Steven Gerrard has told Bukayo Saka that he’ll have to get used to the physicality of the Premier League after the Arsenal youngster called for more protection from referees.
The Gunners were 1-0 victors over Gerrard’s Villa side on Saturday afternoon, and Bukayo Saka was the man to get the solitary goal of the game, but shortly after he was on the wrong end of a bad foul from Tyrone Mings.
The young forward then spoke out as he called for more protection for players after the incident, but the Villa boss has claimed that he must get used to it unfortunately, highlighting his own plight from his own playing days.
“He’s a good player, an outstanding talent,” Gerrard told the Mirror. “I love him. But he can’t complain about that side of it, that’s football.
“I’m sitting here now with screws in my hips. I’ve had about 16 operations. I’m struggling to go to the gym at the moment. That’s all on the back of earning a living in English football. He’ll learn and he’ll learn quick.”
Saka could now be set to miss out on the upcoming international fixtures with England set to take on Switzerland and the Ivory Coast in friendly matches next week, and while you feel bad for him having to miss out, the rest could well be better for our end of season push.
I’m not saying that it is a good thing that he has taken the knock in any shape or form, as these injuries can add up over time, but as one of the best players in the team or the division, he will always be subject to these sorts of fouls, and will be a target for teams.
With that in mind, I have to agree with Gerrard a little bit, in that he just needs to strengthen up mentally and physically and get on with his football, as there is little that the referees can or will do to help unfortunately.
Is it down to Arteta to juggle Saka’s playing time better? Would he have been less susceptible to injury had he had a full week’s rest before the Villa clash?
Patrick
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Gerald’s stooopid for that comment.
I won’t hide behind the he’s a great player and great players get kicked a lot so Saka should get used to it.
The mentality of look O suffered it, and you have to suffer and bear it too is lame.
We’ve seen talented players whose careers got wasted because they got no protection from referees.
The likes of Neymar, Hazard and a few others, all have the careers tainted with injuries disrupting thir charts. (You don’t want me to list our Arsenal victims now do you?).
So to claim it’s what great players face and the boy should face it is pretty dumb.
It’s football FFS and not Rugby
Coming from someone who asked for protection from the referee before his Rangers team faced Livingston!!!
Hypocrisy at it’s best they call it.
It can be tough sometimes but complaining will get him nowhere. Dangerous tackles are one thing and a different view is needed but he will have to get used to and beat the rough treatment he is dealt. You toughen up and show the person up, not complain.
Nonsense!!!
His career should be destroyed because the league is physical? Bad tackles are bad tackles. If there are not bad tackles, the rule would not have allowed for red card for some tackles.
Wilshere is a victim of injuries. Saka must not go that same lane.
Abou Diaby comes to mind.
I think Gerrard is wrongly and foolishly trying to say that bad and career destroying tackles have a place in the game.
I say they do not and that Gerrard – apart from his own obvious hypocrisy, as Sue (above) rightly pointed out – is being something of a dinosaur in his views.
The bad old days were fullof thugs like Norman Hunter(Leeds) Chopper Harris(Chelsea) our own Peter Storey AND all clubs had their own thuggish opponent destroyer. It was wrong then and is wrong now.
Sorry Gerrard, I think you are a good guy but on this you are as wrong as can be.
Saka is a tough kid who knows how to look after himself, he has been a Premier League player for a couple of years and now gets doubled up on and some rough treatment from the opposition but keeps coming back for more, still keeps taking players on, using his quick feet and skills to good effect
He said he wasn’t complaining to the ref, just pointing out what I just said about rough treatment and asking the ref to be more aware and give him some protection
The foul by Mings in the first half was bad, it could have seriously hurt Saka whether deliberate or not, Mings got booked, if the ref thought he had meant to hurt Saka he would have sent him off but the yellow and perhaps Saka’s little chat with the ref marked Ming’s card for the second half
Saka’s injury record is actually pretty good for a player of his type, he came off against Villa but not until the 70 minute mark and will probably play for England at some point in the upcoming games
He is playing too well for Arsenal at the moment and we are in a good position to get 4th place so I don’t think he will be rested
I think the Laws of the game have been changed in recent times and that helps referees protect players and I think in the main they apply those laws diligently