Koscielny’s goal against Newcastle was a nifty little ninja-kick, but it’s hardly the first time the man has unleashed his martial-arts mastery. We saw him wield the Right Foot of Destiny against Wigan, denying Arouna Koné in the 28th minute with a flying kick that saw him lift his foot up above Koné’s head to clear what looked to be a sure goal. Koné looked like he had a clear header or at least muff it enough that it would squirt in as Szczęsny had charged out to punch the ball clear but might have missed. Such is the power of Koscielny that neither Szczęsny nor Koné could do anything to anticipate, react, or transcend him. Therefore, to commemorate his ninja prowess, I’ve tried my hand at a little imagery. Let me know what you think. It’s my first project, so I’m sure I have a lot to learn…

Sorry about the watermark.

His performance against Newcastle, even without the goal, was masterful. Whoscored.com credited him with two tackles, two interceptions, four clearances, and two effective clearances, but I don’t think that does him justice. He was simply everywhere. If he continues to perform like that, and as he has over the last few months of the season, he will shoulder his way into the debate over the Prem’s best center-backs. I scoured the stats to start building a case for him, but he’s just not there quite yet. Next year, I believe, will be a different story.