The Francis Coquelin Thread

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

a few months ago it seemed as if the lad was out the door. Fast forward to January, and with the club dying for an athletic, dynamic, tough tackling defensive midfielder, comes Francis Coquelin.

I've had him man of the match every game he's started since he's come back. It's good to have someone doing their defensive midfield duties properly. There's clearly been a gaping hole in the middle for 10 years.

It involved some luck, as it usually does with Wenger nowadays it seems, because a few injuries meant we had no choice but to recall him. But I think I speak for everyone when I say the team feels much more at ease and has better shape when he's in the middle, battling away.

The only player I've seen do what he did to Man City's midfield is Matic when Mourinho masterminded a win there last season.

Here's hoping for a great future.



http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Francis+Coquelin+Arsenal+v+Benfica+Ki5uR_LI3gNl.jp g



http://www.arsenal.com/assets/_files/scaled/510x250/oct_11/gun__1319544847_coquelin02.jpg



http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/01/19/24D1DA6300000578-0-image-a-2_1421664411775.jpg

[Globalgunner]

Has he signed yet?
Dont want to get my hopes up

[Marc Overmars]

Hopefully he signs because he's going to be a dead cert now to start most games with Arteta crocked.

Even WUMger knows how dreadful Flamini is.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Has he signed yet?
Dont want to get my hopes up

:doh: Completely forgot his contract runs out in the summer and he hasn't even signed yet.

Sell him, he's shit.

[Master Splinter]

Even WUMger knows how dreadful Flamini is.

Does he?

He's been playing him for 18 months when playing with another non-defensive midfielder wouldn't have made any difference and would actually have improved our fluency. He brought him on last week against Citeh too.

And do not forget WUMger persists with players under-performing or who are clearly out of their depth until they pick up an injury or they get booed by their own fans. See: Ozil, Santos, Vermaelen, Eboue and Chambers at anywhere but CB where he was actually performing well.

Flamini will pub it up good for a while yet. And WUMger will be enjoying the disaster on show.

[Niall_Quinn]

Who is his agent? If it's one of those semi-gangster, wide boy types then he's gone. If he gives a shit about the player then it's a tricky one. He'll definitely need to be promoted ahead of Flamini for the remainder of the season or else why would he stick around? If he gets picked, continues to play well, has a semi-human agent and Wenger is locked in a cupboard for 4 months and replaced by a cardboard cutout then I can see him signing.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Who is his agent? If it's one of those semi-gangster, wide boy types then he's gone. If he gives a shit about the player then it's a tricky one. He'll definitely need to be promoted ahead of Flamini for the remainder of the season or else why would he stick around? If he gets picked, continues to play well, has a semi-human agent and Wenger is locked in a cupboard for 4 months and replaced by a cardboard cutout then I can see him signing.

Agreed.

Thanks Flamini for coming in last season and adding bite to the midfield. I mean we were top for 128 with him in the middle, no surprise that we went downhill when his legs went towards the 2nd half of the season and Arteta came in.

Flamini is now well and truly past it. Time to step up Coq.

[selassie]

He'll probably walk on a free at the end of the season and sign for City knowing our luck!

[Niall_Quinn]

He'll probably walk on a free at the end of the season and sign for City knowing our luck!

He could keep Sagna company.

Surely the Sagna lesson has sunk in with a few players by now?

[AFC Leveller]

Sagna :lol:

I remember him.

[selassie]

He could keep Sagna company.

Surely the Sagna lesson has sunk in with a few players by now?

You would hope so but our lot keep going over there.

[AFC Leveller]

Coq is better than the current "pretend" DCMs we have and we should definitely keep him. He looks assured and loves to ge stuck in and do the dirty work so to speak.

He's still 24 or so and has plenty of time to develop properly.

[Dein-machine]

If he goes, he goes. He tackles well & he has bite but his passing & decision making is suspect. Plus the fact we've really still seen too little of him to know if he is the answer. We would just need to replace with a proper DM, not somebody that Wenger thinks he can turn into a DM like Arteta.

[hobson's choice]

I really don't understand how he hasn't gotten more chances at this club. He's always performed well to me, whenever he played, and he's versatile, can stick him at RB if needed. Hope he signs, and keeps his spot, when the others come back.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

When you consider Denilson's run in the side it is particularly hard to see why Coquelin hasn't at least been kept in the squad here for longer.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Don't think he was good enough tbh. It's only this season he seems to have stepped up.

Previous to that I didn't think he was good at all tbh. Don't share that other posters sentiments.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

In a sense little has changed. Let's not forget, he GOT in the side to begin with by default rather than by catching the eye of the manager. Had we not been cursed by some bitter Mourinho loving, Spurs worshipping witch, we'd have have had more fit players, Wenger would never have turned to him and many people would still think he's crap. Once he was in the side though, he started by being solid and not making too many mistakes and built from there doing the simple things well and tackling with aggression.

To my mind solid, hard working and reliable is how most of his games for us have been to date (also why he tends to be a good full back).....he's just never really enjoyed a run in the side to build on any of it.

I'm not saying he is THE answer,but I certainly see a player who can remain in the squad and at no real cost to us.

[Özil's Panoramic View]

1 good game in 7 seasons.... not enough to change my mind just yet, tbh. Enough for Wenger to reward him with a bumper contract, though. Bit deja vu?

That said, he seems to be here for the long haul now, so can only wish him continued improvement in our shirt.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Agreed a 4 year deal apparently.

Great news.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Second that.

[selassie]

Happy to hear he has agreed to sign da ting. He was very good again today.

