15 Jun 2015 21:17:43
What do you guys think, is coq good enough to start next season or do we need a signing. Just wondering if coq ability has not been exagerrated due to lack of quality DM in the squad. For example his ability to hold onto the ball and create play.

1.) 15 Jun 2015
15 Jun 2015 21:24:44
He is more than good enough proved it already he's going to save us 30m spend that on a striker wasn't his stats better than the Chelsea tent boy

2.) 15 Jun 2015
15 Jun 2015 21:41:09
He made some cracking pases last season when he either intercepted the pass or made a brilliant tackle then simply released the ball quickly but very accurately turning defence into attack quickly and simply and very affectively.
Like Mesuts work rate Le Coqs passing quite often goes unnoticed by many.

3.) 15 Jun 2015
15 Jun 2015 21:48:05
He did very well, but if wenger doesn't buy a central mid to play with or in place of for injury, big away games and competition then we will pay. that's one area we don't have depth of quality.

4.) 15 Jun 2015
15 Jun 2015 21:55:39
Mate le coq has been great. But I personally think that our lack of DM before he came back made him look even better... Sorry the team looked better! The shape was better and I think ozil became a lot better because le coq was mopping everything up and ozil could concentrate on going forward

5.) 16 Jun 2015
15 Jun 2015 22:40:44
James McCarthy would be decnt cover coming in as part of a deal involving Poldolski and maybe Joel Campbell passing him on the motorway.

6.) 16 Jun 2015
15 Jun 2015 23:00:58
Would love it if we grabbed Schneiderlin or that Kondogbia chappie, but if we go into the season with Coq as our 'Police Officer', I would take it.

Would still be a bit worried if he gets injured though.

7.) 16 Jun 2015
15 Jun 2015 23:12:34
im all for given the lad a chance. he has not put a foot wrong and is another of our players who has come good after quite awhile.

but we need assurance. if diaby and flamini are leaving us and we are going to reduce the wage bill by releasing or selling, poldi and campbell and miyachi, we need to invest that in a GK, which we will find out soon enough about, a CDM to cover and add depth, if not schneiderlin kondogbia is my pick. and i'm not sold on any striker besides benzema so if it was me id try theo up top with welbeck and giroud as options when form fades, and look into getting a worldie in the likes of vidal or reus.

8.) 16 Jun 2015
16 Jun 2015 00:12:44
Yes, he's definitely good enough. But I don't see arteta or flamini as good enough to replace him when injured/suspended/exhausted, and I feel there are some away games especially in the CL where a second DM next to him will be necessary. So if we could get a schneiderlin / kondogbia / bender that would be a big boost to the squad and our trophy chances.

9.) 16 Jun 2015
16 Jun 2015 05:21:21
We need another defensive midfield player to give us options to cover for Coquelin and to play in tandem with him. I would like to see us sign Schneiderlin.

10.) 16 Jun 2015
16 Jun 2015 08:59:48
What about Beilik as cover? Wholly inexperienced of course, but deemed good enough by Arsene to go straight into the first team squad Or even Mr Wilshire? Seems capable of playing there for England, whether you agree with it or not?
Max

11.) 16 Jun 2015
16 Jun 2015 09:03:54
Cool, thanks for all the input!

12.) 16 Jun 2015
16 Jun 2015 13:50:00
Coq has not suddenly become good at winning the ball in midfield tackles or making interceptions, he has always done this from his first spell in the team before he was loaned out.

The major change is that before he would try to play like Jack or Rambo and dribble or make an incisive pass after he won the ball and would lose it again quickly and would often be out of position leaving a gap for the opposition to exploit.

Since his return he has followed Wengers advice and stuck to what he is good at, which is winning the ball, his passes are normally short to one of the more creative midfielders or wide men to start an attack, he then gets back to his defensive position. This has worked well and has greatly improved our defensive stability but does slow down the play when the ball is won in midfield because his first ball is often square.

However the very best defensive midfielders win the ball and then convert defence to attack quickly either by taking the ball round a layer of the oppositions defensive midfield line and laying it off or by a quick long ball pass into the path of an attacker. This speeds up the play and can make the most of a ball won when the opposition players are pushing up in attack.

I think if we really want to compete for the EPL or in Europe we need one of the best type of DM to take us to the next level and make the most of whichever world class striker Wenger brings in.

Coq is still needed as a more defensive mid and would be great cover, the lad has done well and deserves a place in the First Team squad, but sentimentality aside if we want to compete with the Chelsea's and the Barcelona's we need the best we can get in every position on the park and there are more accomplished DM's than him out there with more strings to their bows. E.g. Goals, driving runs, switching play, defense cover in set plays, clearing headers etc.

13.) 16 Jun 2015
16 Jun 2015 18:41:27
I agree with the majority of what you're saying Gunny but I have seen him go past players with a great bit of skill and play the quick long diagonal ball, as in the one to Walcott which started the move for our first goal at Wembley, on a number of occasions.

With the creative players we have in the side his natural ability to break up the play pretty much mirrors what Matic does at Chelsea and everyone has raved about him but he again has Fabregas next to him and Hazard ahead, as Coquelin has Cazorla and Sanchez ahead.

We have pace to burn bar Giroud and it's the massive defensive difference he has made that has made the biggest difference. I still see no problem with bringing in another DM but the defensive side of that player at this time has to be the most important.