The Brighton boss Graham Potter saw his team fight hard to try and stop Arsenal getting all 3 points last night, but with Lacazette scoring his quick-fire goal 21 seconds after coming on, the Seagulls were denied even a point.
But Potter gave all the plaudits for the goal to Bukayo Saka, who burst down the wing before setting up Laca. ‘We have tried to press a little bit high initially. I think Saka has done really well on the halfway line,’ Potter told The Argus.
‘He has shown a great turn of foot and of pace and that creates the opportunity.
‘We recovered a bit too fast and that has opened up the space and that is the bit we can do better.
‘I don’t necessarily think it is down to the substitution.
‘It’s more it is that footballing action which Saka does. We didn’t adjust to that well enough.’
Arteta can obviously see the massive potential in Saka, but he has warned that we need to be cautious with him, and keep him grounded to help him progress even further. ‘I would like everybody to be cautious, let him be and let him develop,’ said Arteta on Sky.
‘I think he’s having the right progression. I think he has the right people around him in his house, in his entourage.
‘And he’s got the right teammates as well to support him all the time, giving him confidence and keeping his feet on the floor.
‘Then hopefully we can be the right coaches around him and the right club to see the player that he can be in the future.’
I think Arteta needs to be careful too, as the temptation is to play him (and Martinelli) in every game now. Luckily after the West Brom game, the team will finally get a whole 7 days in which to recharge their batteries. I really, really hope Saka stays fit for the whole season.
We need him!