Laurent Koscielny talks about his defending, Per Mertesacker and Giroud's hair

Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny

Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny has described the success of his partnership with Per Mertesacker as being based around their differing, complementary styles of play, but admitted that he is jealous of his German colleague for having his own song.

When asked by the club website why players such as Olivier Giroud have their own song at the club but he doesn’t he joked:

“I don’t know! Maybe I need to have Olivier’s nose or his haircut! Or maybe they don’t like me. Before I retire, I am hoping to have my own song!”

Koscielny has been in top form this season, but admitted that his style of play can prove risky on occasion.

“I always anticipate. One day I will get caught but that’s my game. I have to take risks because that’s the way I play. When I intercept the ball it’s a risk I took to get it.

“That’s what I do best but it can lead to mistakes too. When I’m on the pitch I need to go for it. I need to battle.”

The Frenchman continued by talking about the success of his partnership with Per Mertesacker at the heart of the Arsenal defence.

The pair have been at the centre of Arsenal’s title challenge this season, helping the side to secure the second best defensive record of any Premier League side; a feat that Koscielny puts down to their complementary styles of play.

“He is more assured,” opened Koscielny on Mertesacker.

“We are complementing each other. We have different qualities and when you add them together it makes a very good partnership. I cover him because he knows I have the pace. I know that everything that comes facing us is for him.

“He knows that I go for the interception, on crosses he goes for the marking because he knows that I am going to anticipate.”

Koscielny’s “risky” style of play has seen him make 68 interceptions in the league this season, the joint third highest of any defender.