[Power n Glory]

1 good game in 7 seasons.... not enough to change my mind just yet, tbh. Enough for Wenger to reward him with a bumper contract, though. Bit deja vu?

That said, he seems to be here for the long haul now, so can only wish him continued improvement in our shirt.

Prior to the City game, what games did you see where Coquelin stood out as a particularly bad player? I don't recall him ever having a run in the team where he looked a total liability and left everyone with the sort of impression that has everyone writing off Sanogo.

[AFC Leveller]

Massive improvement from him in the last few months.

Just love the way he tackles.

[AFC Leveller]

Prior to the City game, what games did you see where Coquelin stood out as a particularly bad player? I don't recall him ever having a run in the team where he looked a total liability and left everyone with the sort of impression that has everyone writing off Sanogo.

I remember him coming on at Anfield in December and looking like a headless chicken but thats about it.

[Power n Glory]

I remember him coming on at Anfield in December and looking like a headless chicken but thats about it.

So that's one sub appearance where he played for around 10 minutes. Not really fair to say 1 good game in 7 seasons.

[AFC Leveller]

So that's one sub appearance where he played for around 10 minutes. Not really fair to say 1 good game in 7 seasons.

Yeah i dont know where people are getting this from, he was never given a proper chance and was always 3rd or 4th choice.

I think he realises that he has a really good chance of becoming a first teamer this season with Arteta shit and injured and Flamini a headless chicken. TBF, if you knew you were 3rd choice no matter what, would you really give your all when you are 5 or 10 mins max? now that he knows he has a great chance, he is taking it with both hands.

[Power n Glory]

Yeah i dont know where people are getting this from, he was never given a proper chance and was always 3rd or 4th choice.

I think he realises that he has a really good chance of becoming a first teamer this season with Arteta shit and injured and Flamini a headless chicken. TBF, if you knew you were 3rd choice no matter what, would you really give your all when you are 5 or 10 mins max? now that he knows he has a great chance, he is taking it with both hands.

It's unfair and from what I've seen, prior to this season, he's always been tidy on the ball and not afraid to tackle. Before going on loan, I remember seeing him live where he had the sort of game we've seen over the past few weeks.

I read this morning that he may have been loaned out because he didn't believe he was a holding player and that's where he may have butted heads with the manager. Not sure how true that is. I think I read it in the Mirror.

Glad he's getting his shot now. Plenty of players that look promising that just don't get a good run. Campbell is the most recent example but some fans always assume that they're not good enough if they're not playing.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Yeah i dont know where people are getting this from, he was never given a proper chance and was always 3rd or 4th choice.

I think he realises that he has a really good chance of becoming a first teamer this season with Arteta shit and injured and Flamini a headless chicken. TBF, if you knew you were 3rd choice no matter what, would you really give your all when you are 5 or 10 mins max? now that he knows he has a great chance, he is taking it with both hands.

:lol:

[Power n Glory]

When you consider Denilson's run in the side it is particularly hard to see why Coquelin hasn't at least been kept in the squad here for longer.

Fab said this not so long ago to the press.

It’s something I never understood. Denilson would get game after game regardless and Song was very close to being our 3rd choice CB. If it wasn’t for injuries, I doubt Song would have got a game at DM because Wenger wasn’t convinced he had the stamina for the role. This quote from Fab may explain why some players get games.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/554345/Cesc-Fabregas-Arsene-Wenger-compliment


Wenger has always had an uncanny talent of unearthing young talent, and Fabregas believes this is his greatest quality.

"I will always be grateful," Fabregas said.

"For a young player he is the best coach in the world.

"You make a mistake and he includes you (in the team), you make another mistake and he includes you, you get booed and he includes you.

"He doesn't care. He believes in you. He always had confidence in me."

He’ll hold confidence in a player and believe in them even when that player has none for himself. But I think he holds off from playing guys that have more confidence and tell him they think they’re ready.

[Master Splinter]

I'm not sure there's any consistency or logic to his favourites system, either with seniors or youngsters.

He's just a bit mental. And always has been in fairness. For both good and bad. All geniuses are.

[Heisenberg]

I want Coquelin to succeed and claim his place, not for any pragmatic reasons but just because I want "Coq blocking" to be part of the football lexicon.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

Wenger confirms he has signed a new contract along with Chuba.

After years of players leaving it's great that they are now signing contracts and staying.

[Master Splinter]

Pleasant article on Coquelin.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/may/09/francis-coquelin-arsenal-king-counter-bling

Coquelin :bow:.

[Syn]

Wenger deserves a lot of credit for many things that are going right atm but I have absolutely no doubt that Wenger has utterly fluked this. Wasn't considered good enough by Wenger or Ferguson and yet Welbeck is. Shows how fine the margins are at the top level. Timing of opportunities is everything. Think he has been consistent for long enough now to prove that this is his level. And if that's the case, you wouldn't swap him for any DM in the league right now. Coquelin and Bellerin becoming top players have really transformed the quality of the first team.

[Power n Glory]

Total fluke!

[AFC Leveller]

Wenger deserves a lot of credit for many things that are going right atm but I have absolutely no doubt that Wenger has utterly fluked this. Wasn't considered good enough by Wenger or Ferguson and yet Welbeck is. Shows how fine the margins are at the top level. Timing of opportunities is everything. Think he has been consistent for long enough now to prove that this is his level. And if that's the case, you wouldn't swap him for any DM in the league right now. Coquelin and Bellerin becoming top players have really transformed the quality of the first team.

Both he and Bellerin have given us a freshness and a new dimension.

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Just went on another thread and posted how I would like to see either Kondogbia or Schneiderlin but Coq has been immense since being drafted in and he could equally be given a chance and if he is I would not be unhappy