da fazobetai： This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
da premier bet： Sead Kolasinac watched from the bench last time Arsenal played Vitoria de Guimaraes in the Europa League, as Kieran Tierney went up against former Tottenham Hotspur player Marcus Edwards.
However, the Bosnia & Herzegovina international has recently been shunned in the league, playing just 19 minutes across the last two league games, having started six throughout the campaign, as per WhoScored.
On the chalkboard
His lack of league involvement suggests he may be brought in for the Europa League clash with Emery presumably eager to rotate his squad ahead of the weekend.
If that does indeed prove to be the case, Kolasinac is likely to be put directly up against Edwards, with the 20-year-old a key player for the Portuguese outfit in the reverse fixture, getting 1 goal, playing 1 key pass and completing 1 dribble at the Emirates.
Therefore, Kolasinac’s role, should he start the game, will probably be largely based around nullifying the threat the England youth international possesses.
Stepping up defensively
In the Premier League, the 26-year-old has averaged 1.4 tackles this season, though he has also made 0.6 fouls and been dribbled past 0.6 times per game.
While the stats do not appear too damning, he often struggles against tricky wingers of Edwards’ ilk. Going forward he is a reliable outlet but up against Edwards, a player who has averaged 2.5 dribbles per Europa League match this term, he may struggle to contain his threat.
Kolasinac could be required to put in a similarly disciplined performance to the one he gave against Eintracht Frankfurt, the only other Europa League game he’s taken part in this campaign, in which he made 6 tackles and completed 2 clearances.
If Arsenal beat Vitoria, who are yet to claim a Europa League point, they will maintain their perfect record in the competition and stay in the driving seat to top the group.
Kolasinac can play a vital part in that happening up against a former rival.