KOSC’S FRESH AIR CURE

LAURENT KOSCIELNY admits there were some dark and difficult moments during his seven-month injury lay-off.

The ruptured Achilles the Arsenal captain suffered in a Europa League semi-final clash in May even cost him the chance to win the World Cup with France.

But new boss Unai Emery has been the silver lining to the rehab cloud, and Koscielny (right) said: “It’s fresh air for the club. He came here with his ideas and knows the football he wants.

“He tries to give all the ingredients for the players to learn about his tactics and how he wants to play.

It’s very interesting.

“I watched all the training, so I know all the tactics, all the runs.

“The team now knows well the ideas of the coach.

“We can see the results coming – 22 games unbeaten.

“We have progressed a lot – and we brought in some very good players too.

“Lucas Torreira started on the bench but now you can see his confidence. Bernd Leno has integrated well too.”

Koscielny could even start at Southampton today, after beginning Arsenal’s Europa League game on Thursday night. He said: “That was special. Waiting to come on the pitch I had flashes in my head of the seven months of rehab.

“Now it’s a new chapter.”