Arsenal: Manchester City Will Vindicate Sead Kolasinac Signing

Arsenal return to Wembley to face down Manchester City and the Gunners flanks will be under siege. Here comes Sead Kolasinac vindication.

Arsenal’s “revolutionary” summer got started a bit early with the signing of left fullback/wingback Sead Kolasinac. All reports indicate that the Bosnian has signed a deal with the Gunners and will join the club in July.

This has been a long time coming for Arsenal. Supporters and pundits alike were nearly unanimous in the call to secure another left back to augment the failing tandem of Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs. While Monreal has his qualities, age has not been kind to him and Gibbs has never been able to stay healthy.

The call was for Ricardo Rodriguez last summer, but the Gunners may have found a £30m-cheaper option in Kolasinac, who boasts qualities conducive to a potential three back set, or to simply balance out what Hector Bellerin provides on the other side.

And if we need any kind of reminder as to why we made this early signing, look no further than the FA Cup semi-final match against Manchester City. The Citizens do some things incredibly well and struggle with others. But on top of the list of things they do well is spreading play and utilizing the full width of the pitch.

With the pacey Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling out wide and Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva in the middle, there is enough flash and flourish to trouble any fullback corps.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

And given how much the Gunners have struggled with their fullbacks lately, expect a full vindication of why we need Kolasinac.

Last time out, Bellerin was torched by Leroy Sane for the majority of the game and while Monreal held his own, other teams had pilfered the Spaniard on that left hand side and with the speed and technical ability of Raheem Sterling, you might as well expect similar.

In this day and age, having any position that doesn’t have a reserve of athleticism is dicey and for as solid as Monreal has been in his Gunner tenure, his pace is failing him, which is never a good thing for a fullback.

Kolasinac isn’t only quicker than you’d think, but his pure grit and determination adds a little pep to his step. Not to mention the fact that he is such a no-nonsense defender that maneuvering around him is a task and a half.

Next: Predicted XI To Face City

Hopefully the Gunners fullbacks can keep up with the speed out wide that City boasts, but if not, at least we have something to look forward to.