match again, he didn’t play badly, and out of all of our defenders played possibly the best.
Sure he had the captains armband, but the whole team should take responsibility.
I think it’s a bit narrow minded to say that because he’s the captain he’s culpable for the team’s failure.
I think you should read my comment again. I haven’t said anywhere above that he had a bad game. I am saying there’s no point coming out after the game and saying the wide players weren’t helping us by stopping the crosses, he has to say that in the game, when its happening, that’s why he has the armband, he is supposed to help the team manage the game, to get players to do there bit defensively, that’s the point in the arm band to be a leader. He should of been digging people out in the changing room at… Read more »
Costa beating him up and didn’t say anything when it was happening.
I think you need to watch the match again. Equaliser or not, he was diabolical.
No I wouldn’t say diabolical. Arseblog made a point that watching him and Gabriel was reminiscent of watching Kos and Vermaelen, in the sense that both of them require someone else to be the dominant CB. Gabriel was far worse than Koscielny was in my opinion. And even Bellerin and Monreal didn’t have great games. But I also think it’s useless arguing over who was a worse defender on the day. The real issue is that Wenger didn’t play Mertesacker. Something I genuinely cannot comprehend. If we are playing a team that has a history of excessive physical pressure +… Read more »
It doesn’t matter who we played. If we weren’t going to nullify West Hams main threat then it honesty doesn’t matter if it’s Gabriel or Per. We let those cunts fizz balls in at our back four all afternoon. Fucking Carroll didn’t even have to work hard to score those 3 goals. This is basic fucking football. It’s not even Premier League standard to know that when you’ve just conceded a goal, and there is two minutes till half time, sit in your shape, get organised and keep your discipline. But we ignored bog standard footballing knowledge and continued to… Read more »
How many times will our players point out the same weaknesses? It’s been fucking years and we still haven’t sorted out our problems.
It’s becoming extremely tedious watching the same shit over and over again. Please go Arsene.
Koscielny backing off and giving him time to set himself and pull off the acrobatics inside the box for the 2nd goal is just as bad for me.
Wenger out. Bergkamp in.
It may not work but at least it’s a change from same old every year.
“At least it’s a change”? You could bring in Tim Sherwood on that logic. This kind of complacency is dangerous – the idea that we can bring in anyone because things can’t get any worse. There are about ninety teams below us in the Football League who will tell you that it can. I think Wenger should be replaced but I also acknowledge that there is a risk in doing so, and finding the right candidate is vital. It’s a risk I’m willing to take in an attempt to go to the next level. You and the likes of DT… Read more »
What risk? Never challenging for the title, never getting past the last 16 in the Champions League, winning the FA Cup every decade if we get a lucky draw. Oh, I forgot, that’s already us. “Risk” lmao
What risk ??? How about not being in the title race not even getting in the champions league, just like United who we are told have a world class manager who has spent close to a quarter of a BILLION pound to be 6th!!!!!
“At least it’s a change” is at the core of the mentality of most of the Wenger Outs..
As for the rest of you miserable self entitled children, keep throwing your toys out the pram every year we don’t win one of two possible worthy titles, and enjoy your lives. Or not.
IMO, along with beautiful attacking play, one critical factor that the board must consider when seeking a Wenger replacement is that the man’s key strength must be in the area of arguably Wenger’s greatest weakness; tactical acumen. We need someone who will have the level of micro-managing players for all types of specific scenarios. If you know the opponent will go for height against our CBs, then bring in your tallest and physically matching CB, instruct your fullbacks to not venture forward as much, and maybe even bring an extra energetic CM or player to play on the wing with… Read more »
Low hasn’t really proven himself in a club team in the long run. Maybe that Tuchel guy from Dortmund? Also when you want a guy that excels in Wengers weaknesses you also need to take into account the strengths Wenger has (man management skills, developing players, getting them play fluid attacking football etc…) it is easy to concentrate on one of his weaknesses and expect everything to be fine when you bring in a guy that is a better tactician. It’s the whole package that matters.
If you really think that Pep is known for changing formations or such from game to game, you are truly out of the loop. Not a knock on Pep at all, but he’s exactly like Wenger being devoted till death to sticking to the same regardless of opponent.
The dumbest comment I’ve seen in all my years on this site, equating Wenger and pep’s coaching and tactics.
@Lass.
