Lift up your shirt. Just above the belly button. Now, take a look at your navel. That’s what we are doing today.
I noticed something about myself today. Yes, there’s lint in my belly-button. But also, I’m not at all mad about Koscielny leaving. I don’t think he’s “tarnished his legacy” and actually when I hear people say “he’s tarnished his legacy” I only think “well here’s a person who likes to speak in cliches”.
What’s Lolo’s legacy? Not much, I guess. Three-hundred and forty-five appearances, three FA Cups (scored a goal in one final), 2nd place in the Premier League, two League cup finals (both lost) and a Europa League final (lost).
He also played for Arsenal during the “banter era” when Wenger’s comically high line allowed teams to shit all over the center backs constantly. And he was often paired with error-prone defenders like Djourou, Squillaci, and Vermaelen; backed by error-prone keepers like Almunia and Szczesny; and played on a team which both didn’t press and didn’t have a defensive midfielder. One of the phrases I coined during that era was “I wouldn’t want to play center back for Arsenal.”
Yet he did. And he stuck with us through thick and thin. He even played an entire season getting shots and treatment for an achilles that was on the verge of snapping. Choosing to forego surgery (which would have almost certainly meant he was healthy for France’s World Cup) he instead played in the Europa League semi-final, well into the red zone, where he snapped that tendon, trying to win Arsenal and Arsene Wenger a European title.
So, I have a lot of time for Lolo.
What’s interesting, though, is that I have zero time for Cesc Fabregas. And I don’t even think of van Persie as a former Arsenal player.
Fabregas is still beloved by a large section of fans even though he downed tools and forced through a transfer, in much the same way that Laurent Koscielny is accused of doing. Fabregas also played in the red zone, broke his leg for Arsenal (Puyols broke it, actually), and gifted many of us great memories. That goal against Spurs right after the 2nd half kickoff is still one of my favorite Arsenal memories.
So, why do I hate one and not the other?
Well, first, I think we need to stop thinking of humans as rational beings. Even people who pretend to be rational all the time, aren’t. We are a highly irrational, mostly emotional, basically dumb sort of creature which feeds off chemicals in our brains that get us high when we laugh, when we get angry, when we take substances like alcohol, and when we see hugely emotional moments like Laurent Koscielny scoring against Hull in that FA Cup final or Fabregas scoring against Spurs.
But if I gaze deeply at my navel, wondering why there is lint in there, it’s not like I’ve been through the dryer. I think what it comes down to for me is how both players treated Arsene Wenger.
Sure, I could probably justify my loathing of Fabregas and love for Lolo with some line like (deepens voice) “Fabregas left at his peak, destroying the post-Highbury project youth plan, forcing Arsenal into a transfer to a Champions League rival, and because he only wanted to play for one team, Arsenal got 1/3 of what he was really worth. Koscielny is dusted, we used him all the way up, he just wants to go retire to what a lot of folks call the farmer’s league and like a stud horse I would love to grant him that.”
But when it comes down to it, for me, it’s about Wenger. Cesc betrayed Wenger. Koscielny died* for Wenger. That’s it. That’s my reason.
Best of luck Koscielny. I’m glad that you finally got the cups that you deserved and that you can spend the last few years of your career in the greener pastures of Bordeaux. Your legacy will never be tarnished in my world.
*I mean, he didn’t die, but he did literally blow out his achilles for the man.
this makes me so sad. i will revere kos in the same high regard i will hold sagna, the same way they held the line for the arsenal.
I don’t think Kos tarnished his anything.
I also don’t believe going from Arsenal back to Barca to play with once in a lifetime talent they had was something even his harshest critics would themselves turn down if in Cesc’s shoes.
I’m more conflicted about RVP because of where he went to.
But since it was Wenger who ultimately agreed on the move then why would I solely blame the player.
I like your words and this does feel like a wake. Laurent was one of the last of the genuine bargains that Wenger unearthed. He would have been at home at any of the top sides during most of his tenure.
I don’t hate Cesc; correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t we poach him from the Barca youth set up? Legally of course, we’re not Chelsea, but I forgive being dumped for his boyhood crush. He did screw us royally by doing so but he too was fabulous for us. Van Persie was a dirty dog, we nurtured him through endless injuries, only to be stabbed in the bum at our moment of need.
I do reckon, without any corroborating evidence at all, that someone made a promise to Lauren that wasn’t kept; they are probably part of the club’s history now, and admittedly, not getting on the US bound plane was a little melodramatic. We got 5 million and given that he cost us 10 (I think), it could be worse. Being a cold pragmatist, all that loose change behind the sofa will help replace him. He was a good egg.
