Wenger explains why Coquelin starts in midfield

Per Arseblog, Arsène Wenger has ruled out playing Francis Coquelin at right back, and explained why he prefers Coquelin in midfield.

“He’s certainly the most defensively efficient midfielder, so it allows me to balance the team around him. We are an offensive team and to have someone who can break things up and whose first pass is very good, helps a lot for us to be efficient,” Wenger said.

This seems to be a rather loose use of the term efficient, as well as the phrase “first pass is very good.” I think Wenger might be Coquelin’s only non-blood relative who would describe his first pass as being “very good,” especially when compared to a player like, oh I don’t know, Granit Xhaka.

The quotes indicates Wenger will likely start Coquelin yet again against West Ham tomorrow, and the starting right back will be either the underwhelming Gabriel or the underwhelming Carl Jenkinson. Not great Bob.