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Wenger unsure if Koscielny is mentally ready to play after attacks in Paris

John Sibley / Reuters

Arsene Wenger has yet to decide whether to include Laurent Koscielny in his team sheet Saturday because of uncertainty about the French defender's fragile state of mind following Friday's attacks in Paris.

The Arsenal centre-back featured in France's squad at the Stade de France against Germany when three suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the stadium in an incident Wenger feels impacted Koscielny "deeply" during his country's next match against England on Tuesday.

"He had a fantastic game against Germany and you could see that on Tuesday night he was not himself," Wenger told reporters ahead of Arsenal's match against West Bromwich Albion.

"It affected him deeply and I didn't recognise the player I saw on Friday night on Tuesday night. I will talk to him to see if he is completely recovered and focused.

In the end, Wenger appears ready to allow Koscielny to determine whether he is fit mentally to perform Saturday, but will ultimately have the final say.

“You have to trust the player in these kind of situations. Today in the Premier League you don't get away with it with 80 percent focus. You have to be completely committed. What I will want from him is that he's completely committed and feels ready. If not, I will not play him.”

Wenger added that he was near the chaotic scenes in Paris and had intended to attend Friday's match in Paris.

“I was more under shock than fearful. It was four different places attacked in the centre of Paris so you don't feel secure anywhere. I was late to the stadium so I decided to watch the game in the hotel where I was. In the end in the hotel we were quite secure, but the streets were empty, completely empty.”

Football will go ahead as planned in the Premier League this weekend, but will feature heightened security throughout the various venues in Britain.

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