Kos scored some goals late in the league that kept us above the spuds. Utterly determined. He’s been great and I wish him the very best!
He and Mertesacker were the closest we’ve had to a strong CB pairing since Campbell-Toure, and you might actually say Koscielny-Mertesacker were better because, unlike their predecessors, they performed well without any midfield protection whatsoever!
It’s a sad way for it to end. I do think he behaved badly, but I’m not too bitter about it. For me, the bitterness factor for a departing (and instigating) player is contingent on their quality, form, and, to some extent, destination and reasons for going there. RVP leaving for United was a slap in the face (and then helping them win the title to boot). Fabregas leaving in the prime of his career, given what Wenger had done for him, grated, too. Koscielny? He’s basically being put out to pasture. That sounds harsh, but really, this is a retirement move for him, and on the cusp of turning Lichtsteiner years old, we should never have expected him to carry us defensively.
Anyway, blah blah blah. All the best to him, enjoy the Bordeaux, etc. Like I said, I’m not angry, but the manner of his departure also means I’m not really in the mood to rehearse or get misty-eyed about his achievements at Arsenal. If that’s legacy tarnishing, then consider him tarnished! Or am I tarnished? Tarnish all around!
By the way, what’s this madness I’m reading about Ozil to DC United in January?
It’s all good, Bunburyist, no worries. We’re getting our favorite player, Wayne Rooney, in exchange. 😆
Lol, they got rid of Fat Wayne. I kind of doubt this is happening but hey.
I’m torn on Kos, as club captain we as a club deserved more respect, the example sent to the youngsters is unforgivable, However, he gave us 9 years of great service and realistically how great would he be next year? I’ll be happy that he’s gone and happy as long as we sign a replacement. I don’t hate Fabregas because why wouldn’t you want to play for Barca? We had the chance to resign him so again I don’t hate his move to Chelsea. RVP is a prick of the highest order as is Giroud. Giroud for being shit and then mocking us. Let’s all move on. Get a CB and I’m excited for the season to come.
The Kos departure is another Arsenal mystery. I certainly don’t get it. Shouldn’t have happened. Refusing to play though, is most unbecoming and is the last thing I expected from someone who I thought to be a consummate professional. WtF happened none of us supporters know and I all I can hope for is that it works out for everyone.
I don’t think his reputation is tarnished at all. I just think most fans are disappointed in how he approached this. Go on the tour, but agitate for a move behind the scenes.
And I don’t think Kos played for Wenger per se, he played for the team and because we were in a trophy hunt. That seems like a stretch to say he played (and died) for Wenger.
Wenger is equally at fault for his injury because he actually played him in that condition. Wenger did that more than we care to remember. Ramsey, Sanchez, Cazorla…lots of guys were rushed back or sent out onto the field when they were “red line” and in need of rest or rehab.
The St. Arsene characterization is fake news. A great manager, a great man, but deeply flawed, especially towards the end.
That handling of his injury that turned chronic is something I can’t ever forgive Wenger. That and never replacing Almunia at the time.
For the record, Tim, Koscielny “downed tools” as well by refusing to get on the plane. And like him, Cesc had performed above and beyond for Arsenal prior to said downing of tools. But hey, Im not going to argue too much about different perceptions of this.
I hold both in tremendous esteem, and if Im in the stadium when either returns with another team, Im going to stand and applaud. Cesc is one of the best 2 Arsenal players Ive seen kick a football, he carried an average cast on his young shoulders for years, and I’ll never lose the love. I appreciate Lolo too.
RVP tried to drive a wedge between the club and players with his “hey guys” statement, and that, more than the fact of his leaving, is what rankled and still rankles. But time is a great healer, and I’ll applaud him too.
Thanks for the memories, Lolo. And well done battling your way back to fitness last season.
“one of the best 2…” I’m curious about the other one. Care to share? I’m thinking it’s got be an Invincible but it’s really Gervinho, isn’t not?
Of course it’s The Forehead 🙂
But seriously, I should have said “best two or three”. Because the others are Vieira and Henry. Im gonna get killed for leaving out Bergkamp, but I have a bias towards central midfielders. And you can’t leave Henry out of the conversation.
I love Cesc, but he might be 4-6 on the list. Definitely Henry, Vieira and Bergkamp (my fave) as top 3, possibly Adams.
These things are subjective. And as i said, I have a bias for guys who work in the engine room.
Will always love Kos.
