Bukayo Saka has not quite looked like the same player since returning from the long injury he suffered toward the end of last season. The attacker has been a central figure for Arsenal for several years, with Mikel Arteta investing significant effort into ensuring he consistently performs at a high level for the team.
Saka remains an important contributor when he is on the pitch and has been one of the Gunners’ standout players across recent campaigns. However, over the last few months, there has been a noticeable reduction in his overall output. While his influence has not disappeared entirely, the sharpness and decisive edge that once made him so feared have been harder to find.
A Key Player Still Searching for Form
Despite his dip in form, Saka has continued to start matches regularly. Arsenal have clearly maintained faith in his ability, yet he has not fully rediscovered the level that defined the opening stages of last season. Before his injury, the team relied heavily on his creativity, pace and directness, often building their attacking play around his strengths.
When he was sidelined, Arsenal were forced to adapt. They endured a difficult period without his influence and had to develop alternative methods to win matches and overcome opponents. That process was not always smooth, but it encouraged a more collective approach across the squad.
Lessons for Arsenal’s Ambitions
Saka is still one of Arsenal’s key men, and his importance to the team should not be underestimated. However, his recent struggles highlight an important lesson for a side with ambitions of competing at the very highest level. Over-reliance on a single player, regardless of talent, can limit a team’s progress.
For Arsenal to reach the level they aspire to, they must continue to build a squad where responsibility is shared. Any team with genuine trophy ambitions needs multiple players capable of stepping up and deciding matches. Saka’s form may fluctuate, but if Arsenal can spread the burden and maintain balance, they will be better equipped to succeed over a long and demanding season.
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Based on his touches, pace, work rate, decisions and guts in the games, it would likely be only a matter of time before he starts firing on all cylinders again
I guess he’s currently distracted by his wedding plan and contract negotiation
Arteta might keep putting him in the starting line-up to make him agree to Arsenal’s offer as soon as possible
Once he signs the new contract, I bet Madueke will be given more chances to play RW
I’m more worried about Jesus’ injury proneness. I think we’ll have a much bigger chance to win a major trophy this season if he stays fit and we’ll need to sell him in June
@Gai, I agree with you on the fact that Saka seem distracted at the moment.
But comparing players Madueke is super talented but what Saka bring on the table when in form is much more than any winger Arsenal has at the moment.
Saka is a complete player on his day. Takes penalties, crosses the ball well into the box, one of the best on corner, support very eell defensively kicks and scores important goals. His decision making is slightly better than Madueke when in the box.
Madueke is quick and unpredictable with his movement but he needs to work on his crosses/passes and defensive aspect of his games.
Two very good players.
He is very far from the loft standards he has set! I have seen him not confident enough to take on his man and going for the safe pass. Hopefully he hits top form in the second half of the season. We ain’t scoring enough atm.
His form might have dropped but he is still the only player that gives us an attacking threat any game we play, Trossard comes a close second.
In the game against Aston villa, I believe if he wasn’t substituted we would at least gotten a point or even won the game because he not only keeps the left back of the opposing team busy, he also helps out Timber in defence. I also believe if he was substituted in the wolves game we would have drawn , because madueke doesn’t have that delivery and eye for assist that saka has and he wouldn’t have crossed the ball let alone do it accurately that would have found Jesus/Mosqera (wolves player that scored the own goal).
Finally I feel Saka plays better when odegaard is on the pitch and vice versa, take either of them away and the other performs below par.
OT. I wish Arteta should play Victor Gyokeres in every match so long as he is fit. He should stick him out there regardless of whether he scores or not. Gyokeres should be made to understand that he has to sort himself out and find his scoring boots , I believe the more he plays the more he understands how to go about handling himself against the EPL defenders.
Oh , and Merry Christmas to everyone here. Pls remember that Jesus Christ is the reason for the season. Stay blessed and safe every one.
His form might have dropped but he’s still better than the wingers brought in to sub him. Against Crystal Palace, it was when he came in that we got our goal.
As some feared of ex Chelsea players the below par performance with no end product of Madueke makes us still depend on Saka who asap needs to find solutions to his poor form (as some hinted above personal or contractual issues).
Madueke did play very well and was our most dangerous player, better than Saka IMO. Madueke passes were excellent. I
It doesn’t matter even if he was a Ronaldinho and Okocha combined if there is no end product.
But it is not a crisis, a drop in form is expected, In fact no football player has been able to perform at their absolute peak consistently throughout their entire career, managing inevitably slump in form is a crucial part of a football player journey.
The physical demands, tactical changes and mental factors will inevitably leads to a drop off in form at some stage, but it is by effectively managing them, adopting their game as they age, and maintaining a high overall standard of play over a prolonged period which is paramount
And that is where good man management of a player comes in.
Saka is obviously not in his very best but he is still among our top 5 best players this season so far.
Trossard
Gabriel
Rice
Martinelli
Saka
Timber
Calafiori
Raya
These 8 players have done quite well so far. Hopefully they all step up their game and improve as we approach the second part of the season.
Gyokeres.
Trossard. Odegaard. Saka.
Rice. Zubimendi.
Calafiori. Hincapie. Saliba. Timber.
Raya.
I don’t think Saka is out of form. He’s playing at such a high level and a lot of the good things we do in attack still come from him.
It’s just that we are not as reliant on him as we did in the past,for one,which is a good thing. Our left side is working better now and that means Trossard & Martinelli also get to contribute.
Secondly , this narrative that he’s out of form is mainly coming from those looking purely at output( goals & assists). His output has dropped but if you watch actual games you’ll see that he’s always trying to make things happen. For instance, the own goals that have won us games recently have come from his crosses.
Also think he’d have more assists if his teammates were more clinical in front of goal. How many times has he put a ball across goal only for it to go to waste?
In a way,Saka is a victim of his own success. He’s set such high standards that even if it’s a level below,it’s seen as poor form,despite still being effective. Hardly ever has a below 7/10 performance.
You tell me which Arsenal attacking player is thriving under these Arteta tactics? Am not saying the tactics are bad, but there’s been lack of creativity mostly and Arteta ball is mostly built around defensive structures.
If Arsenal win the EPL, it will be mostly because of their defense. 8 clean sheets, only 2 teams have managed to score more than 1 goal and no team has scored more 2 goals against injury hit Arsenal defense this season.
just so overhyped in my opinion.Madueke can contribute more if given same opportunity