West Brom vs. Arsenal: Key Takeaways from Arsene Wenger's Pre-Match Presser

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed he will speak with defender Laurent Koscielny to see if he’s in the right frame of mind to face West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

The Gunners boss said the French defender has been mentally shaken in the wake of last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris, and he will converse with the 30-year-old before deciding whether to start him.

The defender was noticeably emotional prior to France’s game against England in midweek and turned in an out-of-sorts display at the heart of the defence. 

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“On Tuesday you could see he was not himself and it affected him deeply,” said Wenger, per Ben Burrows of the Daily Mirror. The manager also added that he “didn’t recognise” Koscielny as France lost 2-0 to the Three Lions at Wembley.

As noted by Amy Lawrence of the Guardian, Wenger was adamant that if the centre-back wasn’t completely right, he won’t be in the team:

The attacks in Paris shook the French capital on Nov. 13. One of the attacks saw a suicide bomber detonate a device outside the Stade de France as the national team played Germany in a friendly, while a second explosion from nearby was also heard.

France played England at Wembley just days later, with the home fans singing "La Marseillaise" in tribute. 

Wenger was impressed by the manner in which the occasion was handled by all, per the Arsenal Twitter feed:

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Wenger also insisted it is important people remain upbeat despite the atrocities. “The way for us is to get on with life and respond in a positive way to the situation,” he said, per Burrows.

Looking ahead to Saturday’s showdown with the Baggies, Wenger had some good news on the injury front, confirming right-back Hector Bellerin will be in contention to start against West Brom, per Burrows. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Aaron Ramsey are set to remain sidelined, though.

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Tony Pulis, the West Brom manager, is someone whose coaching style has caused Wenger’s team issues in the past, especially during his time at Stoke City.

The Arsenal manager commented on the kind of challenge he expects on Saturday:

The trip to the Hawthorns is the kind of contest that will illustrate just how serious this Arsenal team are when it comes to challenging for the Premier League title.

West Brom are not the most technically gifted side, but they’ll battle for everything in front their own supporters and test the Gunners with direct attacking play.

There’s a sense Arsenal do have a little more steel about them this season, and that should serve them well here.

However, it’s clear Wenger has some big decisions to make in terms of team selection ahead of the weekend’s clash, as the Gunners seek to build momentum ahead of a vital festive period.