Is it now ok to talk about the fact that he looks like a supervillian?
I thought the general agreement was that he looked like Bart Simpson.
Beyond that, and to the point of the post, he doesn’t rise to the level of legend for me. A good defender. At his best, one of the better ones in the PL. It’s unfortunate that it came to this though. I do blame management as much as Kos. Had they done a better job at bringing in another quality CB, it wouldn’t have been so hard to let him go.
Yup. I think he’s probably none too happy about how his achilles injury was handled. And I can’t really be too upset about that. I had an employer that worked me to the point where I was tired, sick, and stressed all the time. So I quit! Tough to be measured about this stuff when your health is/was on the line.
Cesc is a Garter snake, not very venomous but still a snake.
R.V.P on the other hand is a frigging Diamondback the size of a Boa. Big assed snake .
As for Kos, the downing of tools pre U.S.A and the frankly classless Bordeaux unveiling video left a lot to be desired.
He played through the pain and suffered many fools as partners and for that I will always be grateful.
On the other hand, he was forged as an almost world class player at Arsenal in entirety while getting paid handsomely and having access to one of the greatest and most loyal bosses in football.
Very good player for us but legend he’s not.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou was right. Nothing about what he is doing really makes me feel bad in any way. I doubt I will even remember how he left as much as I will remember how good he was, and he was really good. How he survived and stood out as a defender under Arsene’s sides over the previous 9 years, I just don’t know.
I think Kos was right to force an exit. If the club is determined to wring what’s left of him as a defender (which isn’t much nowadays), I think he should high tail before something breaks beyond repair. Just goes to show that new bosses don’t typically care how long you have contributed to a company. It is a ruthless world and one got to take care of himself.
That’s a terrible way to put it. He’s not a slave. He’s a highly paid athlete. We weren’t going the break him… we wanted to keep our best defender, albeit one who was old and near retirement!
Come on, man
If he’s our best defender, we ought to be prepared to put an acceptable contract in front of him. Otherwise it’s saying we think his career is over after this, and we don’t care.
Especially in the context where he came back from injury ahead of schedule last season, to try and help Arsenal win. And presumably some verbal assurances over his future.
There are more mature ways to force an exit in a club you are captain and have been at for 9 years than to go on a strike.
Downing tools to get a free transfer? Going on strike? Making a tongue-in-cheek video after he gets what he wants? Conflicts with management? That proud, flairful and almost arrogant play style?
Kos is just being French.
i’m not too bothered, but he did seem to jump at the chance to play for arsenal when he was in the french second division at the age of 24. we made him a multi millionaire and he had an international career that he may not have had.
like I say I’m not to bothered but there is two sides to the story.
The one thing that epitomised him was commitment to the cause whatever it took.
Amen to this. Screw Fabregas. Love to Koscielny forever.
just an idea ,If Kos had played for us now during preseason, kept clean sheets and we won everything then left now , how would you feel. he gave us a chance to find a replacement.. I have way less resentment towards him than Cesc or RVP .
If the club hadn’t announced that there was a problem between Koscielny and them, and everything else had been the same, we would all be applauding Koscielny, and not finding offense in a video where he changed shirts.
Btw, I think that changing shirts thing was meant for Bordeaux (and Puma) to ride on Arsenal’s size and project how much of a coup it was for them to sign Koscielny. Their other video also prominently mentions Arsenal. Arsenal are popular in France.
I always though he was more of Lyle Lovett lookalike .
I had my fingers rapped earlier today (elsewhere) for suggesting that he sacrificed his World Cup dreams by playing too many games while nursing his achilles injury for the sake of Arsenal, because we pay his wages and France do not.
I’m not going to slag him and forgive the recent aberrations from his good guy image, and wish him all the best.
ha! if lyle lovett and beavis had a baby, it would be laurent koscielny.
everton bid £30 million for iwobi but arsenal rejected that. good on arsenal. iwobi got a lot of stick but he’s still young and super-talented; his best is soon to come.
Ummm… what? I think I take the 30m for Iwobi if it means getting us closer to a bid for the Leipzig kid at CB or Tierney. Iwobi is not going to be a first XI for us if we’re a CL outfit. Of course I would at first reject the offer to see if I could get more, but Iwobi should definitely be considered a saleable asset. He moved down the pecking order once we signed Pepe.
I’m with just about with you on this, Jack. I think he’d be useful in the Europa League campaign this season, but that’s about it. He’s been frustrating to watch these last few years, and I don’t see him improving. He is what he is. A relatively useful forward who sometimes creates chaos for the opposition defense, but not often enough to be considered reliable or consistent. I’d sell, but at somewhere closer to £40m, though I think Arsenal will try to keep him just for the cover he provides.
