Arsenal: Laurent Koscielny must harness his inner Mertesacker

Arsenal’s defense is an ongoing question mark, so it’s time for Laurent Koscielny to harness his inner Mertesacker and make the most of what may be his end.

So… Arsenal’s defense against West Ham. As always, there was enough on both the good and the bad end to leave us thoroughly confused. The majority was good, mostly because the Gunners were attacking so much they had no need to defend. But when put under pressure, the nerves come out.

This time around, Laurent Koscielny did the lion’s share of the work. He got under Marko Arnautovic’s skin and rendered him frustrated and useless. At least for the majority of the game. The Hammers had a ten-minute stretch where they found a ton of joy, including an Arnautovic goal.

Seeing as how this was the dress rehearsal for Atletico Madrid, there was, again, plenty to think about on both the good and bad end. It remains painfully clear, however, that the Gunners desperately need someone to step up.

Related Story: 5 Things Learned Against West Ham

And by step up, I mean mentally. Because physically, we have two athletic centerbacks who are capable of defending against any one man, but as a unit, they can’t seem to harness their collective potential.

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It’s no secret that, physically, Koscielny has been hurting this year, and it is a big ask, but he needs to look inside of him, uncover that inner Per Mertesacker, and burst out of his skin, because I saw just enough of a hint of that happening against West Ham to be excited about the potential of it happening against Atletico.

I am, of course, talking about Mertesacker’s form against Chelsea in the FA Cup final. The German giant hadn’t started a match all year, but when called upon, he was a lighthouse at the back, understanding his physical deficiencies, and stepping up in other, positive ways.

Which was all we could really ask for.

Koscielny has that same capability, else Arsene Wenger never would have given him the captain’s armband. We need more mental leadership out of Koscielny than physical. He has led with his play all of these past few years, and that is wonderful, but it’s time for him to lead with his voice, which is what this defense truly needs.

Next: 3 Things That Must Change For Atletico Madrid

Thankfully, Mertesacker is right there on the bench as a tremendous resource to help Koscielny accomplish this. I have a sneaking feeling we may see peak Koscielny at the Emirates on Thursday.