More to Bony than goals – Monk

Swansea City manager Garry Monk insists there is more to star striker Wilfried Bony than just goals.

Bony failed to find the net in Swansea’s opening six matches of the Premier League season, but took his tally to four in three with a brace in Saturday’s 2-0 win against Leicester City at the Liberty Stadium.

Despite having to wait for the Ivorian to rediscover his goalscoring form, Monk is happy to see Bony contributing to the team in other ways.

“All strikers go through their moments where they don’t score and they go through moments where they score goals, but for me it’s what they contribute,” said Monk.

“I know they’re judged on goals and that’s their job – that’s what they thrive on. But it’s what they contribute to the team, so even when he wasn’t scoring goals he was still contributing very well and that’s important.

“Him and Bafe [Bafetimbi Gomis] have done very well for us in training and in the games that they’ve both played and they’re big assets for us.”

Bony is beginning to build a formidable partnership with Gylfi Sigurdsson, who arrived from Tottenham during the close-season having previously enjoyed a loan spell in south Wales.

The Iceland attacking midfielder played a key role in both Swansea goals on Saturday and Monk says he is living up to expectations.

“I knew what a good player he was and when I knew I had the chance to bring him in I pushed very hard for it,” he added. “I talked about him coming back – he’s a better player than when he left us and he was a very good player when he left.

“I think you can see the difference in what he’s learned since he was at Spurs and coming to us now he’s a great credit to what we want here.

“All the players, including Gylfi, are contributing very well at the moment.”