Sead Kolasinac helps silence boo boys as Arsenal stage second-half comeback
AFTER heavy booing in Thursday's fractious AGM at the Emirates, the dissenting voices were even louder at half-time after Arsenal produced a dismal first-half display against Swansea.
Sead Kolasinac has become a fan favourite at the Emirates
But whatever Arsene Wenger said in the dressing room at the interval worked wonders as his Arsenal team responded to the boo boys with a forceful fightback led by Sead Kolasinac.
When the Bosnian joined in the summer on a free transfer some critics questioned Wenger's penny-pinching.
However since he first came on as a substitute in August's Community Shield against Chelsea and scored late on, he has been a crowd favourite at the Emirates.
And it was his emphatic finish six minutes after the break which was the response Arsenal badly needed to lift them and give plenty of time to go out in search of a winner.
I believe that since he has arrived he has convinced everyone that he is a good signing
Arsene Wenger
But they didn't have to wait long as in the 59th minute, Granit Xhaka, who had a difficult afternoon, found Kolasinac wide on the left in space.
And his cut-back was weighted perfectly for Aaron Ramsey to swing a left boot and fire in the winner for his 50th goal for Arsenal.
Wenger's eye in the transfer market has deservedly come under scrutiny but the with every game Kolasinac is justifying his gamble.
He said: "It’s just down to quality. I believe that since he has arrived he has convinced everyone that he is a good signing.
"When you see the quality of performance, you see there are some good deals out there.
"I liked his game today, he had a good finish on the goal and some good combinations on the left, leading to the assist for the second.
"Once he scored the confidence grew and he became more and more dangerous."
Given Kolasinac's growing importance to the team, Wenger will be concerned about seeing the left-wing back hobble off in the second half especially with a trip to Premier League leaders Manchester City next week.
Wenger added: "He has a hip problem. He had that before but he came back. We hope to get him ready."
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Swansea boss Paul Clement was disappointed with the result
Arsenal had a 100 per cent home record at the start of the match but it looked in genuine danger after a first half where they were disjointed and lacked a cutting edge.
Jordan Ayew should have doubled Swansea's lead just before half-time and manager Paul Clement rued their start to the second half.
He said: "We always knew it would be a difficult game and knew we would have long periods under significant pressure.
"But we defended well, certainly in the first half, were solid in our shape and had chances, and were a threat on the break.
"Then we couldn't contain them in the second half and some of the details we got right in the first half we couldn't get right in the second half.
"You still have to believe you can get something and right until the end we were in the game. All it needs is one set play or a bit of quality to get that equaliser but we just didn't get that chance."
