Arsenal News

How do you rate Saed Kolasinac after his first six months at Arsenal?

The Bosnian international defender Saed Kolasinac was a surprise acquisition by Arsene Wenger when he arrived in June on a Bosman transfer from Schalke04, even though he had been named in the’ Bundesliga team of the season’.

But Arsenal fans were even more pleasantly surprised when the wing-back took the Premiership by storm – and was quickly nicknamed the Tank for his aggressive barn-storming runs at the opposition in his his first few games. He even won two ‘PlayerOfTheMonth’ awards, but his form seemed to taper off and he was recently dropped for a few games in favour of Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

Wenger explained Kolasinac’s absence by saying that he had changed the formation. “He is highly suited for a wing-back role, for a more offensive role,” he said. “I think he will play again and I gave him a breather as well. He is working hard and I think he will play in a back four, as well.” Personally I think it is more to do with ‘giving him a breather’, as Kolasinac will have been used to having a mid-season break in Germany.

But Saed returned to the side against Palace and I think that he had a very good game after his rest, and he has now given his assessment on his first six months. “It’s been an exciting year,” Kolasinac told Arsenal Player. “This was the year I joined Arsenal, which was exciting for me. In general, I think it’s been a very positive year. What’s most important is that you’re healthy, which I was over the course of the year. I hope that will be the same in 2018.

“I’m sure it was my best year at Schalke, too. I’m very satisfied with how things have gone here too, but I know there’s still more to achieve and that I have more potential. I hope that I can utilise that in 2018.

“Before I was here, I played in a 0-0 draw in the derby between Dortmund and Schalke. I cleared a shot off the line and that will stay in my memory. Also, 2017 was the year I got my first dog, who I have at home with me now.”

I’m not sure what the dog has to do with it, but let’s find out what the fans think of Kolasinac’s first six months. Was he a good signing?

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50 Comments

  1. Seo the beast was as a freebie a revelation
    Like goretzka will be for Liverpool

    *stops typing : cries like a b****

      1. Van Dijk 80m, Nabby Kieta 50m+, Goretzka 00m, Oxlade 40m. They are sorting the spine out, they have the forwards and next will be another defender presumably. They are showing more ambition than us and are already spending those extra seat tickets.

  3. He is a very good left fullback. The opponents could not get past him easily, he is strong, mobile and has very good stamina like Ramsey.

    Arsenal have solved the left fullback problem by having Kolasinac, Monreal and Maitland-Niles. Now they have to give Bellerin a serious competitor.

      2. We who want Wenger out are not haters, we are just older then you and not afraid of change. Kolasinac is a great adition to the team, but soon he will drop in form as everybody else under Wenger. Remember Ozil how he was playing when came to the club? although he plays good even today, one of few.

      3. Well I just did so and few if any Gooners detest and loathe Wengwr more than me. But I actually praised him for getting Kol on a free.

  5. great attacking fullback.

    even in a back 4 i don’t think maitland niles should start over kolasinac.

    wenger should have the courage to bench underperfoming people like xhaka not kolasinac.

  6. I still think it is a bit early to say as it is his first season. Wenger has already started teaching him bad habits and having done so has started benching him.
    His positioning can be ropey and he never crosses the ball. On the plus side he does join the attack and is not frightened of a tackle.

            1. Oo look you try to be insulting but are unable to answer anything. You go back to getting tingling feelings in your trousers about the dinosaur.
              As for he keyboard warior comment be careful what you wish for…………

  9. Good player.
    Cost nothing.
    What more could you ask for – I don’t think he is played to his strengths, but in honesty that could be said of most of the Arsenal squad.
    Still a good player though…

  10. A good player but somehow i think he is only at Arsenal bec he was free. The truuuuuth has been spoken so go cry me a river XD

      1. So explain why you think he is a great player then. It is no good just crying because somebody expresses an opinion you need to express an opinion yourself. Try it you might enjoy it.

