Wenger Calls Kolasinac the 'Strongest' He's Worked With & Claims He Can Help Stop Stoke Bullies

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger may have finally found the answer to stop opponents bullying his technically superb Gunners side after labelling new signing Sead Kolasinac the 'strongest' player he has ever coached.

That could be particularly key this weekend as Arsenal face an away clash with Stoke, a physical team against whom they have won only one of their last seven meetings on the road.

Kolasinac is nicknamed 'The Tank' and, speaking to the press ahead of the game, Wenger suggested that the player's energy and attitude is able to lift the rest of the team and crowd.

"There is something there [when he plays] and you feel that from the crowd. The determined attitude gets to the crowd and that gives something to the team, you can see that with him and when he intervenes he provokes happiness," the boss explained (Arsenal.com).

"Maybe he is the strongest [player I have coached], he is naturally strong. He uses quite well the strength of his body without violence and when he intervenes it doesn't look to be a foul, he just uses his body strength," Wenger continued.

"It is an important quality to help adapt to the Premier League."

And it isn't just defensively that Kolasinac will improve Arsenal, as Wenger has been impressed with how the Bosnian international has contributed in an attacking sense.

"He has the capacity to repeat runs and we noticed when we watched him play that he is quite dangerous in the final third," the Frenchman commented.

"He already has some assists since he came here so overall maybe he is not a glamorous dribbler but the quality of his runs are very efficient."