Bukayo Saka recently complained about being kicked frequently by players and he wants more protection from the referee after some harsh treatment from Aston Villa’s players.
Villa manager, Steven Gerrard, responded to him by claiming football is a contact sport and he shouldn’t expect special treatment from opponents.
Former Premier League star, Danny Mills has now revealed that he supports the Villa boss’ take on the issue and says Saka has now given opposition players an opportunity to wind him up.
The attacker has become a key player for Arsenal and when he is on the move, you sometimes have to kick him to stop him from doing damage.
Some of his opponents employ that tactic deliberately and Mills says now that he has revealed what he doesn’t like, he has made himself vulnerable and that is exactly what opposition players will do to him.
He tells Football Insider: “What Bukayo Saka has done now is made himself a target, as much as anything else.
“I’m not advocating booting him off the park because if you do that you’re going to get red and yellow cards and nobody wants to see a player injured.
“But on the flip side, if you’re not quite as good as Saka then how do you stop him? If you can give away niggly fouls and be physical within the rules of the game and he doesn’t like it, then you get in his head and you know he doesn’t like it.
“For me, it’s almost like he’s given the game away a little bit. He’s said ‘This is what I don’t like’. If you’re the opposition, you’re going to do exactly like that.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Being a fast and skilful player, opponents will struggle to cope with Saka in matches, and they might be forced to stop him by tackling or holding him back.
The attacker keeps getting better, and he probably needs to become smarter at getting away from his markers now so that he will avoid contact with others.
Danny Mills……..just shut up!
And come on JA, do we really need these repetitive negative articles?
Spot on
Sorry Declan, it’s boring interlull. We just search anywhere for news about Arsenal.
Ad PAT, No sarcasm at all but I really DO see your problem. We all share it too on such barren boring international breaks.
If ALL international fotball were abolished completely, including WC ‘s, I would cheer .
And I seriously doubt I am in that small a minority either.
I’m sure some of these ex player commenters put their clocks back twice each year instead of alternating, I appreciate they get asked their opinions because of what they did in the past but make the effort to keep up mate
I recall a particular game against Boro at Highbury when Mills played for them and Bobby and Tel in particular were running him ragged
I’ll never forget the look on his face when one of the two did him with a bit of sublime skill by the corner flag, kick em?, he wasn’t even in the same postcode as them by then
Good times
Gooners and gunners I take this Saka complaint serious, once bitten twice shy.
Who remember this player call Diaby, he was strong technically superior than Saka.
Am going to quote Cecs Fabregas, Diaby is arguable one of the most skill and technical player I have ever played with, the player who is saying that use to win the most penalties for us..
Diaby brilliant career was over in a flash because, by design he was targeted by both players on coach, that single case had given raise for these issues to be settled in a court of law.
There was overwhelming evidence, by a player from Stokes city, that a premeditated criminal act was committed.
One coach justified the abuse Saka is getting by telling us he’s got pins in his body,
I remember Diaby well, a talented player who had great potential until an absolutely shocking “tackle” from a Sunderland player
Ramsey had his leg broken by a Stoke player, in another very bad attempt at a “tackle” as did Eduardo at Birmingham
That doesn’t happen now, or at least deliberate attempts to hurt players badly are extremely rare, players are far better protected by the Laws of the Game, Referees, VAR and ironically enough media scrutiny, despite TV ex players who seem to remember those bad “tackles” fondly, Keown’s one unfortunately
I don’t believe Stevie G or any other coach, former player or not, send their players out to commit these football “crimes” as used to happen
The Mings tackle was a yellow, it wasn’t deliberately dangerous, Gabriel does similar quite often, Xhaka sometimes worse and I’m certain Arteta doesn’t ask them to do that, but players are protected and those types of challenges are dealt with quickly with far more frequent use of both yellow & red cards than before
It could still be better though and Saka is right to speak up
Well, Saka has never been the one to really shy away from challenges. But he complained because he felt he could be ruined by unwarranted rash tackles. He will continue to play his game and defenders who think they can feast on him will lose eventually.
Quote: “…if you can give away niggly fouls and be physical within the laws of the game…..”!
Perhaps Mills the dimwit can explain HOWfouls are considered within the laws of thE game????
They are rightly punished simply because they are OUTSIDE the laws of the game!
And Mills presumably expects us to take this contradictory gobbledegook seriously? Good grief!!
Good point Jon. I don’t understand how a “foul” can be within the rules of the game. If saka complains he’s just trying to let them know they can’t ruin his career which is within is right. Saka has become a big boy in the game and he’s getting better by the day so I think he will play his game normally