Can you explain that? Because stat-wise he hasn’t changed that much offensive-wise (with even marginal improvement in some aspects).
Really? I might’ve just been overrating him then, or perhaps it’s because he was quite simple in his game when he first broke into the first team, up until the United game or perhaps even a bit after I remember being unconvinced, and then it was the last 5-6 games of that season that really gave me hope and confidence. I guess I’m really referring to those 5-6 games when I say that, though it’s possible I overrated him even during that short period.
Coquelin role is so binary that imo he’s one of the more consistent players in the team (for a couple seasons). His shortcomings in every game are just more keenly felt depending on how his midfield partner is doing.
Well, 5-6 games are not enough to base any type of good judgement in a player.
The only thing I can see that’s gotten worse are his defensive stats, and those are still quite good.
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Coquelin had this interception first time through ball to Sanchez for the first goal that was a thing of beauty.
Yeah, of course they’re not, that’s why the judgment was wrong. 
But the enter into the first team, play well, gain confidence, start expressing himself more with the ball made such a tidy narrative, and for someone who wanted him to succeed, that it was hard not to believe in. I wasn’t the only one of course…
He could add some more progressive passes to his game, but you have to acknowledge his consistent ability to win back possession in key areas and break up opposition play too.
I love technical quality and creative football, but if we’re not being ignorant here, we shouldn’t undersell the importance of physically and defensively talented footballers in the modern game either.
With a midfield like Xhaka-Cazorla, it’s creation central on the ball. But we lose a lot of off-the-ball protection for the back four.
Coquelin is not going to play a threatening forward pass because that’s just not in his locker. What he does do well is maintain possession and feed players that do have it in their locker. He does what Arteta and Denilson specialised with less grace but defensively he completely blows them out of the water. He outshines everybody else in the midfield with his ability to win back possession. Defending is not something you can just outright ignore.
He’s not as complete as Kante, Kroos and other more well-rounded defensive midfielders but he is a proven destroyer and clearly an influential player.
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We can be a team of technical quality and creative football with Coquelin in the team, just like we were with Flamini in 07/08. But as long players like Ramsey, Walcott, Chamberlain etc keep eating meaningful minutes that’s going to be very hard. Coquelin is not the problem when it comes to our football.
Eh, when you’re relying on specialists, ie a player that literally contributes nothing to your build-up play, you’re always playing a game of catch-up. This is a club that not too long ago had Petit-Vieira in midfield…why are people so keen to settle for so much less? What top club, other than Madrid with fucking Casemiro, has such a limited player in their centre of midfield? Even Atléti, with their extremely pragmatic style, has not employed a player as limited as Coquelin (Thomas is used primarily as a substitute).
@Hass this is in response to you too, and also I would of course say: I don’t think Coquelin really shares any similarities with Arteta except that they both made a decent amount of tackles/interceptions per game. But in terms of offering for the ball in possession, receiving the ball from the defence, keeping the play ticking, in general being useful in build-up, there’s literally zero comparison there.
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2000 feels like a long time ago to me. But I was only ten years old then so I suppose it would do lol
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Teams dont have possession for 100% of the game.
What you do off the ball is just as vital as what you do on it. What you do in defence is just as vital as what you do in attack.
To have a player like Ozil, also makes a player like Coquelin an absolute necessity.
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Vieira-Gilberto then. 
Nonsense.
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I wasnt trying to correct you by the way, was more of a pointless musing
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Who started the first goal against West Ham? Coquelins pressing creates all kinds of chances
As for Petit and Vieira, neither were massively creative, especially Petit.
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Neither was Arteta. Being of use in build-up play and being creative are two different things, though…No one’s asking Coquelin to be creative. It’s just a) Coquelin-Xhaka does not have enough creativity/anyone to carry the ball a bit/escape from pressure (something I honestly kinda thought was in Coquelin’s game at the beginning, but was wrong about) b) Coquelin-Cazorla is a decent pivot but Coquelin can really be improved upon, as there’s players that can win the ball back and offer athleticism while also offering at least something in the build-up
Xhaka-Cazorla isn’t even an unviable pivot, it just is in our style of play with a lack of emphasis on positional discipline and control of matches.
I know @JakeyBoy , I didn’t say Gilberto-Vieira tbh simply because I was more a fan of Petit than Gilberto, but yeah, it was the obvious reference being more recent.
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Fuck am I reading lol
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Disagree, I think what makes a player with the athletic ball winning skill set of Coquelin an absolute necessity is when the entire team isn’t set up well enough to win the ball back quickly and is leaving players to defend in spaces that are too large. Coquelin can be effective in chaos.
It was one of my concerns that I expressed on the previous forum when we were close to signing Xhaka, although he’s a far better player in possession, he’s more aggressive and often guilty of ball watching whilst being on the opposite end of the athleticism scale than Coquelin.
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Maybe that’s what Wenger keeps saying all the time: Balance!
We have a player who literally contributes nothing in our build-up play in Coquelin.
We have a player who literally contributes nothing in our break-up play in Özil.
Balance!
Oh! And Coquelin does contribute in our build-up play by winning possession back.
We can’t buil-up without the ball don’t you agree?
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Though you should be looking for players who can contribute to our break up play with a little creativity if you want to go to that next level.
I guess Xhaka could be that man.
The same reasoning could apply to Özil: find a creative player who can contribute a little more defensively… I don’t hear anyone wanting to bench Özil.