Koscielny and Mertesacker are on a par with Arsenal's great defensive partnerships – they're the best in the Premier League



Arsenal have had some excellent defensive partnerships over the years but there’s no doubt that Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker are now right up there with the best of them.

The great thing about the pair is how well they complement each other.

They are quite different players but they cover each other well and between them have all the attributes you need to defend against anybody.



Solid as a rock: Per Mertesacker (right) and Laurent Koscielny (left) have not lost a league match for almost two years when they have both started and finished a game for title-challenging Arsenal

Mertesacker is strong and excellent in the air.

He is so tall that sometimes he doesn’t even need to get off the ground to win the ball.

Then you have the agility and anticipation of Koscielny. He loves defending and it’s almost like he has ABS brakes the way he can turn and move.



Highly-rated: Kolo Toure (left) and Sol Campbell were excellent at the heart of Arsenal's 'Invincibles' team Long-serving: Sportsmail's Martin Keown (back) partnered Tony Adams (right) to great effect

Mertesacker seems to be a natural leader. He’s the one dictating where the line is and how deep they drop.

When he first arrived he looked laboured and his decision-making was not great.

Now he makes the right calls and is the sharpest I’ve seen him, while Koscielny is learning from his experience.

Complimentary qualities: Between them, Mertesacker (right) and Koscielny can stifle Europe's best

Against Everton, Romelu Lukaku looked like he might cause damage with his pace but Koscielny policed him, then Mertesacker dealt with Christian Benteke’s aerial threat on Monday night.

It’s that balance and solidity that makes them the best centre back partnership in the league.