da lvbet： Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hailed Francis Coquelin’s contribution to the team over the last few weeks. It’s unsurprising really. As Arsenal’s turbulent season continues, a 2-0 win at the Etihad restored confidence in the manager, and then a dismal defeat at home to Monaco in the Champions League has taken it away.
da esport bet： One bright spot of the last few weeks has been the uncovering of Coquelin, however. An actual, real life, defensive midfielder gracing the pitch at the Emirates!
Coquelin has indeed been impressive, and after sustaining a broken nose in a clash with teammate Olivier Giroud against Everton last weekend, the French midfielder wore a protective mask in the 2-1 win over QPR in midweek.
In quotes reported by the London Evening Standard, Wenger said that despite his injury, Coquelin did not want to be left out of the team and was determined to hold onto his place. Speaking of Coquelin’s recent success, the manager added:
‘the human being is a strange animal – the more you have suffered before, the more you enjoy it’
In fact, this might just sum up Wenger!
Take the finding of this new defensive midfielder, as an example. For so long fans have been vainly calling for Wenger to bring in a midfielder to sit in front of the back four while Arsenal’s orchestra of number 10s create beautiful attacking moves up front.
[ad_pod id=’football-friends’ align=’center’]
What they may be celebrating, though, is a new, pragmatic Arsenal. Albeit, celebrating mutedly after the horror show that was the Champions League game against Monaco.
But the win over City was done in such a way that the Arsenal fans probably enjoyed that particular victory more than most of their recent ones – and Wenger will have too. It was the first time in recent memory that Wenger had set his team up to stifle the opposition, and the success of this was due in no small part to Coquelin.
Wenger’s tactics and team selection worked and he was widely praised, even managing to pacify some of the fans calling for his head. For a while at least.
Equally, the Gunners’ first trophy in nine years did a similar trick for Wenger. Along with signings like Alexis Sanchez, it bought him a few months of good will.
Clinching fourth place has also been celebrated like winning a trophy. There have been heaps of jokes about this fact, but in seasons like 2011/12 after the 8-2 defeat at Old Trafford, and 2012/13 where they pipped Tottenham to fourth, Champions League qualification wasn’t always certain for Wenger’s team.
The celebrations as Arsenal beat Newcastle 1-0 at St James’s Park that year are a testament to that. Even though the fans want more, Champions League football is still hugely important for the club.
Wenger’s words sound like those of a man who has been through some suffering, and after the abuse that he has been getting from a sizeable section of the Gunners’ support, he is probably entitled to enjoy what success he gets this season more than most. With Arsenal looking to start their habitual late season charge for fourth, and have a good chance of retaining the FA cup if they can beat Manchester United on Monday night, Wenger may yet have something to cheer.
Maybe Wenger saw something of himself in Coquelin. Maybe Arsene Wenger is a strange animal – the more he has suffered, the more he enjoys it.
Win a pair of Puma football boots as worn by Cesc Fabregas and Super Mario by filling in this quick survey!
Create your own user feedback survey
[ad_pod id=’ffc-video’ align=’center’]