Well ofcourse those other factors go without saying.
@An Ox-Sized Coq
Really? So tell me, what formation does he use?
Is it just me or do we resemble a team of wimpy pussies? I just don’t see any commitment in the challenges. I constantly see our players pulling out of 50/50s or sticking out a foot with their eyes closed. I don’t feel the passion to win the ball at all costs, put yourself on the line for the team. West ham won so many of those, and it seems to be a real crux against lessor teams. Teams in the other half know the way to beat Arsenal is to play hard. I’m fed up of watching our boys… Read more »
About Wenger’s man management: I think the players a bit too comfortable at Arsenal. Wenger loves his players, which is nice, but we have too many guys who (as that weasel Nasri said once) are happy to take a paycheck and wait their turn. Yes, we all liked Abou Diaby, but what other team would have carried him so long? Giving Walcott contracts after his subpar output and self-interested jerking Arsenal around was a poor idea. Selling him would send a message about production and work rate. Do we need a guy who won’t play defense, and who thinks a… Read more »
Joel Campbell would have helped Bellerin out massively.
yawn. next excuse please.
Not really sure there’s anything we could have done to stop Carrol’s headers yesterday to be honest though.. The 2nd one could have but 1st and 2nd goals are unstoppable once the ball comes in and you can’t stop every cross, it’s impossible.
1st and 3rd*
Great photo
He’s right. Look at the successful clubs, strikers/attacking players are the first defenders when pressing defenders/midfielders in possession. There’s this “back four” myth, the truth is if you ask modern managers like Guardiola or Mou or Klopp they’ll tell you the non-possession part is a COLLECTIVE work, everyone have to defend/press and then, when the ball is won, counter attack. Is this extremely simple (but physical demanding) task that is helping Leicester winning the title. And I said “modern managers” for a reason. AW has a romantic idea of “dreamy” football that would’ve worked in the 2000’s (which it did),… Read more »
Arsenal has played with the whole team defending like you describe in some matches this season (Barcelona, United, city, Bayern home games). It just seems that when the opponent isn’t a top 4 team the attackers seem to relax and think that the defence will handle it. Underestimating the opponent has cost a lot of points this season
Yesterday, during the Spurs v United match, Mata gave a free kick which amounted to nothing, however in a few seconds allowed for a Spurs counter attack which, had not MATA tracked back, would have definitely resulted in a goal… Sometimes I feel like the manager gives the players too much freedom and he forgets that attacking players need to be taught, and told what to do defensively. Otherwise they will remain up front waiting for the ball.
Whilst to argue football hasn’t moved on absurd. But look at Leicester leading table playing 442 !
All of Wenger best teams were 442!
( Even the fa cup win against hull city came after we went 442 ( Giroud and sanogo)
Even this weekend we equalized when attacking and playing 442 ( 424 ) for last 30 minutes with Ramsey and Ibowi in midfield .
Sometimes I think Wenger should go retro and go 442 worked for us them. And if not us that season worked for fergie and manure and Leicester now
Hopes of the title are over now in my opinion. We need to finish as high as possible (preferably above Spurs) and avoid a CL qualifier next season.
No chance of finishing above SP*RS. They have more stamina and greater cohesiveness. Let’s just hope the Gunners can manage 3rd!
To be fair, I agree with Kosceilny. After wham’s first goal you’d think giving a player any time at all to pick out the perfect cross would be imperative for the entire team. No one on the pitch can match him in the air so make it as awkward as possible for players to get accurate crosses in. Basics. Alexis gets the blame for not tracking for the first but actually, if Coq had charged over to close down instead of sauntering over, Cresswell almost certainly would have had to check and come back on his right foot or hurried… Read more »
Off topic but your username is killing me hahaha
Yes but that still does not explain what Sanchez did in the box when he had a chance to win it.
You leave a defender in you wake, the goal at your mercy then again you dribble your way back to the defender??
Unforgivable from Sanchez!
He is still in Post Injury Hangover. Sanchez is no Suarez but he also isn’t a Charlie Austin. Could have shot from his left foot. Should have!
I think this is actually an Arsenal trademark play. They all more or less do this. Like the dillydallying-with-the-ball-in-your-area-until-you-get-dispossessed style or the counter-only-until halfway-line-and-then-cut-back-and-pass-around style.
What Eddie said.
