Arsenal: Amazing the difference an actual leftback makes

Arsenal’s fullback situation is a mess, but we got a beautiful taste of regularity with Sead Kolasinac coming back. Now if only he can stay back.

Arsenal had a lot of things go right against Manchester United. You could kind of feel it coming. After Bournemouth and Chelsea, the amount of things going right had to translate to a win, and Manchester United came into that line of fire and couldn’t get out of it.

One of the quieter things that went right, at least for awhile, was the return of Sead Kolasinac. Someone, the Bosnian was back in the starting XI despite the initial diagnosis that was supposed to keep him out of training entirely until January.

Kolasinac only played for 68 minutes before he had to be subbed out because of another injury, but in those 68 minutes, we were reminded what it’s like to have actual fullbacks.

Even though the numbers are nothing spectacular, his composure on the ball and his intelligence in positioning proved invaluable. As always, he got forward with the zeal of a winger and, as compared to Bukayo Saka, he kept his defensive shape quite well, with only one glaring instance of him getting a little lost.

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Kolsasinac was in the midst of a resurgence following Kieran Tierney‘s injury and before an injury of his own. It’s amazing how prepared you can be going into a season and how easily that can derail.

With both Tierney and Kolasinac out, the Gunners have had to deputize Bukayo Saka as a leftback, and while he’s done an admirable job, there’s no hiding from his defensive deficiencies, not least of all how much it takes away from his attacking capabilities.

It has n’t been an ideal situation, and the end wasn’t really in sight until Kolasinac came back on to the pitch ahead of schedule.

There’s just a difference in the confidence you feel on one entire side of the pitch. Daniel James was essentially worthless, and a big reason why was Sead Kolasinac, marking his every move. He had no freedom, nowhere to go, and he didn’t get involved much because Kolasinac was taking the ball so far up into the attack himself and James had very little to do.

Now we just have to wonder where that leaves us, seeing as how Tierney isn’t going to be back soon and Kolasinac looks to be hurt again. All in good time, I’m sure.