Arsenal: Koscielny And Mustafi Pass Costa Test With Flying Colours
Arsenal’s new centre-half partnership of Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi passed the almighty test of Diego Costa with flying colours against Chelsea.
Saturday evening brought together London’s two primary challengers for the Premier League title. With both Arsenal and Chelsea trying to prove their credibility, it was set to be quite the occasion. However, after a blistering first 45 minutes, the occasion was cut short somewhat, not that the North London club is complaining.
Arsene Wenger’s side were utterly fantastic in the first half, scoring three, dominating every aspect of the game and laying down a marker as a genuine title challenger, not the pretender that many had painted them to be. They went into the break 3-0 up and ran out comfortable winners after a far lower key second half.
More from Pain in the Arsenal
It was the performance of the opening 45 minutes that has garnered the most media attention after the game with the attacking talents of Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Theo Walcott rightly being highly praised. However, while the free flowing football, intelligent movement and wonderful goals scored were wonderful to see, it was the defensive solidarity of this side that was particularly pleasing.
Especially, the partnership of Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny held up to scrutiny against one of the biggest tests the Premier League has to offer right now. Diego Costa has been in sensational form so far this season, rejuvenated under Antonio Conte. Moreover, the physical power of the Chelsea striker has caused major torment for Arsenal defences of the past, having scored two in his three appearances and causing two sending offs.
Nonetheless, the snarling Costa was tamed. His fiery spirit watered down. While he bullied and bulldozed, furrowed a lonely track as the central striker, ultimately, the calmness, the composure and the seldom stressed Mustafi and Koscielny handled Costa with great care, attention and ease.
With both matching the main antagonizer for pace, Wenger was happy to play a high line without the worry of being exposed in behind. Repeatedly, as Costa dropped deep to receive the ball to feet, Koscielny or Mustafi matched him stride for stride, pressurising his touch, hounding the ball and after recovering possession on numerous occasions, frustrating him to the point of ineffectualness.
Costa is the perfect striker against a typically soft Arsenal defence. This, though, is no typical Gunners’ defence. Both Mustafi and Koscielny were outstanding on Saturday. Perform like that every week, and there will be many angry strikers around the league.
This article originally appeared on 