Expect I think you may have missed one:
the ‘when-in-a-shooting-position-pass-to-your-team-mate-who-is-in-an-offensively-less-dangerous-position-than-you’ style.
Yeah, but when ball is delivered, you still need to jump to be able to try to stop an attacker from getting access to the ball? So many times we just see “frog jump” from our defenders with face in opposite direction as if they are attacked by a Fire ball from Mars.
Give Kos the armband next season. Somebody who can speak out.
Cech
nice goal Kos … almost as good as the FA Cup final leveller v Hull in 2014
For me i would say arsenal fc played well to get two goals although a few disallowed goals and offsides i look at carroll on gabriels goals twice deflected hatricks oi coyg kosc
Good to see ozil best assist rate in prem gd goals lads
Not being crazy but if bergkamp managed arsenal fc would he fly for big games and attend far away games coyg. Talent
Hahàaa
World class comment! (Not to mention a very relevant wuestion..)
Sorry about typo….hungover….
lmfaooooo
yaa. arsenal can still win the title but all arsenal players are very lazy. they still lack character as well as team work.
I’m at the stage now where I don’t care who gets the managers job, as long as they show some fucking passion. Of course AW has been fantastic for what he has done for the club, but why the fuck will he not push on and take us to the next level, why are we always 2 or 3 players short? The final nail for me was the Saurez bid, £1 above the supposed buy out clause, we should have made an offer that was impossible to turn down, doesn’t matter if he wanted to come or not, it would… Read more »
Passion. /rollseyes
Passion wasn’t the reason why Wenger did not set up the team to limit WHs strength.
Passion was not why he didn’t figure out that maybe, derided as he may be, against Carroll, Per was the better CB option.
If anything, Wenger has too much passion; passion and love. It’s modern thinking we need.
I’m talking about instilling passion in the players, if you think that’s not an issue you need to open your eyes, we seem to have lost our passion, our fighting spirit, and our desire to fight with our lives to hang on to a lead
Why would he pay more than the buy out clause?
The problem was that there was no buyout clause.
You can’t really blame the CB’s for losing aerial duels to Carroll, even if they didn’t have convincing performances aside from that. At the same time you can’t blame the wide players only for not tracking back. Why were they not tracking back? I doubt that Alexis and Iwobi would, of their own accord, decide against West Ham away of all games is the day we disobey direct team tactics and ignore our defensive duties. Clearly whatever tactical setup we chose was wrong and wasn’t rectified over the course of the game. It’s not like their first goal was the… Read more »
Thought Sanchez not tracking back was a offensive tactic that worked eg 2-0 up . He did not track cress well every time and so made a slower member of west hams back five move across, to challenge him. This up setting the West Ham back five which then we passed and moved through on the break – see ozil goal, Sanchez, lots of chances welbeck should have done better with -. Started by Sanchez staying near half way line and allowing cress well to go one on one with eith bellerin and making Sanchez have lots of space to… Read more »
Wrighty the womaniser is very gd analysis like rio both lv footie on this v hammers game plenty of needed cards especially carroll he red defo watch but he got away man i tell you this elny bellerin and we need slide tackles no backing away from incoming pressure towards goal deflect crunch tackles coyg oi nacho
Wrighty the womaniser???
What’s that got to do in any way with his professional career??
English please
Chav?
Assuming Cech was fit, and he was fit enough for the bench a week ago, the decision to play Ospina is the most indefensible of any Arsene has made this season. If anyone can provide a genuine reason why that was wise I’d love to hear it. It seems that a passive air surrounds the club at the moment and no one is willing or able to address it. Pick Ospina, Cech should be asking Arsene ‘are you fuckin mental?’ Watch Alexis repeatedly refuse to track back, haul him off and bench him until he’s willing to do what’s asked… Read more »
Ospina or Cech is not the problem, crosses to the penalty point must be controlled by defenders and that us a issue for Arsenal
Carroll should have been sent off for the first challenge on Koscielny.It’s something that has crept into the PL this season & I for one do not like it,nasty spiteful challenges that push the referees & the rules to the limit.If you can’t get the ball leave your foot in & get the ankle,shin,knee or anything else within reach!If I want to see football played like that I’ll pop over to my local park on a Sunday morning & watch it for nothing!The Spuds are second in the league & also have the second highest number of yellow cards this… Read more »
So agree. Carroll’s final kick out at Kos was clearly intentional and just malicious, a blatant attempt to injure him — It’s bound to affect the defender for a while if not the rest of the match, having studs raked down the back of his hamstring when the game’s only a few minutes old. Get the foul in quickly, when the ref is less likely to show a red card, and even Kos is going to think twice before going in for a 50-50 tackle next time? Subconsciously at least, he’s bound to. As you say, there’s a lot of… Read more »
Adaptation… End of chat.
