Laurent Koscielny: I joined Arsenal to work and to progress

Written by Renzo on May 24, 2011 – 15:00

Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny confessed joining Arsenal was a dream, an important achievement in his career.

Speaking to Arsenal TV Online, the Frenchman explained that when he arrived in London he was impressed by the facilities available for the players adding that he knew that he had an opportunity to learn, progress and succeed in top level football.

Initially set to be a backup centre back, the ex-Lorient defender made it into Arsene Wenger’s starting eleven after Thomas Vermaelen’s injury when on International duty with the 25-year old saying that pressure is important if one is to improve.

On Sunday, Arsenal ended yet another trophyless season with reports suggesting that manager Arsene Wenger will strengthen the defensive department after the Arsenal boss admitted that the Gunners lack “defensive efficiency”.

On playing for Arsenal, Koscielny said:

For a player like me, coming from a low-profile club and arriving at Arsenal is just a dream. When I arrived there and saw the facilities, I told myself that I had everything to progress and to succeed.

So, I arrived with my ideas to work and to progress, to try and play the most amount of matches as possible. And try to be as consistent as I could be.

For me there should always be pressure, it could be pressure related to matches but also off the pitch as well. Pressure is essential if you want to raise the level of your game and this pressure must be positive.

The pressure which is around the club or above the players, we need it to elevate the level of our game on the pitch as we have been able to do during some matches. It allows us to put in some great performances.

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Davi says:

May 24, 2011 at 15:39

“Squid, who is supposedly more ‘experienced’ but doenst have a spine”
I know he didn’t have a good season but that’s a bit ridiculous. His problems were more to do with settling in and getting used to the speed of the game; more technical issues, nothing to do with workrate, attitude, or failing to handle the pressure.

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- A.M says:
  
  May 24, 2011 at 15:47
  
  Im sorry but I dont buy that settling in issue. Not from Squid, not from Chamakh. Heck not even from Arshavin. Oh and yes, I forgot to add him to the list of those in dire need to get rid off. For crying out loud, they are seasoned pros. Not some player playing in some sunday league football. You are paid well so you bloody work your socks off for the team. You lose the ball you bloody get it back, thats call having a heart and a spine. You cant possible say the same about Squid, who doesnt have the ability NOR the balls.
  
  Reply to this comment »
- Jimi says:
  
  May 24, 2011 at 15:57
  
  Squillaci was and still is a complete liability, end of conversation.
  Defensively he was responsible for many a clanger, his few early headed goals at the start of his run in the team saved his face in the beginning, but as soon as they dried up we saw that he just isn’t really up to this level.
  
  There’s always been one of these in Wengers reign….. Cygan, Senderos….. and now Squillaci.
  
  Reply to this comment »
  - Hunter says:
    
    May 24, 2011 at 21:22
    
    And Koscielny and Sylvestre.
    
    Reply to this comment »
  - gooner11 says:
    
    May 24, 2011 at 22:58
    
    senderos was different.. he was good enough to play for arsenal, though the shoulder injury really ruined his career.. he was solid as a rock at d centre of defence even with the competition from sol campbell and kolo toure few years back (for those who still remember 4 5years back). though he kinda lost his balance or something after the shoulder injury, suddenly prone to too much of errors, and way too much of injuries..
    
    Reply to this comment »
    - Hunter says:
      
      May 25, 2011 at 0:26
      
      And was awful any time he played against Drogba.
      
      I still can’t believe we allowed Toure to go and kept Gallas. That single move made less sense than anything I have seen so far. I don’t know why this club insists on selling players who are still very good to their rivals. Now City is sniffing around Cesc and I guarantee you for about 50 million we would sell him to them. There is an interesting article I came across today that reminds us of why we have lost our way as a club. Look what Kolo had to say when he left for Man City. He could see the future and didn’t like what was coming:
      
      The 28-year-old said: ‘I came to Man City because when you look at Arsenal you see all the great players have left the club and are now in the past.
      
      ‘Look at what has happened there. Thierry Henry has gone, Patrick Vieira has gone, Ray Parlour has gone.
      
      ‘These were the players that brought success to Arsenal and I believed it was right at this stage of my career to also move on.
      
      ‘We lost too many leaders at Arsenal. When we were winning the league title the spirit was fantastic, we were like a band of brothers.’
      
      Toure also defended City’s spending policy, which has seen them criticised in some quarters for distorting the market.
      
      ‘The best teams are at the top only because they have the best players and to get those players you have to spend a lot of money,’ he said.
      
      ‘You can’t be successful in football without money. This is the football business. City have a project to build a big team and so it is natural it is going to cost money.’
      
      Reply to this comment »
      - Mitch says:
        
        May 25, 2011 at 10:43
        
        Toure was a great guy and great player for us, but I can understand the logic of selling him and keeping Gallas (despite Gallas being a bit of a knob).
        Toure’s form had tailed off in recent years, and he hasn’t been all that great for Man City. Plus City were offering 16 million or something for him, which was a lot for a defender who wasn’t in peak form. Gallas combined really well with Vermaelen last year and it looked for a while like we had definitely made the right choice.
        
        Fast forward to this season, and I think we can say Toure’s leadership would have been very valuable and would have made a big difference. Probably.
        
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bishoppe says:

May 24, 2011 at 15:35

So , please use your head very well by working hard to keep the shirt and the faith imposed on you by Mr AW. is that ok yes

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eldiablo says:

May 24, 2011 at 15:51

Laurent Koscielny was an inspirational defender for us this season, yes he did make some mistakes,yes he did get a couple of red cards when he should have done…but he has balls !!! he has speed, no fear and most of all you can see he worked hard this year. Its very hard for a new player to adapt straight away…he was supposed to be a back up defender but he had to step up his game straight away due to the fact that Vermaelen wasn’t fit to play…i think he was a great signing and he will be an Arsenal star next season !

