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The date was 27 February 2011. Arsenal and Birmingham were locked at 1-1 in the closing minutes of the League Cup final. A punt up-field by Birmingham’s keeper was harmlessly headed into Arsenal’s penalty area. It was a simple enough clearance for the centre-back to make. Or a simple enough ball for the keeper to collect, for that matter. But not for both, unfortunately.
As both went for the ball, what followed was a comedy of errors that had become an all too familiar theme with Arsenal. As Birmingham’s Obafemi Martins rolled the ball into an empty net, the two culprits kneeled near the penalty spot. Arsenal’s trophy drought would continue for three more years. As the Birmingham players wheeled away in celebration, one of them mockingly patted the crestfallen centre-back’s head.
The goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczesny, was a fan favourite – a young, strapping, promising young man who was readily forgiven. The centre-back was in his first season at the club, and his mixed performances caused supporters to view him with far more censure. Fast forward four years, and Szczesny has been farmed out on loan to Roma. The centre-back, on the other hand, has established himself as one of the Premier League’s best defenders.
His name? Laurent Koscielny.
Koscielny’s rise from Ligue 2 to Champions League pedigree
That night was in stark contrast to the euphoria Arsenal had experienced just 10 days earlier. They beat Barcelona – the best team in the world at the time – in a dogged team performance. Jack Wilshere had been singled out for his outstanding display, but there was another man who had been just as good, if not better.
Few defenders can claim to have tamed the mercurial Lionel Messi. But that night, Laurent Koscielny – the unknown French defender who was plying his trade in the second tier of French football just a couple of years earlier – stood up tall against the world’s best player and came out on top.
Whilst many were surprised, those who had been watching him closely weren’t altogether shocked. His performances – like his demeanour – were understated, yet effective. After a rocky start which included a red card on his debut against Liverpool, Koscielny had grown into his role, forming a solid, if unlikely, partnership with Johann Djourou.
His tumultuous first season at Arsenal was not something that would faze Koscielny. This was a man who voluntarily dropped down to the third division from Guingamp to Tours just to play as a centre-back. After winning promotion to Ligue 2 with Tours FC, Koscielny enjoyed a stellar season and was voted to Ligue 2’s Team of the Year. FC Lorient snapped him up for his first taste of top-flight football, but after just a season, he moved to Arsenal – one of the biggest clubs in the world.
To say his rise was meteoric would be understating it. As a man who has not had it easy, Koscielny appreciates what he has. It took him close to three full seasons to establish himself as first-choice at Arsenal. A smattering of red cards, the nightmare 8-2 defeat, and the Vermaelen-Mertesacker partnership were what kept him out. His silent, powerful performances which were more consistent than people realized finally won through.
A team meeting following a North London Derby defeat had prompted Arsene Wenger to ring in the changes. The results were there for all to see, as Arsenal started off by beating Bayern Munich 2-0 at the Allianz Arena in March 2013 before grinding out result after result for a fourth place finish. The catalyst for all this was the reinstating of Koscielny to the starting lineup. From there, Koscielny has grown from strength to strength.
Koscielny is an underrated, no-nonsense centre-back
That Bayern Munich themselves have courted Koscielny is a testament to his pedigree. As an Arsenal fan, I am immensely relieved that his head never did turn to greener pastures. Koscielny stands out as an unconventional centre-back. He doesn’t appear to be the strongest or most imposing, but looks can be deceiving.
He combines lightning pace with great aerial prowess, an understated aggression, hard tackling and flawless anticipation. A trademark Koscielny move is one in which he steals in from behind the opposing player to nick the ball just as he’s receiving it. The closest analogy I can think of is that of a panther, sleek and silent, descending from the canopy onto the unsuspecting antelope. It’s a high-risk move because if the opponent turns him, he has a clear run at goal.
In five seasons at Arsenal, nobody has turned Koscielny when he steals in. Not Aguero, not Messi, not Rooney, not Ibrahimovic, not Lewandowski, not Muller, not Robben, not Suarez. Nobody. In all of Arsenal’s notable victories against major opposition, Koscielny pocketing the opposing striker has been a common theme. Non-Arsenal football fans would list Cech, Cazorla, Ozil and Sanchez as Arsenal’s world class players. Ask any Arsenal fan, and they would add Koscielny to that list quicker than he can steal the ball off strikers.
It is not surprising that he hasn’t gotten the recognition he deserves. Koscielny is a humble, hard-working man. In all of his interviews, he comes across as someone who hasn’t forgotten his roots. His unassuming nature has made him an absolute fan favourite with Gooners the world over. On the field, however, Koscielny is both quietly aggressive and cool as ice.
Whilst not afraid to get rough, you will never find Koscielny get into scuffles. During the infamous Costa-Gabriel spat, Koscielny simply refused to react to Costa’s antics. This ice-cold on-field persona combined with his off-field affability is what makes one admire and respect Koscielny.
A defender is the most under-appreciated player on the pitch. Even goalkeepers have their moments when they get to make Hollywood saves. But a defender? Not so much. Koscielny, being as low-profile as he is, has never gotten the recognition he deserves. Koscielny won’t really mind, though. He will pull up his socks and get on with winning Arsenal games.
When listing Arsenal’s best centre-backs, the names of Steve Bould, Martin Keown, Tony Adams and Sol Campbell pop up. When listing Wenger’s best transfers, the names of Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires and Nicolas Anelka come up. There is no doubt that by the time Koscielny is done with his Arsenal career, his name will be in both those lists.
When he joked that he was jealous of Arsenal fans’ chant for Giroud and expressed that he wanted his own song, Gooners started chanting:
“He wants his own song! He wants his own song!Laurent Koscielny! He wants his own song!”
Unassuming and humble as ever, Koscielny embraced the chant with delight, knowing that he’s going to have strikers dance to his tune for a long while to come. In a time when Arsenal’s defence was held up as the golden standard for slapstick comedy, Koscielny came in and with his quiet grit, transformed it into one of the Premier League’s best.
The Dark Knight clichés have been worn thin, but to call Koscielny the Silent Guardian and the Watchful Protector wouldn’t be amiss. On second thought, I think I’ll just call him what we’ve always called him: Bosscielny. Thanks for everything, Laurent. Much love.