Wenger is long in the tooth enough in this business but how he did not sub on Mertesacker/Giroud earlier to deal with Westham clear as day aerial superiority is beyond me.
Oh wait…It is not, has he not got the balls, were we not chasing 8 straight wins.
Sacrifices had to be made, get Gab off put Mert on Carroll.
Then what’s with your best keeper on the bench at such an important game?.
As much as we lament fine margins on the pitch, Wenger has continuously fucked us over with his ‘genius’
Tell us something we don’t know. Maybe they should have had that conversation with each other before the game not in an interview after pissing away a 2 goal lead. I’m sorry but it’s not quality but mentality. This team cannot win a league. First time I’m admitting that to myself. BTW has AW given his conceding the title interview yet? Over to us the fans. What are we going to do about it? Nothing stupid or violent. I would never advocate it. Time to consider a walk out? We have done the support your team thing and it hasn’t… Read more »
Guys, football has changed so much these days but not the ideas of Arsene. just analyse all the teams I n EPL or in Europe that bettered the results against us, they always had a game plan..Chelsea, Swansea, West Ham yesterday and Zagreb CL and the list can just go on. I was fortunate enough to chat with our Mr Arsenal, Tony and he said that Arsen always asked the team to focus on our skills, strengths, qualities and play the beautiful way. What? So no strategy to look out and look after Carol and his strengths. Koscielny was right… Read more »
Incredible that they made the same mistake 4 times, all resulting in the ball inside the net. Also incredible that Wenger should put Gabriel rather than Metersacker for a game like this one, knowing their strength will be with the crossing. Gabriel seems like a decent defender on tackles and one on ones. But he is woeful for crossing and positioning and he is still being bundled off the ball easily. He is extremely lucky the referee blew for a Caroll foul when he deliberately extended his leg to trip Carol like that. Could have been another shameful red card.… Read more »
its odd that now after the fact, so many are so wise that Per should have been selected ahead of Gabriel, didn’t Gabriel have another big powerful striker in his pocket only two games ago, – Lukaku – also managed very well against Deeny and Ighalo in the Watford game, but all these after the fact experts knew he should have been dropped. by the way Carroll scored the first by beating Koscielny and Monreal to the ball, and his third was beating Bellerin in the air, why is Gabriel being singled out. WHU were allowed the time and space… Read more »
Anyone but spuds.
Thing is it never got any better in the second half did it. Wtf did they talk about at half time thats what i wanna know.
Cech, please!!
My assessment of this squad’s capabilities will be based on what we’ve done up until this point. Let’s face it, none of us will be surprised if we win the bulk of our remaining games. What we shouldn’t do is look at those wins in isolation going into next season.
Make no mistake about it, this team will have the same problems next season unless somehow there are major changes to its mentality and/or personnel.
“What you talking about”
Seriously? Thumbing me down, look at the picture mate, glotta have a little bit of humour with all these dark clouds around…
I thought it was a classic comment for us of a certain age. 🙂
Can’t help but feel a lot of the comments come from people who are unaware of the pre-Wenger era
nah I’m 23 and different strokes was a classic 🙂
Ps. After reading what that fat walrus said about us, I hope Leicester rip him a giant new arsehole to talk out of. Dick.
Team spirit, organisation, determination, fight, passion, Leicester city put us to shame, no doubt we have better quality players overall, but in some areas we are seriously seriously lacking.
Ok I am going to come out and say it:
I am an Arsenal fan and I need help!
Come on Arsenal you can win this!