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chris lee says:

May 24, 2011 at 15:59

in my opinion theres only 2 players who are consistently passionate and dedicated to arsenal and thats szczesny and rvp. Wojciech’s attitude and rvp’s skill are more or less the sole reason we even stayed in the top 4

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Chris says:

May 24, 2011 at 16:00

Poor Jack

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- SeattleGooner says:
  
  May 24, 2011 at 20:23
  
  Haha I agree Jack bleeds red and white.
  
  Actually there are several others, Song, Clichy Sagna… I think they are very committed, I don’t know if it’s to Arsene or Arsenal, but they are dedicated.
  
  Reply to this comment »
kelly says:

May 24, 2011 at 19:34

szczesny has become complacent of late maybe theres a bit of despair after so many errors by the defence but he should have had done better 4 the goals conceded against fulham.

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GOonerJames says:

May 24, 2011 at 16:07

This is exactly why we constantly fail, ask players who move to CFC,MUFC,MCFC, they say they have come to win trophies, not to develop. Even a player who played rubbish like Bébé said he just wants to be at a club that wins trophies.

We shouldn’t be bringing in players to progress or live their dreams, we should be bringing in winners. Once upon a time, Wenger would bring in Henry, Overmars, Toure, Ljungberg, Pires, Campbell etc etc, players who had won trophies and were hungry for more.

How does the likes of Koscielny, Chamakh, Squillaci encourage the others to win trophies? Chicharito must have been in awe of Rooney and co and it is making him a better player, why should Chamakh improve with Vela and Bendtner around? Why improve with Squillaci around?

Our players should not speak and Arsenal.com need pr lessons.

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ironice says:

May 24, 2011 at 16:20

Exactly correct. And after trophyless seasons, the top players want to leave ..like cesc and nasri unhappy with lack of trophies. While top players rather not come to arsenal, youths want to come to launch their careers via arsenal.

Reply to this comment »
- kelly says:
  
  May 24, 2011 at 19:40
  
  nasri a top player? three months of holywood don’t make you a top player you have to be consistent. we could do with a top out-out winger if he leaves.
  
  Reply to this comment »

John says:

May 24, 2011 at 17:57

The sqaud needs a bit more depth that’s all. I just hope that the big name players don’t jump ship because we have not won anything again. Another defender, an old school central mid (Scott Parker), another Stirker who can adapt and play across the three and a left back.

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Prasanna Veeraraghavan says:

May 24, 2011 at 18:11

He is one player whom I expect to see quite often in the years to come wearing the Arsenal Uniform and performing to the core. I liked it when he played his first game for us against Liverpool, most other starters would have had jitters but not only was he good but he put his heart out.

Even when his head was banged with Squid and he was entering into a concussion he did act in the thought of defending. Shows a man who knew and did what his duty was.

It is his first year and everyone makes mistakes and he too did some but I see him being good next season coupled with Jack Wilshere and Chesney.

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Arsenal1Again says:

May 25, 2011 at 13:11

On the strength of his performance against Bolton (first game) you can see immediately the worth of Koscielny. The hardest player in the premiership is Kevin Davies at Bolton. Koscielny not only decked him, he cut Davies out the game and this was AFTER getting the Kevin Davies brand of football. Not many players would. He’s my first choice to partner Vermaelen, hand down. Squillaci has proven himself as a backup player, a last resort. He’s done a better job than what the vastly more experienced Silvestre did. I like having Squill in the team, there is something there. I think he’ll be a different player next term. As for Jack, he’s as hard as they come. There is no messing with that boy and who do you see trying, seriously, who? He leads by example and vocally. He commands the respect of much more senior players than himself such as Paul Scholes and the lad is still only 19. Arshavin has also stated that Jack is better than him. There’s no way anyone is going to be picked as Captain over Jack if Cesc leaves. I reckon Cesc would hand over the armband willingly to the better man for the Job. Other tough players are Chesney, Diaby, Gibbs and Van Persie. Gibbs doesn’t have the size and he seems to be made of glass, but that lad has the heart of a lion. He’s fearless. Diaby kicked John Terry’s head in and has been known to fight with other players when on international duty. As for Chesney, would you square up to him. That lad ooozes self-confidence. Yes, we have a few tough players and I think 3 more would put the spine into the team. It runs from the back like this -> Chezzer -> Vermaelen -> Koscielney -> Jack -> Van Persie. We need an enforcer in the centre with Jack and two hard SOB’s on the Wing.

Above all, we need players to chase back for the ball if they lose it. Arshavin does this, oh yes, he’s a tough guy too.

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Matt says:

May 25, 2011 at 13:53

And what another waste of money this “centre back” has been. He has looked poor in my opinion. making at least one glaring error every game, whether that be losing his marker from a set piece, getting booked (which seems to be every game), giving away penalties (and he has got away lightly a few times when the oppositon should have been given a clear cut spot kick). To me he was unproven and yet again another poor poor decision to gamble on him by Wenger. Better than Squillaci and Djourou, but nowhere near as good as Vermaelen. Samba was available for a fraction of his price in January, and I’m sure his prescence would have delivered us a better end to the season.

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Laurent Koscielny: I joined Arsenal to work and to progress

Written by Renzo on May 24, 2011 – 15:00

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