With all the media attention surrounding the Arsenal team at the moment, it is imperative that they just try and get on with their game, and it is also key that they play their strongest eleven.
So with that said I believe that they should make a change at centre back and replace Per Mertesacker with Laurent Koscielny.
Koscielny is bar far a much solid and better defender than the German and he deserves to play week in and week out for the Gunners.
His pace, athleticism and quick reactions were big assets to the Gunners’ back line, as is his enviable record in one-on-one duels, and for that fact I believe he should get a regular place.
As for Mertesacker, since his arrival from German outfit Werder Bremen the towering defender has struggled to cope with the pace and the tempo of the English game and is just too slow to deal with a quick and pacey attack.
However, Arsenal boss Wenger has continued to pick the experienced German international in front of the more solid Koscielny. But if he wishes to get back on track in the League, then I believe that his first act should be to drop Mertesacker from the line-up and let the Frenchman have a good run in the team.
Wenger has been highly criticized for his failure to bring in top-quality players in recent seasons and it is starting to cast doubt on his future at the club, but with the recent slump in form the team is having, I wonder if the pressure of it all will finally get to the great man.
You like “Own Goals” Motherfucker?
Rubbish! Mertesacker is the best defender at the club. Koscielny was entirely to blame for the Chelsea defeat and after equalising against City immediately laid it on a plate for Aguero to win it (thankfully he shot wide)
You obviously do not go to games because you would see that Mertesacker’s reading of the game is superior to any other player on the pitch. Stop being a sheep and quit listening to what ‘pundits’ say on TV. ’Struggled to cope with pace!’ That old chestnut! Get your own mind! How fast was Tony Adams? Idiot.
No Arsenal fan who goes to games would want to Mertesacker replaced.
And for the record – Koscielny has scored more own goals since coming to England than any other defender in Arsenal’s history.
I don’t wish to sound rude, but if you watched Arsenal at all this season without preconception of reputation , it is Vermaelen that is the weaker of our centre back pairing and in fact the BFG has been in the main outstanding this season….
without trying to sound offensive, this is the worst piece of crap article I’ve ever read. Mertesacker has been by far our best defender this season and he is main reason why we have only conceded 6 goals in 9 league games (joint lowest). Did you watch the Chelsea game? Vermaelen and Koscielny played together and that is the only match this season in which our defence hasn’t looked like a coherent unit. I wouldn’t mind letting Koscielny get his chance but that should be at the expense of Vermaelen, not the big German.
Mertesacker has been our best cb so far this season lol, kos has had a few terrible games, vermaelan is our worst in my opinion. Overrated because he can attack… which leaves us exposed!
Kos is a good defender, but I disagree with you. Mertesacker may not be the quickest, but if you have seen him play, he is the only defender who sorts the back line out to keep its shape.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Mertesacker has been our best player in the last two games.
If anything, Koscielny should be playing in the middle instead of Vermaelen who could cover at left back for Gibbs rather Andre ‘Two Chins’ Santos.
What a load of crap, this is the first and last time i comment on this site.
Mertesacker has clearly been Arsenals best defender so far this season, if anyone needs replacing its Vermaelen (captain or not captain). Koscielny already came in for Mertesacker already this season and made the defence a lot weaker. What a random post, it would of been wiser to talk about Gnabry replacing Ramsey on the right wing.
Yeah, but i think kos should replace verm instead.
Don’t talk shite!
Mertesacker has been our best central defender this season…not quite sure if you have sourced this properly….to me, you ate re-hashing last season’s story without properly judging the player this season…laxy!
what a terrible idea. mertesacker has been the steadiest centre back this season. he rarely makes mistakes, uses good angles and avoids getting out of position. kosc struggled after coming back from his injury…
Dude have u watched any Arsenal game this season at all ? Permetesacker has been excellent and in top form. We lost against Chelsea because he was dropped and replaced by Koz. Yea Koz is a top defender but if anybody should be dropped it is Vermaelen not Koscielny.
Watch the games before you come on here embarassing yourself with this “blog”
I mean Vermaelean should be dropped not Per.
You’re a moron. Watch football you outrageously stupid cunt. Oh, and you’re meant to start names with capitals. Absolute joke of a person you are.
Per has played better than both Kos & Verm. He makes up for lack of pace with positional awareness. He doesn’t make half the mistakes other two combined. Verm is always bombing forward and Kos is very mistake prone. The best showing by an Arsenal defender this season was Per at Man City with so many crucial interceptions. I don’t get where you are coming from at all.
I think we should play Kos as a DM, giving room for arteta and wilshere plus casorla. And we would have a 4/4/2 scheme… Pod and walcot on the front role..
Better balance, givvin walcott a chance to play freely upfront
Mertesacker has been solid this season while Kos has been injured. If anything, the back 4 should be TV, Kos, Per, Sagna. Santos is the one struggling to keep up pace, not Per.
