Saka believes Arsenal will kick on even further when we get our injured players back

BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 30: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal celebrates with teammate Martin Odegaard after scoring the team's first goal during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal FC at Vitality Stadium on September 30, 2023 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)

Arsenal’s form can only get better as the season goes on by Jack

Arsenal’s hard-fought last-minute victory over Brentford propelled them to the summit of the Premier League, reviving  memories of our formidable early-season form last year. The Gunners, who held the top spot for an impressive 248 days in the previous campaign, ultimately fell short as Manchester City claimed the title.

While this season may lack the same level of excitement, Arsenal’s ability to grind out results and their improved defensive record suggest a more sustainable approach to this campaign. The departure from last year’s all-action style of play could prove beneficial in the long run.

The team’s slow integration of our new signings following the summer changes (and ongoing injury concerns) contribute to the sense that they have yet to hit their stride. However, if Arsenal can replicate their second-half surge from previous seasons under Arsene Wenger, they might defy recent trends of fading towards the end.

Bukayo Saka’s optimism about the team hitting top gear in April and May indicates a belief that Arsenal’s steady start could set the stage for a late-season peak. As the Gunners navigate the challenges of the Premier League, their potential to finish strong looms as a promising prospect, rekindling hopes for a triumphant conclusion to the current campaign.

Last season it felt like we took everyone by surprise with our incredible attacking start to last season, but in this campaign opposing defenders have been paying more attention to our wingers like Bukayo Saka which has made defences harder to break down, which has not been aided by continually missing some of our top players to the treatment table.

Bukayo Saka was asked by the Standard if he thought that we could still improve further as the season progresses and we get our injury list reduced, and he replied: “Well, I hope that’s the case,” . “Right now we’re getting good results, we’re top of the league and we’re only going to keep progressing, improving, and getting better as a team.”

“We have some injured players who are going to be back and at the business end of the season, I really hope we can push on and do really well,”

“It’s nice to be back on top. We had to fight hard [against Brentford] to achieve that but we’re satisfied with the win and the three points.”

A lot of JustArsenal readers have complained that we are not as exciting as last season, but by the sounds of it we will only get better, and hopefully sustain our title challenge right until the end this time.

Jack Anderson


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Tags Arsenal title challenge Saka

12 Comments

  1. It is easier said than done with a thin squad, it will be tasking to win all the big jugs we are competing for.

    A war chest to the tune of some £50 mill has been touted, but it remains unclear if we will significantly strengthen in January., and no guarantee we will be able to get our targets when the transfer window reopens.
    It has been rumored Arsenal has a gentleman agreement in place for our top target Douglass Luiz in the region of £49 mill. If that is so surely Villa resolve will be tested.

    When you want to use a small squad to chase too many trophies, you ultimately win none because players gets tired and injured.

    It is for these reasons Arsenal should focus on winning the league, winning the Europa league also guarantee a return to the champions league, but our chances of lifting the big mug are probably slimmer.

    But if Arsenal remains in striking distance, with new players joining at the start of the New year, our final rattle could take us real close.

    1. I kind of commend the efforts if the Boys and their coach. Losing Xhaka, Pathey and Timber with a few injury to Odegard and still at the top. It’s something that kind of gives me hope. If Saliba stays fit and Pathey is adequately replaced in January and our forward players click again then, I have a reason to be hopeful we can challenge for the title. Just like Arsenal injuries already affecting teams but Arsenal still at the top? Quite encouraging 👍

      1. We don’t really miss Partey because Rice and Jorginho have been playing CDM very well, but I believe losing Saliba will be highly detrimental to our title-winning chance

        Holding and Kiwior weren’t consistent enough to replace Saliba, so we might need Magalhaes or Tomiyasu to deputize him if he gets injured again

        1. I think we miss partey very badly – jorginho is inconsistent, but even at his best (and he is brilliant on his best days), he can’t be physically dominant like partey. I really think that the lack of Partey’s playmaking skills has been the main reason our attack has declined compared to last season.
          Xhaka’s movement was also very important in attack tbf

          1. Jorginho’s playmaking ability is great, but Partey is the complete package

            We’ve been missing Xhaka’s positioning and passing skills. Rice defended well in Xhaka’s position, but he might need a few more seasons to be as good as Xhaka in attacking

            1. I don’t know if he’ll ever match xhaka’s passing / box delivery as I think that’s to do with the way xhaka strikes the ball a little cleaner than most players, but to me, the movement should be quite easy for rice to learn, and he has the stamina to be really effective with it. I’m half convinced havertz was signed because he was expected to make similar forward runs to xhaka – just simple, but well timed forward runs to move defenders and make space for martinelli and jesus. Hasn’t quite worked yet.

  2. O. T.
    What a fantastic session I’ve just seen on sky sport with Freddie Ljunberg and Jamie Carragher discussing the Invincibles!!

    AdminPat, if you could get this on JA for all Arsenal fans to watch and listen to it would be a brilliant eye opener to what that incredible squad were made of… fingers crossed!!

    1. I saw it too. Stunning TV.

      Please PAT, if you are able to do as KEN asks, countless Gooners will be ever in your debt.

  3. The two most critical members who’ll definitely improve the team, as Saka says, are Thomas Partey and Jurrien Timber. ESR also offers far more than we are getting from Havertz and Viera at this moment.

  4. Ken ,like you and Jon I was very impressed.Off topic, having watched the Fulham match I am heart sorry for yet another travesty of justice suffered by Wolves as the ultimate victims of VAR decisions.To rub salt into the wounds a Fulham player escaped with a yellow card for a clear head butt on Killman,who ,credit to him did not feign injury like others are prone to but stood tall.I think most decent minded fans in this Country would go along with any “action” taken by Wolves against the incompetent officials who are ruining our game.

    1. I agree Grandad and where these “officials” are coming from is anyone’s guess.
      The Wolves manager behaved impeccably in my opinion, along with the Wolves players.. a credit to this famous old club.

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