Is Francis Coquelin the new defensive anchor?
At the beginning of the season, Francis Coquelin was sent to Charlton to develop and hone his skills before being integrated into the Arsenal squad. After impressing at Charlton, the Frenchman was recalled by the Gunners in mid-December. Due to injuries to Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta, Arsenal were forced to recall the defensive-midfielder and it proved to be fruitful.
In early January, Arsenal traveled to the Etihad to play Manchester City in a game where most thought that the Citizens would claim three points. However, Arsenal shocked everyone with a surprising away victory in which many players impressed. Coquelin was one of the key players from the match and won 100% of his tackles, made six interceptions, won 7/8 of his aerial duels, and made 11 clearances. These statistics were vital in helping the Gunners secure an important win over Manchester City. Since that game, Coquelin has featured more heavily for the Gunners and will continue to feature if he continues to perform at such a high level.