          1. and i am not saying you should’t or you couldn’t criticize him (wenger) it’s yuor right but whith respect forwhat he has done for the club

            1. I think you can tell that a lot of fans feel that in the last 13 years the dinosaur has deserved little respect. During this time he has not even competed in the league. The FA Cup is a second rate competition where teams including Arsenal play second string players.
              Your man has collected a massive salary (far larger than most of his counterparts) yet treats the club like it is his personal toy. We saw at the start of the season he made mad decisions (playing 2 LB’s in centre of defence with recognised CB’s fit and available) and his complete disregard of defensive organisation borders on the criminal. On top of that he does not consider it his job to motivate his players or stop the division within the team. Literally the most important thing any manager should be able to do in any industry in the world.
              Now you might be a really nice guy who I may well respect if I got to know but your man has overstayed his welcome and no longer deserves respect.

            2. Pires, you are clearly an articulate and intelligent man, and you of course have the right , if you wish, to big up Wenger and if you choose to respect him, that is your right. But what is not your right is to demand others respect him , esp when they clearly and overwhelmingly do NOT. A large majority, esp of older fans, who knew Arsenal existed and were great, in fact long before Wenger was even born, as well as under other managers in Wengers adult lifetime, have been slating him on here and other forums, exactly as I have done. Countless thousands of Gooners want Wenger out ASAP and most of us think he damaged, even ruined, his so called “legacy” many years ago. It is well nigh impossible to show respect for someone you want out, with a vengeance, and whom you have grown to detest for harming our club, as we see it. PERHAPS WE PREFER LIVING IN THE PRESENT AND YOU PREFER LIVING AND STAYING IN HIS GLORY YEARS. Respect has to be earned, continuously. To compensate in some way for the brickbats that most managers receive at times from their own fans, they are all hugely financially rewarded. It really should be abundantly clear to all Gooners that Wenger behaves strangely and without any obvious forward and pro-active planning. The Sanchez and Ozil run down contracts situation is damning proof of this . Surely?

              1. jon you are also a very respectable man and, as i am ,an arsenal fan somthing i cherish in all our fellow gooners. I can have an opinion in your advantage or againts you BUT disrespecting you has never been a RIGHT . even if we are sometimes in Jurassic Park mood!!!

                1. as for being well paid, respect has nothing to do with fortune. From Rockefeller to…. our poor old Eboué!!!! evreyone deserve respect

  12. Looks like I’m going to get a lot of these thumb down things but bear with me. He is a good defender when playing at fullback. He is powerful and in the right position on rdge of area in front of goal has a good shot on him.
    The problem is I don’t thing he is really suited at wingback when he’s more forward than back. Invariably when he gets anywhere down the left hand side nearer the corner he passes back or square rather than crosses. He never uses his right foot either. I’m not saying he’s not a good signing, he is, but needs utilising in his correct position. Then again, so do a lot of players!

    1. Absolutely right. For those who remember him Nigel Winterburn was the prototype wingback and Dead would do better to watch tapes of him than listening to that defensive genius that is the dinosaur.

        1. ?right said Fred or dead or Sead? I feel your pain Ivan, been caught out by spellcheck so many times. Glad you agree, he’s a good player being played wrong. Nigel was my tour guide at the Emirates r3cently and I’m sure could still do a job for us, also Dixon, Bould, Adams, oh shit I miss those really proper footballers!

          2. I miss those really proper footballers too. Thousands of us who remember them, which many “mere children” on here can and do not, also hugely respected them as men too. I say there are not too many in Wengers squad today who we can truly respect as men who give their all, every game, week in week out for the club they loved playing for. The most damning long term example being the pathetically weedy Walcott.

  13. When he first came he was getting to the by-line and putting in good crosses, now he’s caught the Arsenal square pass disease. having said that, he was much better against Palace. A really good signing. Shame about the coaching.

  14. As a lifelong dod lover too, Kolasinac’s attachment to owning a dog has gone down well with me. But as to his form, well he has shown bulldog spirit and thus bonded with us fans, Though, of late he has looked, relatively, disappointing. The article is probably right in that he has needed a rest which thanks to AM-N he has been able to have. He now seems to be back in the team and being on a free, I have to admit through gritted teeth, “well done Wenger”. If anyone ever sees me write that phrase again, you have my permission to shoot me, as I will clearly have gone mad.

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