Arsenal: Sead Kolasinac helpless to fend off Kieran Tierney

Sead Kolasinac had a strong outing against Bournemouth, but Arsenal have only one way to move forward on the left, and it’s Kieran Tierney.

Arsenal haven’t had a lot of defensive options in recent years, but we’re about to be spoiled as can be in the defensive department, with two options at each position, bare minimum. And at leftback, we may finally have someone to get us truly excited—Kieran Tierney.

That’s the unfortunate part for Sead Kolasinac, though. Kolasinac has been a warrior this year, he’s been a capable defender with a few bad games. But mostly, he’s been positive. We know what we can count on from him, and he’s given it.

Against Bournemouth, he was a positive performer yet again. But with the international break here, Kolasinac is going to be powerless to keep his spot with Tierney healthy and ready to go.

I’m a firm believer in players not losing their spot unless they lose out on the job. Simple enough. Kolasinac hasn’t lost his job. Not at all.

But the one exception to this rule is if the replacement is clearly and unmistakable better than the current option. And oddly enough, Tierney has already done that in the very little time he’s had. It may suck for Kolasinac, but I’ve honestly not seen someone as convincing as Tierney in quite some time.

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This coming from a long-time Kolasinac supporter.

Tierney has made Kolasinac looks slow, lacking in agility, and offensively inept. Which isn’t entirely fair, because Kolasinac is fantastic getting forward, he’s quietly quick, and he’s remarkably effective at turning the corner in the opposition’s third.

Like I said, Kolasinac played his part against Bournemouth, he looked good. But unfortunately (for him), he didn’t look Tierney good. Tierney good is an entirely new level of good. Which doesn’t happen often.

It’s the way he moves so seamlessly on the pitch. He’s got the moves of a winger, but the composure of a defender. He makes Kolasinac’s weaknesses (defensive positioning, over-zealousness) look like gaping voids in the Bosnian’s fortunes. When in fact they’re just things we’ve come to live with, taking the bad with the good.

Tierney has yet to show the bad. I feel nervous even saying that, but he really hasn’t. I can’t imagine a single leftback being able to keep Tierney out of a starting role at this point. While I don’t want to sound like a broken record, I’ll say it again: He’s just too good.