It seems u’ve bn watching d back of ur tv all through ds seasn.Per has bn by far our best defender so far ds seasn.even better than d so called captain.Ds ur write up is ludicrous.
Are you on crack? Mertesacker has been our best defender by far. Better than Vermaelen too.
Such a poor article, I think you last watched mertesacker play for arsenal last season when he just arrived.
you clearly dont know “jack” about football. hw much they pay you to write this bull? i can how much you hated the man. you’re just a cynic!! yes mertesacker might be slow, but his experience & sense of positioning cannot be over looked. i’m sure u didn’t watch the france vs spain game. koscielny might solid, but sometimes harsh and irrational in his tackles in some crucial areas (like d box) arsenal play manure next week and i suggest AW unleash kos – verm – mert at d defence.
Per is better defender than Kos. Gervinho and Ramsey are rubbish should not play for Arsenal.
I disagree, Mertesacker has been playing very well this season, yes he does not have the pace but his reading of the game and positioning has been excellent.
I would prefer to move Vermaelen to left back and let Mertesacker and Koscielny play in the middle, we would be more solid at the back, and you definitely cannot trust Santos to play at left back, as we have seen in the last few games.
per may be slow bt this season he is our bst option,he has the most succesful last man challenges in the league,pls lets not do an eboue on him
You don’t know what you are talking about. Have you actually watched any games this year?
Per is our best defender
It’s so obvious that your blog is based on hear say.maybe you should find time and watch matches. Shite
You don’t know wat you are saying.how was our defense against chelsea wen per was on the bench.i dnt know hw you had an opportunity to write a blog.
I dont agree wit dat ideal of playin kost ahead of mert,even though mert is slow bt still better than kost a own goalscorer.whenever i see mert and thomas i see a better pairing of central back wat i believe wenger can do is to convert kost to a defensive midfielder in some matches.
Abeg footy stop talking rubbish because AFC’s problem right now is not Defence and besides the big German (Metersacker) is the team best defender right now.
I think you must either be a Tottenham supporter or MUFC. A winning team should not be changed.
Nope. Mertesacker organizes defense very well and give versatile qualities to our defense in partnership with either Vermaelen or Koscielny. When Wenger dropped Mertesacker in favour of Koscielny’s pace, we lost to Chelsea with Koscielny being guilty for both goals.
You are such a shallow minded writer,would you start walcot ahead of messi because he runs faster.
Wake up dude,the fact is that per reads the game well and intercepts passes more than Any of our defenders.
How many goals hav we conceeded due to per’s lack of pace?
How many goals has koscieny cost us?
Wake up from us slumber nd stop being sentimental.
I once hated per,bt the man is our best defender presently.
This is such bullshit. Mertesacker had been great this season, best out of the three. I do want koscielny to play but its à tuff decision. But i would prefer Koscielny on the left instead of Santos who is à liability. Until Gibba Conrad back.
you talking outta your ass mate…. i mean really? Drop mert for kos? Pretty hilarious stuff!
worst article ever mertesacker has been brilliant so far this season, koscielny isn’t in his best form atm did several misstakes this season…
You are havin a laugh mate.
Mertesacker has been our best defender by a mile. It is staggering to suggest he should be dropped. If anything most of our chances/goals conceded seem to come in the left channel which is vermaelen’s fault. Our captain is totally off form. And should play left back until gibbs returns.
so you completely miss the facts 1) PM has been as solid as a rock this season, making many a vital block. 2) Kos came in and gave away 2 goals.
I dont think u know how to analyse football. Kocieny was used in the match against chelsea nd d goals scored against arsenal were is fault. For now mertasacker is still a good option for now. If any injuries cases arises in d defence. He can use d opportunity to prove himself.
i am sorry i did not read this piece of gabbage, but i think it s utter rubbish.Per has been better that vermalen this season.
Give up writing. You clearly have no undersatnding of te game.
ON THIS SEASON’S PERFOMANCES I DONT THINK U CAN BE ABSOLUTELY SURE OF WHAT U ARE SAYING, YES PER MIGHT BE SLOW BUT HE HAS HIS OWN QUALITIES WHICH WE NEED. HE HAS SHOWN HE CAN READ THE GAME WELL WITH VITAL INTERCEPTIONS ON SCARY MOMENTS, ALSO HIS AERIAL ABILITY HAS BEEN PROVEN CRUCIAL IN SITUATIONS. YET KONSIELNY HAS HIS OWN SUPER QUALITIES WHICH MAYBE THOMAS CAN PROVIDE HENCE PER GETS THE NOD FOR HIS STRENGHTHS WHICH THE OTHER TWO DONT NATURALLY POSSESS. JUST MY OPINION.