I also don’t see Iwobi becoming a first team regular so 40-45 mil (plus sell-on clause), in this market, sounds about the right number to move him on and use those funds somewhere else. It could happen. Both club and player are open to the move and Everton seem desperate.
Respectfully, you guys are a bit cra cra…
Iwobi is just 23. I expect big things from him and AMN (Conservative) this year.
Well, I hope you’re right, because it would be great for him and the club if he lit it up this year.
I have mixed feelings about the Luiz smoke… 32 is not young and he does have Mustafi-esque brain farts. But he has won a lot, passes well out of the back, good mobility and can play DM if we’re pressed. Better in a back 3, if we want that flexibility. Sarri and Conte both rated him and by all accounts is a good professional and good in the dressing room.
Still, zero sell-on value after this contract.
I’d be fine with Luiz. Stop-gap. Ask yourselves this question: Which of the following pairings fills you with the most confidence in Premier League competition:
Sokratis-Chambers
Sokratis-Mustafi
Sokratis-Luiz
It’s the last one for me, though I know we can debate Holding when he returns.
Any pairing with Mustafi in it is a loser at this point.
luiz playing in xhaka’s position and dropping into centre half when bellerin and tierny bomb forwards would be good.
luiz is a nightmare in a back 4 and a premiership winner in a back 3.
can’t see this one coming off chelsea have a transfer ban and cech was a special deal.
Tierney is a done deal!! Wooohooooooo
Happy to see us strengthen at the back before the window definitively closes.
Tim what say you regarding his stats?
Do you think he’s very injury prone?
I think with Tierney being done means Monreal is our new CB.
No, I think our new CB is David Luiz, particularly if Emery wants to play a back four more often than not. Monreal only plays CB in a back three.
We were short of experienced CBs with the departure of Kos so in that sense I don’t mind Luiz. But my preference for a CB would have been someone whose style complements Socrates. Now we will have have two CBs playing together who both like to charge at the ball like a raging bull. I suppose it’s still better than playing Mustafi but I suspect our defense will still be porous and we will revert back to a back 3 when playing away from home.
I think Luiz’s ball-playing abilities (a big strength of his) actually complement Sokratis.
True he is good on the ball but that’s not really a defensive style though. I think I would have preferred a Mertesacker type defender next to Socrates but I realize that’s a tough ask this late in the window.
It is a defensive style if part of your strategy is to play it out from the back. Which Luiz can do probably better than any other of our current defenders.
I guess we disagree here. I see build-up play as an attacking strategy.
Thanks for the post Tim
Good Luck to Kos, Jenks and Welbeck. Kos was a very good CB at one point and he will be missed. Jenks and Welbeck both lacked the talent to be impact players but they both gave full effort whenever they were on the pitch.
Its amazing to see our new front office brain trust working with the transfer market. Its been about 10 years of stagnation, especially in the last 4-5 years of Wenger/Gazidis which certainly put us behind the power curve. Hopefully changing the guard in our front office and bringing in some new ideas can revitalize the club.
Just been thinking about Emery’s Five Captains. Koscielny, Cech, Ramsey, Ozil, Xhaka.
Didn’t hold up that well, did it?
Dear Gods of Football, are we really going to make Xhaka the main man?
Good grief.
The Luiz deal seems like a terrible deal even with his passing abilities. His proneness to brain farts probably stinks as bad as Mustafi so technically we are merely getting an older albeit samba version of the Shocker, who may turn out to be more shocking in our waffle thin defence that the premier league had made a habit of having for desserts.
Hello house, can we do a brief comparison of our signings and that of spuds?
Nice try! This has been a spirited effort to take attention away from Koscielny and his petulance by delving into a bizarre comparison with Fabregas, and also dragging Wenger into it.
What is clear to me is that the real Koscielny was well shielded all along, kudos to his team or the Arsenal team. Personally, I started to figure him out when he accused Deschamps of asking after his health only once, and then declared he was actually wishing the France team to fail at the World Cup, in his absence.
You were right to say the only thing that matters to Laurent is Laurent. He was angry that we did not let him go for free so he could earn more money for himself. That says a lot. So let us not do him any favours he does not deserve or appreciate. His legacy is what it is. It is more in the hearts of Arsenal fans than in any trophies he helped us win or not win. If you ask me, he sealed it with that Bordeaux announcement video.