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Arsenal: Giroud And Koscielny Rejecting Medals Only A Positive
Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny both rejected wearing their runners up medals on Sunday, showing a winning mentality that can only be a good thing for the Gunners.
Arsenal are often criticized for not having the mentality of winners. That is a rather vague criticism that covers a wide range of attributes, some that Arsenal have and others where they are severely lacking.
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Leadership is an aspect of a winning mentality. It is also something that Arsenal are in dire need of finding, both on and off the pitch. However, much of the criticism that has often been directed at the team has focused on an apparent lack of desire.
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I have always found any critique of not wanting it enough a peculiar one. How can a professional footballer, a competitive being, not want to win? That just seems to be an inherent contradiction. It is, though, an indictment that has been leveled at this Arsenal team. Thankfully, though. Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny have rebutted such doubts in their actions after the European Championship final loss to Portugal.
During the over elaborate and elongated post match ceremony Giroud and Koscielny both rejected their runners up medals when presented with them after climbing what felt like the equivalent of Mt. Everest. They were both visibly upset with losing and weren’t happy to simply settle for second place.
It is that desire that has apparently been missing in this Arsenal side since the days of Tony Adams, Patrick Viera and the like. Giroud and Koscielny, like the rest of the Arsenal squad, are winners, and coming second is not something to be celebrated, but rather, lamented, disgusted and turned into motivation.
It is exactly where Arsenal found themselves at the end of last season. After finishing second due to a second half of the season collapse which saw them lose vital ground on eventual winners Leicester City.
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Now, the desire to win will need to rise up and show it’s face as Arsenal prepare for yet another season where they are aspiring to prove that they have the material to be champions. Giroud and Koscielny have certainly showed their desire. It’s time for their teammates to follow their lead.