Shock – Rio Ferdinand has called this player the best defender in the League, Twitter reacts

Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand has called Arsenal’s defender Laurent Koscielny as the best defender in the Premier League. Ferdinand was among the football panelists on the BT Sport coverage of Champions League game between Arsenal and Olympiakos.

Koscielny was one of the standout performers for the Gunners as he put in a commendable shift in the heart of the Arsenal’s defence. He put in numerous last-ditch tackles and was constantly dominant in the air for the North London club. One moment of brilliance from the Frenchman particularly stood out when he made a brilliant clearance in the dying minutes of the first half when the score was still 1-0.

The Gunners needed to win their game by a margin of two or more goals, and they achieved their target by defeating the Greek side 3-0, thanks to the hat-trick from Olivier Giroud.  “Koscielny for me, when he’s on form I think he’s the best defender in the league,” Ferdinand said on BT Sport after the game.

“Kompany’s not fit enough consistently enough and he’s turned into a real top class defender. Laurent Koscielny, when he’s on form, he’s the best defender in the league for me. He’s one of those you don’t want to play against – he’s quick, he’s aggressive. You need a platform at the back; you need intensity.”

Steven Gerrard or Koscielny teammate, Hector Bellerin, agrees with Ferdinand.

“They showed a few things [against Olympiakos] – composure, focus, and management of the game. They’ve got to show this more often; that must be the really frustrating thing for Arsene Wenger.”

The French defender was signed by Arsene Wenger for a mere £8.45 million from Ligue 1 club Lorient in 2010 and what a remarkable transfer he has turned out to be for the Gunners.