'Koscielny reminds me of Martin Keown'

Adams and Keown formed a fearsome centre-back partnership at the turn of the century, helping Arsène Wenger's side win the Double in 1998 and 2002.

"Koscielny was brilliant [at the end of last season]," Adams told Arsenal.com.

"He reminds me a lot of Martin Keown. He's very tenacious. I hate labelling people because Martin Keown was one of the best we've ever had. But there are similarities there, the way Koscielny marks and his last-ditch tackles.

"He's tenacious in the tackle. [When it came to] that tight, one-to-one defending, there wasn't a better player that I've played with, [than Keown]. To put Koscielny in the same category [to Keown] is an enormous compliment I think."

Adams also praised Mertesacker, whose relationship with Koscielny was vital to Arsenal's strong end-of-season form.

"I think he's a really nice boy and, in a few games at the end of the season, he started to push people around and say 'come on!'" said Adams. "I think he came out of himself a bit more. He's a fantastic player.

"I thought Arsenal were first class defensively. But you defend as a team. That's what the philosophy of Arsenal always has been - attack as a team and defend as a team. The [attacking players] need to put a shift in as well.

"We looked better when we've had two in front of the centre halves. Later on in the season, with Ramsey and Arteta, I think it looked much better."

Comment:

I’m agree with Tony Adams, He was brilliant!!

Source: http://www.arsenal.com