Arsenal: Laurent Koscielny exit not as menacing as it once was

Arsenal will retain Laurent Koscielny’s services for quite some time, but if he were to leave, it’s not the end of the world.

Arsenal have spent a ton of time relying on the defensive fortitude of Laurent Koscielny. Now the vice-captain, the Frenchman has become such a fixture that the very thought of his departure is enough to send supporters into a conniption.

As such, when Koscielny speaks about his future, any possible interpretation that involves an exit hits the headlines to sent shock waves around the footballing world.

It’s pretty obvious that Koscielny isn’t going anywhere. He is a fixture at the back. But the panic that comes along with exit rumors is past its prime. Don’t get me wrong, Laurent Koscielny remains one of the best defenders in the Premier League. But at this point, we have seen the Gunners survive just fine without him.

For instance, the first time Koscielny was out, Shkodran Mustafi took the reigns and you couldn’t tell the difference.

Think of the FA Cup final. With Arsenal desperate for defensive bodies – Koscielny, Mustafi and Gabriel all missing – the Gunners again did just fine. The ability that they had provided plenty of stopping power for a strong Chelsea attack.

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With Calum Chambers coming back after a remarkably successful season with Middlesbrough, that adds another to the mix of incredibly talented – and younger – talents that can man this defensive line.

There was a time in the recent past when the Gunners would sell players at their prime. Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira were both sold off right as they were at their peak. I’m not saying that we should do the same with Koscielny, not without a good cause, but seriously, would you not have confidence in our defense if we only had Rob Holding, Calum Chambers, Gabriel Paulista, Shkodran Mustafi and hell, even this new Per Mertesacker, assuming he doesn’t retire?

Koscielny will always be welcomed at Arsenal. Let me again say that I am not wishing him away by any means. But the Gunners have come a long way since they so grossly relied on the trio of Koscielny, Mertesacker and Thomas Vermaelen. They do not rely on any single defender any more and we have proven that this year.

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With the back three in tact, individual frailties are thrown aside and players are more capable of covering one another. Koscielny isn’t the irreplaceable pillar that he once was.

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