Arsenal: Francis Coquelin Return Brings Healthy Competition

Francis Coquelin has returned to training. With him back in contention, Arsenal again boast a formidable set of central midfield options, bringing healthy competition.

The benefits of a large, healthy and quality squad are numerous and varied. Perhaps the most obvious plus is being able to deal with injury issues – this is an issue that is particularly poignant for an Arsenal side often suffering from an onslaught of fitness concerns. However, another key positive is the competition that it creates within the club.

When good players are resigned to reserve roles, playing the meaningless cup game and enduring the final 10 minutes of a game that has already been won, for many, it motivates them to work hard in training and force their way into the starting XI. In turn, the players who are in the side are therefore under pressure to perform with the knowledge that if they don’t, they may not the see field again for some time.

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Arsenal have struggled in this area for many years. With the more established players having been sold year on year with the financial restrictions of moving to the Emirates taking their toll, the depth of the squad was often left to promising youngsters who were not ready for such responsibility. Consequently, many of the regular starters became comfortable in their role and their standards slipped.

That is no longer true, and perhaps more than any other position, the Gunners’ vast array of central midfielders indicates the benefit of having a squad full of healthy competition. The £35 million addition of Granit Xhaka is a clear improvement on the previous options. However, the development of Aaron Ramsey, the continued excellence of Santi Cazorla and the reliability and dependability of Mohamed Elneny have also seen Arsene Wenger’s selection headaches worsen.

Now Francis Coquelin has returned to training to add another option to the mix, and his utility should not be undersold. He is the most defensive minded of the five, is the strongest tackler and the most effective shield in front of the back four. While his attacking play is lacking behind the likes of Cazorla and Ramsey, for example, it is in his defensive work where he truly excels.

He most certainly should not be underrated by fans. Wenger will hopefully continue to rotate between his many central midfield options, balancing the stresses and problems that a long and hard season brings, while measuring up what tactics, and thereby what players, are needed to overcome the next opponent.

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The competition for places is fierce in midfield. Consequently, if they can all avoid injury – something that is highly unlikely given Arsenal’s history – we can expect their play to be of the highest quality. They will only improve one another, and Coquelin is a key contributor to that. Underrate his return at your peril.