Coquelin was clearly at the forefront of Wenger’s thinking in that analysis but perhaps also Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla. Arsenal’s midfield has rarely looked more balanced and the return of a striker adept at playing with his back to goal and holding the ball up has been essential in extracting the best from others. “It can be Coquelin or Cazorla but sometimes the balance is to have one more guy who keeps the ball upfront,” explained Wenger. “It depends what type of problems you have. Giroud is a guy who dictates a bit your game because he is tall, he can keep the ball up in the air, he can win headers. All the others are more similar: they are mobility, speed and technique. I’ve always kept faith in Coquelin. I took him from France at the age of 16. He has gone through some difficult periods but he’s learned from his experiences. He has matured.”