I think Slaven Bilic said once after Croatia beat England, that usually it matters little what formation you play, as long as you defend as a unit and attack as a unit. It’s a team game, not black and white between the defence and attack. Our full backs need to assist when attacking but equally the wide men need to track the opposition fullback when they break forward. No idea why Sanchez has seemingly lowered his work rate / defensive work although it may be a tactical thing from Wenger to ensure he’s forward when needed. There’s a balance to… Read more »
Thanks naz for a bit of common sense. Sanchez and Ozil just don’t have the heart to defend. That’s the reason they were realised from Spanish clubs. AW appears fearful of substituting them whatever situation arises. At 2nil Gibbs and Ramsey would have Closed down the midfield and cut out the delivery to Carroll.
Are you genuinely suggesting at 2-0 up taking off both goalscorers, one of whom is our most creative player?
fair shout to a degree I’d have taken off Sanchez and put on Campbell. Left Ozil on.
Must be true, cause Neymar and Messi are the best in world at tracking back…
My god, Sunderland are playing like a hungry pack of wolves chasing the fox. If only we had the same passion. It would be hilarious if with our underwhelming result we gained a point on Leicester.
yeah, at the time it all looked kind of promising for sunderland, at this time, following the results from today, I just feel sick
I think the jury is still out on gabriel but as wenger said kos is a silent leader. We need a vocal CB good at marshalling the defence to partner with Kos.
If Mertesacker is willing keep him as backup and Chambers too.
Shocking comments from Koscielny. You take it as a team, you don’t go pointing at your team mates deficiencies, especially when you’re the captain.
Look at your own game Koscielny you numpty.
It would maybe be a good time to give Chambers a run as CB. Gabriel has looked far from an elite PL CB in important matches this season. He could still improve but his partnership with Koscielny seems to bring out the worst out of each other. His passing is far from impressive too, seems to hit the ground often before the ball
I pity Arsene. I coach my daughters U6 team, and the girls spend half the time waving to their parents, playing with the grass, or wandering around aimlessly while I yell at them to pay attention. I’m not saying it’s the same, but I understand.
Best comment I’ve seen here.
Have to say I am a bit concerned about you “yelling” at young children, not a great introduction to sport for the girls?
It’s not about having fun, it’s about winning. how else are England going to compete at international competitions if the grassroots goes all soft?
You can only say nicely “turn around, the ball’s behind you,” so many times before you have to raise your voice.
We need a voice in the dressing room to say these things. The players need to treat each other equally and not have hierarchy. Clearly Sanchez thinks he can walk on water. He needs to understand that his defensive duties. Tony Adams would certainly let his fellow players what was expected of them!
Here’s a question, does anyone think that Mertesacker and Cech are being punished by the manager for their part in calling the team meeting that was held behind his back? I don’t think either player has played since
I still dont understand why we can not win the EPL even when City,United,Che
lsea and Liverpool are out of the picture. every seasons big money clubs win the league and wenger gets an excuse about how they spend big and bought the league this season if leicester won I wonder whome he’s gonna blame.
I find the notion that its up to the manager to motivate the players laughable, if a player is not self motivated to give his all every time he plays, then he don’t deserve to win titles. As Tony Woodcock said a few years ago, 100% effort (not performance), should be a given for any player playing for Arsenal or any big club. No one should have to tell a player he needs to give his all for the team. where I would ask questions from Wenger on player motivation is, when players are not giving their all, does he… Read more »
Any way you cut it motivation is the managers job, whether that be through direct management skills or signing the players with the requisite self motivation.
When Wenger leaves, whenever that may happen, I want Klopp. Then I want Ibrahimovic to play his last season or seasons with us. And I want to see more of Joel Campbell. Where was he during yesterdays debacle
The irrationality of many knows no bound. Change because it can’t get any worse? Cos it can. We could be like City, United or Chelsea this season. All this bollocks about Pep coming in or Klopp. Liverpool are still where they are since 1992. In fact they have fallen off top 4. Klopp isn’t going to get them any closer this season. There have been a succession of managers who were touted as the next big thing for them. Rodgers remember? We were told all were better than Wenger. What about Chelsea this season. Runaway champions last season. Spent again… Read more »
Or Management change could turn out like Leicester, Spurs, and West Ham!
A lot of blah blah wenger is sabotaging arsenal together with that squint eyedfrom USA the players just playing average game can’t defend can’t shoot CAN’T WIN lasy bunch defending like kids look at try or cahill throwing themselves to the the ground to stop the shots those are defenders we need
St Tott’s day seems a long shot! 🙁
My first year as an Arsenal fan that I’m likely to not experience it.