Frustrated Bony vows to recapture scoring form
Wilfried Bony has pledged to rediscover his goalscoring touch to lead Swansea City to safety and repay the faith shown by Paul Clement.
The Ivory Coast forward is yet to score following his deadline day return to the Liberty Stadium, having a goal chalked off in Saturday’s draw with Bournemouth.
The home side missed the opportunity to climb out of the Premier League relegation places. But Bony believes he can recapture the form that earned him a £25million move to Manchester City, after a spree in South Wales in which he scored 26 league goals in 54 games.
“It is Swansea who give me everything that I am now,” said Bony. “So I just need to come back and do my best for them to see the Bony they bought for the first time.
“It has of course been a stop-start season since coming back, because I didn’t play for a long time.
“I am motivated and I am fit. I just need the games to get back. If today was more lucky, the first goal would have brought confidence.”
Bony had the ball in the back of the net moments before half-time, after Renato Sanches had headed it across goal to Jordan Ayew. But referee Stuart Attwell ruled that Ayew had shoved defender Nathan Ake before laying the ball off for Bony to score via the underside of the crossbar. Their best opportunity to break the deadlock fell to Leroy Fer, who weaved his way past Steve Cook before firing a shot at Asmir Begovic. The ball rebounded back to the Dutchman, but he could only steer his effort wide at the second attempt.
“Of course we can get out of this situation,” Bony said. “There is nothing wrong.
“At the moment we are not in a good shape but we need to change that and we will fight for that.
“But that is football and we know we have to change that.”
Ake helped Bournemouth earn a third clean sheet in a row, but admits the disallowed goal could have counted against them.
He said: “I got pushed a little bit. I tried to clear the ball, but I felt I got pushed. It is one of those that can go either way.
“Their players thought it should have been a goal, but, in my opinion, I think I got pushed.”