Why Francis Coquelin's Injury Could Hurt Arsenal More Than Expected

In his post-match press conference after Arsenal’s 3-0 Premier League win over Chelsea on Saturday, Arsene Wenger was understandably elated.

However, his face turned grey when asked about the injury to Francis Coquelin that had forced the French midfielder off midway through the first half. The loss of Coquelin was the one blight on an otherwise excellent day for the Gunners.

There are mounting concerns it could be quite a serious problem. Coquelin’s expression as he departed the pitch suggested a man who feared the worst. After all, he missed two months of last season with an injury to the same knee. Having started this season as part of Wenger’s first-choice XI, he’ll be gutted about the prospect of losing his place.

As reported by David Hytner of the Guardian, Wenger confirmed the disappointing news: "He has a knee injury at the same place he had last year at West [Bromwich Albion]. That’s the negative of the day. We don't know if the damage is as big at the moment, we have to wait for 48 hours. But he left the stadium in a brace and I'm a bit worried for that."

All Arsenal fans can do is sit tight and hope for the best before the swelling goes down and a proper medical assessment can be made. 

There may be some supporters who consider Coquelin’s injury a blessing in disguise. For several weeks now, sections of the fanbase have been clamouring for new signing Granit Xhaka to start at the Frenchman’s expense. It’s likely Coquelin’s absence will accelerate the Swiss midfielder’s integration into the team. 

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

However, it would be naive in the extreme to hail the loss of Coquelin as good news. Wenger clearly considers him an important player—and with good reason. His performances this season have been good, and he has played a vital part in helping Arsenal go unbeaten since the season’s opening weekend.

At a time when Arsenal’s team is undergoing a process of evolution, Coquelin has been a welcome constant. His inclusion has been down to Wenger’s desire to retain a stable core at the heart of the side.

Through the spine of the Arsenal team, there are three key partnerships: the one between the centre-backs, another between the two deep-lying central midfielders and the relationship between the No. 10 and the lone striker.

This season, Arsenal have already changed two of those partnerships. The signing of Shkodran Mustafi (and Per Mertesacker’s absence through injury) has meant installing a new defensive duo. Up front, Alexis Sanchez has been repurposed as a centre-forward and is building a new relationship with playmaker Mesut Ozil. 

That’s why Xhaka has had to wait. Wenger does not want to destabilise his team by making another big change in the middle of the park. Coquelin has a long-established rapport with Santi Cazorla, so Wenger has been leaning on their experience throughout the opening weeks of the season.

Now he will be forced into change. Xhaka certainly brings plenty of individual quality, but it remains to be seen whether he can jell quickly with Cazorla to form a cohesive partnership.

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There is a sense that the desire to see the new man implemented in the team has cast a shadow over the quality of Coquelin’s performances. His contribution has been significant, and the statistics back that up. According to Squawka, he averages four defensive actions per game—the highest total of any midfielder in the Arsenal squad.

The Chelsea game saw him come up against N’Golo Kante—arguably the most well-regarded defensive midfielder in the Premier League. However, the numbers suggest Coquelin has matched him this season.

Kante has played a full game-and-a-half more than Coquelin this season. However, while the Chelsea man has managed 12 interceptions in 2016/17, per Squawka, the Arsenal midfielder outstrips him with 16. Both men have attempted the same number of tackles, and unsurprisingly, Coquelin has been much more effective in the air. He may not be the most exciting player to watch, but he plays an integral role in the side. 

It’s now over to Xhaka to see whether he can fill that role. He’s a superior passer to Coquelin, with better vision and execution when it comes to distributing the ball. The question is whether his defensive instincts are as good. He’s not quite as nimble as the Arsenal academy product and can occasionally be caught out by players dribbling at him at speed.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

They are different players. Coquelin does have his faults, but he remains unique within the Arsenal squad. Terming Xhaka as a direct replacement would be a bit of a misnomer. With Mathieu Flamini having departed the squad this summer, there is no other midfielder in the Arsenal squad whose primary function is to break up play. 

If Xhaka can tighten up defensively, he may well excel. That could make him difficult to displace when Coquelin eventually returns. However, the Frenchman is not frightened by the prospect of some competition. Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny have both arrived in the squad in 2016, but Coquelin seems undaunted.

Speaking to the Arsenal website in early September, he said:

"

There is loads of competition, but I think that’s a good thing. Obviously we are Arsenal, so we expect competition and a player comes in every year, so it is a great addition. Granit came this year, and I think he is a great addition to the squad.

Mohamed came in January, and I think he has done well. No one really knew him before he came here, but he has shown how good he is. It is going to be an interesting competition in the middle. 

"

His attitude is admirable. It’s the same appetite for a challenge that is evident every time he steps onto the field. If Coquelin can produce the form he’s shown thus far this season upon returning from injury, he’ll have a good chance of reclaiming his place. Until then, he’ll certainly be missed.

Arsenal showed against Chelsea that they have plenty of style—without Coquelin, they may lack some of the steel.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and will be following the club from a London base throughout 2016/17. Follow him on Twitter here.