Koscielny has once again been plagued by injuries and has made just four Premier League appearances this season. He missed the start of the campaign due to an Achilles tendon rupture that he suffered in May and has only played the full 90 minutes twice since returning this season. The France defender had to pull out of Arsenal’s FA Cup third-round win over Blackpool a week ago due to a back spasm. But he will be fit to face West Ham today (12.30pm) and the 33-year-old is “training well” according to Emery. With Arsenal short of options at the back, Koscielny could return to the starting line-up against the Hammers and despite concerns over his diminishing abilities – Emery believes his skipper is approaching 100 per-cent. “It’s not easy for him to play three matches in one week,” Emery admitted. “We pushed him and he was playing three matches during the week, but not ninety minutes each match. “Little by little Koscielny is feeling better and he can play consistently in the next matches, but I think he is getting better. “After one month playing with us, he is coming back by playing three matches in a week.  “I think he is going to be better for having played those three matches.” Though Emery is keen to continue to step up Koscielny’s minutes, Hall told the Transfer Talk podcast recently that Koscielny needs replacing and they are in need of “a big, big investment” at the back. He said: “The thing is with Arsenal is Laurent Koscielny’s the big one for them.  “You ask an Arsenal fan and they’ll tell you Koscielny is one of the best defenders in the Premier League in the last 10 years. “Since his injury, and he’s had bad injuries, he’s looked a shadow of the player that he once was. “You need that figurehead at the back, like other clubs have. Liverpool have [Virgil] Van Dijk, City have had Vincent Kompany for 10 years – that figurehead for other defenders to work around and Koscielny’s Arsenal’s. “Koscielny was that man at Arsenal but he’s not up to it anymore. He’s lost all his pace, he looks like a completely different player, he looks like he’s aged five years.” Reports from France meanwhile suggest Koscielny has rejected the chance to join former Gunners midfielder Cesc Fabregas at Monaco under the tutelage of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry. Le10 Sport have suggested Henry wanted to recruit Koscielny to boost his ranks at the back as they seek to avoid a shock Ligue 1 relegation but the veteran has reportedly declined the chance to speak to Monaco.