Arsenal: Ready or not, here comes Laurent Koscielny

Arsenal’s defense was like a functional dumpster fire against Huddersfield Town, but now that it’s doused, Laurent Koscielny rises from the ashes.

Before the match began, there was chatter aplenty about Arsenal‘s defensive situation. Rob Holding was out for the year and Laurent Koscielny had only just returned to health. Adding to that both Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis were one yellow card away from a one-match suspension.

Which would seem to indicate that some sort of accountability should have been on display from at least one of those two defenders, knowing the stakes here. But rather than that, the entire Arsenal back line had yellow cards by the 30 minute mark, knowing Mustafi and Sokratis out of contention for the Southampton match.

Mustafi compiled on that with a hamstring injury later in the match that we can only pray is not too serious (he was able to walk off under his own power, for what that’s worth).

In the desperation, we saw Laurent Koscielny getting ready to come on the pitch in what would have been a rousing welcome, but after warming up for awhile, Nacho Monreal was the one that came on instead.

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Not sure I want to read into that too much, because I don’t think I’d like where it would end up, but whether Koscielny was ready or not against Huddersfield, he absolutely has to be ready against Southampton.

Because at the moment, the only other option is to start four fullbacks or to call up Zech Medley.

The biggest problem with this defense against Huddersfield was how reckless they were. Not necessarily in the defending itself, but, as mentioned, in the complete lack of accountability. Defensively, they were sound enough, but with all the experience back there, I expected someone to keep a cool head and just say, “look guys, we have to think ahead. We have to think about the 22nd, 23rd match that we want to stay unbeaten in, don’t we?”

Koscielny is that guy. The consummate professional, I have never had to wonder where Koscielny’s head was at in relation to instances such as these. He is always a cool, composed customer.

And by the way, it’s utter rubbish, these notions that he isn’t good enough for us anymore.

Koscielny is going to start against Southampton. It will be his first start since last season. And it will reassert his presence on the team in a big and useful way.