Laurent Koscielny says he believes Arsenal know who they want to boost the squad next season, and that they’ll go after those targets regardless of where we finish this current campaign.
The Gunners are staring Europa League football in the face, and require everything to go their way in the final week of the season to avoid that fate.
Nevertheless, the French international is sure that the squad will be strengthened this summer.
“I think that they know the players they want,” he said.
“They know for a long time so I think if we are qualified or not for the Champions League they have targets in their head and they will do everything to have the best players for us, a player who can help the team to be better and who can change the team to have some more positive results for this club.
“Would Kolasinac do that? I hope!”
Of course the situation is made complicated by the lack of clarity over the managerial situation, something Koscielny admits is not ideal for the players.
“It is a difficult situation, we don’t know what happening with the boss,” he said. “But we are professional, we are salaried to this club and we just want to have the best result for this club – not to think about other situations or this situation of the boss.
“We are all in the same boat and the captain is Arsenal. We need to fight for this club and don’t think about what is happening with the boss or the players.
“This is a situation, maybe some players don’t feel great, but you need to be focused on our job and have the best results for Arsenal.”
I can’t imagine watching Arsenal play in Europa league, whichever way I will surely continue to watch and support my team
Have you ever watched Europa League? The level is good and there is less cheating…
Less cheating by UEFA perhaps- but when teams like spuds and united play in that league, there are sure to be many, many cheats (rooney, alli, etc).
Last time (it was called the UEFA Cup back then) was when we finished 3rd in the CL group stage in 1999, and dropped down into it. We played some good teams and reached the final (though the less said about the final, the better). In fact, Arsenal have been in the UEFA Cup 3 times under Arsene Wenger — people forget that.
Kind of depressing in a way isn’t it? Might do us some good who knows, but yes of course the support goes on!
Rarely gets the credit he deserves. I see so many people just missing Kos out for their top 10 defenders in the world list and when Sol said that he would have made it in the invincibles squad I felt really happy that at least someone out there recognizes what this man is for the club and what a brilliant player he is. Kept Bayern attack quite for the time he was on the pitch 3 times he was on the pitch 2-0 1-1 1-0 in our last 4 games against them and without him 5-1 (did not start) 4-0… Read more »
I wouldn’t swap him for any other CB in the world. And i usually refrain from such bold statements about Arsenal players as we’re obviously all pretty biased but he’s the exception. Were he in a better team (not slagging the rest off just being realistic) he’d have gone down as one of the best defenders in Premier League history, i have no doubt about it. Pisses me off so much when these moronic pundits tell everyone how Arsenal only have one ‘world class’ (yawn) player in Sanchez- occasionally Ozil.
I always saw I bit of the Tony Adams about him. I know he had a mistake in him when he first came, but he’s reading of the game got better & better. I hope we get a few more years out of him yet & he can be a great influence on Holding.
He’s good but not as good as Adams or Sol, not even sure he’s as good as Toure in his pomp. Ferdinand was better as well. They all gave away a lot less penalties and collected less red cards too. But he’s far and away better than all the defenders we have had recently, which makes him look even better
He’s one of Arsene’s best ever Arsenal signings’.
Talking about the Invincibles, it’s interesting that Kolo Toure
is currently on the verge of completing another unbeaten season,
this time with Celtic.
I know Kolo may not have been playing for them every week, and
that the Scottish Premier League has it’s shortcomings, to put it
mildly, but surely he’ll be in an exclusive group, if Celtic do complete
the season unbeaten. After all, having two unbeaten title winning
seasons on your CV doesn’t come along often, as far as I am aware.
I have targets in my head, too.
Leaders can lead by example
And Koscielny sets one of the best examples in the world.
Capt. Kos is a true leader on the pitch and even says the right things off it. But i guess its the same spin doctor wenger uses. COME ON YOU RIP ROARING REDDDDS
Kolasinac is a good start for free. Gibbs is not good enough and Monreal is getting on. We also need to add more creative players regardless of whether Ozil and/or Alexis leave. Plus the midfield needs a player who can penetrate the vertical. I think we can concentrate on the probability that we are in Europa league. We will have to cut our cloth accordingly. Konoplyanka at Schalke (on loan from Sevilla) is a player we should be looking at. Maybe Bakayoko from Monaco for midfield. Get them quick before some of the other teams come around. There will be… Read more »
Your comments read identically on ever single story? How many times have you mentioned Konoplyanka this week? He isn’t of the required quality, and we have an abundance of ‘wide players’ who’d like to play centrally. I’m thinking Iwobi, Ox, etc. As for Bakayoko, you mean the Chelsea target and current Monaco player that reached the semis of this year’s CL? You must be kidding. As for vertical passes, Xhaka clearly has the range to execute this. Far more important is someone who can operate between the lines and contribute in deeper areas, playing quick 1-2’s at any depth necessary,… Read more »
I haven’t heard his name spoken but if City want to get rid of Aguero (whether Sanchez leaves or not) than I’d love him at the club. He is fast, scores goals and would interchange really well with Alexis and Ozil. Would rather spend 40 mil on him than 70 mil on Mbappe, 85 mil on Griezman or Obameyang.
he’s 30 mil cheaper because his hamstrings are now made of ham. Injured all the time–still a great player, but we don’t need to have ANOTHER injury prone star… do we…?
We need to bring in players with different qualities than most of our current players. We need pragmatic players who don’t panic when pressure is on, who put winning ahead of individual goals, who play their role and are positionally sound, who are focused on winning no matter who the opponent is. Players who can influence their teammates so there is no more underestimating the opponent, no more panic and chaos on defense, no more naivety, no more bombing forward looking to score when defending a one-goal lead in stoppage time, no more roaming out of position, no more waiting… Read more »