Koln v Arsenal: Koscielny makes a school boy error

[owenazz98]

hes now better with arsene pre season

[bigmakaf199]

this is like the situation between man utd and chelsea last season where park was running at the cb and they both dropped off to stay with hernandez and park was able to play him in becoz no one put him under pressure and no one cut out the chance of a pass whereas if vermaelen steps up he plays the striker offside and there nowhere for the ball carrier to run.

[whereseric]

I like the fact you are getting on Koscielny's back, because I think hes pant's!

But in this example, he's actually done the only thing he should have done.

He became the first defender, he must put pressure to the man with the ball.

[fawakhry]

That's an offside trap that Veramelen has ruined, no mistake from Kos.

[Xhoi23]

No no,koscielny do it well,vermaelen should stayed in a line with koscielny to make the offside trap and that free man can't take the ball ;)

[weatherallc05]

its always koscielnys fault apparently...

[SukhoiSu37Terminator]

This is why we need to work on our communication. Koscielny and Vermaelen are both solid center-backs.

BTW, Ix. Big fan of your's and Joss' writing on Arsenal Report. Every article oozes with pure brilliance. Keep up the good work.

[IpodTouch120807]

Loool... The error was more TV that Kos. If Kos tracked his man, it would have allowed the player on the ball space and time to tst the keeper. Vermaelen should have stepped up to play the runner offside.. Koscielny is not perfect, but certainly betetr than a lot of people give him credit for. Just as good as vermaelen.

[takosattila]

We could stop at Koscielny's error, but he's a fine and underrated defender. Let's watch my friend's @batticomps video about his performace against Hangzhou Greentown. In my opinion, Squillaci is the weakest link in the defence of Arsenal.

[calgarygunner]

a. run backwards while facing and looking at the incoming player with the ball. He will lose speed and that is more costly mistake

b. he faces his man and loses sight of the incoming player. change of direction will make him lose pace, keep them on side and not see what the incoming player is doing - a more costly mistake

TV and the returning arsenal players are at fault here. TV was supposed to watch the offside trap cos he has a better view. Don't we just like to give Kos the stick?

[ixtechau]

@calgarygunner Koscielny is marking the only passing option. If he leaves his mark, he grants the opposition a free chance at goal, which is exactly what happened. If Koscielny stays on his mark, the ball holder has no other option than to run at goal himself, eventually running into Vermaelen, or being caught by another Arsenal player trailing back.

The fact that Podolski ended up in that position is evidence that Koscielny's decision was wrong.

[calgarygunner]

@ixtechau Tell me how you keep offside traps again? A defender stays with his man? Surely that is inviting the player with the ball to have more time and run with ball. I will say both are at fault but TV broke the line of defence when clearly he has a better view. Same or similar error (breaking the line of defence) that we were all too quick to punish Clichy for in the last season. We just hate to admit that our favorite players should be held responsible. Pass the blame to a less admired Kos

[ejaylala1]

@calgarygunner There is plenty of blame to go around in this case. This video show exactly why we have defensive issues. Wilshire should be putting pressure on the player with the ball. Jenkinson was also trailing the play and is completely out of position. He should providing support for Koscienly once he left his man to pressure the ball. They all made mistakes. The defensive midfielders and the full backs are too agressive and are often out position hence exposing the central defenders

[calgarygunner]

You are wrong on this one.

1. There was no arsenal player on the Koln player with the ball. They all were running back instead of putting pressure on the player with the ball. Kos as the closest CB to this player had to go mark him

2. Kos running back with his man means keeping them onside - a more costly mistake. You forget that Kos trying to keep up with his man, will only have two options -

[Janny2151]

no doubt KOS made the initial error,but then TV5 had to step up to prevent podolski from being played onside.two big defensive errors there, 1 from each CB!

[ixtechau]

@Janny2151 By leaving his marker, he puts Vermaelen in an awkward position. Not much Vermaelen can do here, other than to stick to his position.

[aggrission]

@ixtechau Yep. If anything, Vermaelen should be the player putting pressure on.

[Janny2151]

@ixtechau yes he put TV5 in a hard position.but vermaelen just keeps backing off instead of going to meet the man with the ball,therefore playing podolski offside.think both players made errors,but obviously kos made the initial error!