Juve 3, Boateng, ??? (Possible Kos??)
Definitely top 10 in the world. If he manages to put in consistent performances with the way we play then imagine him in a more defensive set up like Athleticoâs.
I think since that game against Barca game some have noticed, with Bayern enquiring about him a season or two back iirc. His mild personality and levelled ego probably help keep him under the radar too.
Koscielny is an integral part of a team like ours. Heâs very suited to the Premier League in that he is very quick to pounce on anything loose and reads the modern game exceptionally well. Heâs very strong and athletic, plus astute in possession too. I wouldnât want him replaced by any other defender given that I know he fits in so well and so consistently year after year. Iâm glad we have also had suitable defensive partners for him in Mertesacker and now Mustafi.
Ex-defenders like Rio Ferdinand, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville have sung his praises because they understand Premier League defensive patterns at an experiential level. Lets be honest though, whoâs praise really matters? The fans praise means nothing. Neither does the odd pundit on TV. Itâs the scouts and football personnel whoâs opinion matters in regards to players like Koscielny. And they seem to rate him just as highly as we would expect them to.
Itâs also a massive bonus that his reading of the game helps him pick out so many opportunities to score from a loose ball or delivery into the box. He scores a hell of a lot of goals and of a high quality most of the time.
The thing that explains why people donât rate him is that he plays for Arsenal. It really is that simple. Until Arsenal win the Premier League and go far in the Champions League, the universal praise is unlikely to pour in. If he signed for Bayern Munich, all of a sudden he would be regarded as a natural born killer of a modern day defender. I think his stock has risen a lot over the last four years though.
For me he is playing at a World Class level consistently. We donât need him to do any more than that. All the other rewards for him individually will stem from that and the team around him. Lets hope we do well over the coming years or we could face having to lose him to Bayern, Barca, Madrid, PSG or Juve.
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Bonucci, Piqué, Thiago Silva, Hummels, Sergio Ramos/Koscielny.
Players who play for winning teams get the biggest reputations. We donât win. I agree with @SRCJJ assessment of him, but heâs a great defender nonetheless.
I can see players like Tiago silva being seen as better than kosh and I donât know much about Italian football so canât comment on the juve defenders but I would say he is just as good as pique or Ramos
Joining them two clubs is a step down! No big player in his peak joins them.
Joining an actual contender for the Champions League is a step down (in the case of Juventus at least)? Bayern has the same dominance in the Bundesliga, but nobody says joining them is a step down.
oh barca
Thing is also in defense its all about the unit and being only as good as the weakest link .
Before Coquelin came back into the fold both he and the BFG were getting ripped every week because the back 4 had no one covering in front of them so they looked bad ,wasnt their fault .
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Bundesliga is a top 3 league though. Seria A is a boring league.
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The reason I say heâs both world class and could start for any team is a simple one.
Kos looks as good as he does for us more or less playing his natural game, if he were to play under a manager who can form a defence that is a cohesive unit that runs from front to back, knows what theyâre doing with and without the ball and has a distinct style of defending i.e press, dropping off etc, he would be something else entirely.
The rashness is a result of coaching or lack thereof hence I believe under more tactical managers he would perform even better.
How many other defenders would perform as he does with such a defence that has less tactical discipline and nous of other top teams?
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Would Koscielny look out of place playing next to Boateng at Bayern? Or playing next to Pique at Barcelona? No way. Heâd be their equal. Thus making him a world class defender.
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Rio said last season he was the best in the League - will take that off a legitimately world class defender in his day.
I donât recall Koscielny having many lapses.
Once De Bruyne got better of him and that Carling cup goofup.
If we start concentrating on every small lapses, then no defender in the world will be world class.
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Todayâs uncomfortable truth: Heâs a serious success of Wengerâs transfer policy.
And now watch the hate roll in as people choose to read that as âWengerâs transfer policy is a total successâ despite that not being what I said 
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@shamrockgooner nailed the issue of why lots of other fans donât rate him highly enough. He makes one or two high profile, glaring errors a season. Be it an own goal, conceded penalty or whatever. This kind of thing sticks in their mind and offers confirmation that the assessment they made after say his first season or two is correct.
@SRCJJ which centre backs are better than Koscielny in your mind? If it isnât too long a list for you to be arsed to type lol. Not challenging your opinion, itâs just that I know you watch more foreign football than I do. Iâd struggle to place Koscielny in terms of the best CBs in the world simply because I donât watch enough non PL football.
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World class by now Iâd say. Ofc a definition thing but for me he would look in place in any NT or club given adjustment time today. He just doesnât have the big name appeal as some others simply because we as a club havenât won much. He has also been partnered by some serious security concerns throughout his stay here and still kept improving rather than being dragged down by them. Top player, also looks insanely fit, I wouldnât be surprised if he is still a world beater at 33.
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Trust me, Bonucci is fucking good. He has a great eye for a pass and his positioning is just amazing.
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Ramos is literally 10 cards away from being the most carded player in La Liga history. I think he gets too many cards and gives away too many penalties to get top 5, even though heâs fantastic
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