3 – One Player Does Make All The Difference
Laurent Koscielny. I’m beginning to run out of words to describe this man and by god did he let us know he was back and ready to challenge for the title.
Easily our best player on the pitch at the King Power, his dominance in defence is something that will play such a big part when it comes to taking a point or losing all three.
Graced with the captain’s armband and raring to go after an extended break following the Euro’s, this now looks to be the experienced leader we’ve been crying out for.
I’ve just read a stat that Leicester had one shot on target in the whole game, and that came in the 92nd minute.
For a side lacking confidence it’s a performance like his that we needed to reassure the disheartened supporters that things aren’t a disaster in defence.
We’ll welcome Mustafi in this week but what was more impressive is how he managed to get the best out of young defender, Rob Holding, who was far more switched on.
That’s what I like about the Frenchman, he’s always alert and is literally teaching players whilst on the pitch, not to mention against the Premier League champions.
People will argue that it was only a point, but it could’ve been a whole lot worse if Koscielny hadn’t pocketed Jamie Vardy for the majority of the game.
Vardy wasn’t given a sniff at goal and you could tell that there was 10% more of a desire to stop the striker from scoring, after he turned the Gunners down earlier this summer.
Koscielny and Mustafi will make a phenomenal defensive duo but what’s more important is the role he’s now taken on as vice-captain, he’s now the man who the youth look to.
Not Mertesacker, not Vermaelen, not Arteta. A player that is performing at the top of his game both on and off the pitch, and that can only be a good thing for the clubs future.
Want more Arsenal views like this? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook!