Laurent Koscielny: Is this sensational centre-back Arsenal's real hero?

Laurent Koscielny: Is this sensational centre-back Arsenal's real hero?

Arsenal's French defender Laurent Koscielny has really upped his game this season. The centre-back has improved year after year since arriving at the Emirates, and the Gunners ace has undoubtedly turned himself into one of the Premier League's most consistent defenders.

Arsenal currently sit pretty in the higher regions of the league table, and the likes of Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez are taking all the plaudits for the club's solid Premier League campaign thus far.

However, how much do those trio of players, and indeed the whole Arsenal team, owe to their superb centre-half Laurent Koscielny?

Among the best - and not just in the Premier League

The France international made the switch to north London for a fee believed to be around £9.7m (S$20.3 million) from French club Lorient in July 2010. Fast forward five years, and the 30-year-old has not only become one of the Premier League's best defenders (if not the best) he's also earned the right to be called one of the world's best, too.

This season in particular, Koscielny has put in some faultless displays in the heart of the Arsenal defence, which has really built the platform for the likes of Ozil, Giroud and Sanchez to push forward and the get the goals for Arsene Wenger's troops.

In fact, despite taking a couple of years to settle and adapt to the fast pace of the English game, it's certainly safe to say that over the last couple of seasons, the former Guingamp and Tours defender has improved his game tenfold.

Title challengers and thanks to the likes of the Frenchman

Realistically, with Chelsea nowhere near, Manchester United stuttering and Liverpool seemingly coming up short, Arsenal's real title rivals this year are Manchester City (although the Leicester City fans might have something to say about that).

If the Gunners do indeed secure their first Premier League title for 12 years, you can guarantee that the nitty-gritty stuff done by the likes of Laurent Koscielny would've gone a long way to helping Wenger's team to do so.

The Frenchman deserves all the credit he's receiving at present, and the Gooners faithful will be hoping he can continue his stunning form for the rest of the campaign.

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