Arsenal Have To Cut Francis Coquelin Loose

Arsenal have been scraping by with Mathieu Flamini, but in a must win bout against the league leaders, it is time to throw caution to the wind.

When Francis Coquelin was deemed ‘healthy’ it was the greatest news in the world. Both he and Alexis returned at just about the same time and all of Arsenal’s problems seemed to be solved. Coquelin got the start against Burnley in the FA Cup and our midfield was back to the way it should be.

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However, after that match, Coquelin returned to the bench, where he has yet to start another game. He was absent in a crucial draw against Southampton, coming on as a late sub, and he was absent yet again for the first 70 minutes against Bournemouth. It’s like Wenger saw our excitement, baited use with a start, and then pulled it away and stamped all over our happiness.

I’m not saying he did it on purpose but, you know, we have to blame someone.

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I understand what Wenger is doing. He is trying to protect the only defensive midfielder we have since he just could not break the bank on another. But at some point in this crucial race for that elusive title, he has to cut Francis Coquelin loose. No more of this protective parenting stuff. If Alexis is fit enough to play the full 90, then Coquelin should be too.

I am only bringing this up because Leicester City is coming up this weekend and while Flamini has been gloriously average as a fill in, his abilities to keep up with a high-flying Foxes’ offense is suspect at best.

Last time, at King Power Stadium, Arsenal took home a 5-2 win in a match that was back and forth with incredibly high pace. In that match, Flamini got the start, as he was Arsenal’s only option, and got hurt after 20 ineffective minutes, giving way to everyone’s favorite DM-who-isn’t-a-DM, Mikel Arteta.

Not that Leicester’s attack was what injured Flamini, but it is safe to say that Leicester has improved even more since then and that Flamini would undoubtedly become a liability. The Foxes have far too many weapons for any single midfielder to stop, but in terms of who has the better chance, it is without a reasonable doubt Francis Coquelin.

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Coquelin does two things incredibly well. He is a fantastic open-field tackler and he is known to wreak havoc in passing lanes. Meanwhile, Flamini’s calling card is his ability to maintain control. Against Leicester, there figures to be very little control to be maintained. However, there will be plenty of need for open field tackles and interrupting passing lanes. Plus, Coquelin’s superior athleticism and strength should leave very little room for doubt.

Then there is the issue of Flamini’s frequent lapses of judgment. The guy made a two-footed challenge against Bournemouth that many thought should have been a straight red card. With a quick moving team like Leicester, there is an increased chance for Flamini to do something rash.

If Arsenal go down to ten men, they will probably go into a shell and be picked apart by the Foxes’ offense. If Arsenal continue the attack, they leave themselves wide open to being picked apart.

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Discipline is of the utmost importance in this match and strange as this may sound, Coquelin gives us a better chance in that regard as well.