Opinion. Francis Coquelin is the aggressive ‘shut-down’ defensive midfield player Arsenal need without the arrogance, butchery and disregard for the rules celebrated by some.
Question… Do you think Chelsea fans hate Francis Coquelin? No, seriously, think about it. Do they hate him? Does he get under their skin?
How about Manchester United fans? Is there a suspicious pre-match angst amongst the lads about what Coquelin might do on the pitch?
Liverpool fans, your turn. Is he a ‘come on ref he’s been doing it all season’ kinda guy?
The rest of you, are any rival fans sitting in pubs during Arsenal matches sneering amongst each other about how much they despise and loathe Coquelin? Are they dubious over his intent? Is there a collective distaste amongst the crowd when he tackles? Have you even overheard a conversation like that about him?
Okay, now what about the likes of Martin Skrtel? Pablo Zabaleta or Glenn Whelan? How about these names – Branislav Ivanovic and Nemanja Matic? What are some of the feelings that come to mind now?
Let me stop you there.
Yes, there have been many articles written about the qualities of Arsenal defensive midfield revelation, Francis Coquelin. I don’t want to merely add to the mounting heap but instead shed a light on an area of his game that deserves as much praise as his gift of defending, his demeanor.
First things first, what does Coquelin do well and why is he worth mentioning alongside the aforementioned villainous-type defensive figures of the Premier League?
In a word, blocking.
Blocking everything. By that I mean intercepting, tackling, holding, clearing, halting, fouling, squashing, thwarting, and yes, blocking.
Because he has these attributes in spades he has to be one of the most important players in Arsene Wenger’s current lineup. Per game this season he is averaging 3.8 interceptions (almost a quarter of all interceptions for the team), 3.4 tackles (again, almost a quarter), 3 aerial duels, 3.6 clearances and 1.2 fouls (I’ll get to the fouls later). Most of these figures outshine the best in the league including PFA ‘Team of the Year’ defensive midfielder, Nemanja Matic.
The defensive qualities Coquelin has shown this season, especially evident against table toppers Chelsea last weekend, have been an answer to prayer for the Arsenal faithful that remember the gifts of Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva.
Francis Coquelin is statistically superb.
But what makes him particularly gifted is his grace. That may not be the first word that comes to mind when watching him slide three metres full-pelt into an opponent. But make no mistake; given what he achieves on the pitch he has more grace than anyone in the premier league.
Look at his cards. 5 yellows this season. Yes, he hasn’t played all the games, and no, that is not a fantastic record, but it is better than most in his position. Importantly you wouldn’t find one that was intended to injure a player. On the contrary, anyone watching the Arsenal vs. Chelsea game could be forgiven thinking Ivanovic deserved more than one yellow card for his behaviour. Intentional studs onto the back of Alexis’ heels (more than once) is just one of the questionable tactics Branislav employed to thwart Arsenal’s danger man, Sanchez. That’s not skill, that’s bullying. When he was finally warned it was Ramires’ turn to play the dirty man. It was all as disgusting as it was predictable. This is not new, and not the only example this weekend alone.
Coquelin’s performance was outstanding. He made four interceptions within the first 22 minutes. He won 4 aerial duals, 2 tackles, 2 blocks and a clearance according to Squawka. He also made up for his one overtly poor pass by tackling and winning the ball back within seconds. Stellar. No one on the pitch was positioned better. If he stayed on he could have been MOTM. He made fouls due to timing, yes, but importantly they were not malicious in nature. They certainly didn’t attract an emotional outpouring from Chelsea fans in what I would call a ‘finally ref!’ kind of moment. He attacked the ball, and did so aggressively.
As an Arsenal spectator you would have seen this brilliant type of Coquelin performance again and again since his call-up. He has been largely responsible for Arsenals’ fantastic current form. You also would’ve noticed that his challenges have included some of the most aggressive tackles of the season. But note – no Marouane Fellaini elbows, no Ivanovic studs. No Zabaleta trips or Diego Costa shoves. Applying a more subjective filter even watch his face after a strong tackle or decision that has gone against him – it’s honest. I’m the first to admit this means little but add it to his other qualities and it helps to tell an overall story of dignity. He has crafted his own beautiful version of being a strong world-class defensive player without the vitriol and villainous intent we’ve become used to in parts of the league.
I call what he does “The Coq Block.” Full of spirit and skill, not schemes and spite. It’s as smooth as it is strong; pure, not puerile…
Francis Coquelin has proven himself amongst the best this year defensively; not just in stats or the eye test, but also by how he doesn’t leave a sour taste in the opponent’s mouth. He is, simply, a strong skillful footballer. If we want to see the Premier League grow in quality we need to champion these sorts of players. Arsene Wenger is known for his dedication to the beautiful game. He is a great ambassador of the sport and campaigns for the growth and quality of football as a whole. Perhaps, after a long decade of experiments, he has finally found that beautifully strong player in the midfield he has longed for.
Viva Le Coq Block!
