Koscielny: we are not confident

Arsenal’s vice-captain and France international Laurent Koscielny has spoken to the press and fully admits that the team’s confidence is very low, according to the Guardian. Speaking after the team’s eighth loss of 2018 yesterday, a 2-1 defeat in Brighton, he said: ““We know we are in a bad situation, a bad period...We tried but nothing is with us. We tried to fight and play football but you could see the confidence is very down.”

Koscielny, who was moved to tears during last week’s players-only meeting, was quick to point out that it is as much the players’ fault as it is manager Arsène Wenger’s (although surely some of the blame, if not most of it, falls at the feet of the board and majority shareholder, Stan Kroenke). He noted that the loss was the finish to “the worst week of his career.” And while certainly Koscielny is in probably the worst form of his time at Arsenal, he is not alone in that regard.

It is hard to see one of one’s favorite players, a man who personally saved his hometown industry, in such a state, and I hope that he and Arsenal turn it around and climb back up the rope of confidence soon. As of right now, though, things look bleak. Cheer up, Laurent.