Mikel Arteta is a tactical genius, but there is one thing: he must copy his mentor Pep Guardiola or risk his star boy, Bukayo Saka, not performing at his best. I know you’re wondering where such a comment is coming from, but Sam Dean’s tweet below could help you try to understand where I am coming from:
Thought this was a good measure of Arsenal's use of Saka and City's ability/willingness to manage Foden differently. Massive difference in minutes.
AGE
🔹Foden: 23y 8m
🔺Saka: 22y 5mLEAGUE APPEARANCES
🔹Foden: 151
🔺Saka: 157LEAGUE MINUTES
🔹Foden: 8,628
🔺Saka: 12,426— Sam Dean (@SamJDean) February 7, 2024
Saka and Foden are regarded as two of Europe’s best young players; being in the same league, they will always be compared and expected to make an impact for their clubs. And they’re making an effect; Saka and Foden have identical figures in the league; thus far, they both have 8 goals and 7 assists.
Guardiola is cautious about his use of Foden to keep him fresh, whereas Arteta’s over-reliance on Saka may have an effect on his production.
The Gunners are obviously overusing their No. 7. Last summer and the last few months, there was an argument about why the Gunners should sign a realiable backup for the Hale End graduate. It has been agreed that no one in the club can play right wing like him, so the transfer market has been combed.
In the search for the perfect signing, players such as Pedro Neto and Michael Olise are thought to be good enough to share responsibility for Arsenal’s right wing.
However, as we wait to see which right winger will be signed, Arteta will need to come up with good tactics to ensure Saka does not burn out with about 15 Premier League games remaining and several crucial Champions League knockout games.
Arteta simply needs to find a method to rotate Saka in and out of the starting 11, as well as having him subbed off sooner in games; Reiss Nelson or even Gabriel Jesus might move to the right wing when he’s subbed off, keeping the 22-year-old fresher.
Darren N
Here is the latest DUBLIN ARSENAL podcast with our Irish friends OZZY, EAMONN And JONATHON picking their BEST EVER Arsenal XI since moving to the Emirates in 2006- Who would you choose?
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
I guess Cozier-Duberry will only sign the new contract offer from Arsenal if there is a clause about his minimum playing time
I heard the situation has forced Arteta to promote him to the main squad. To make Cozier-Duberry sign the contract, Arteta might have to play him in some EPL/ UCL games
Marquinhos has been loaned out to Fluminenss, so Cozier-Duberry could rotate with Saka for the inverted-RW role
I had seen this Duberry kid and he looks pretty good, maybe we could loan him to Brighton and let the Seagulls mold him into the finish article.
We know the gaffer won’t trust him, neither should he be thrown in at the deep end.
We can’t loan him out because his contract will expire in June
We don’t rotate Saka and it’s not because of lack of alternatives or backups….zero evidence to suggest potential rotation.
The problem is we are out of the cups and MA simply doesn’t seem to care about it so that leaves minimal opportunity to give the youngsters/fringe players a run….not that I think they’d get a run anyway if we were still in them.
Arteta would have to play Cozier-Duberry, otherwise the hot prospect would leave for free in July
Foden, who has superb ball skills, is given licence to pop up in different areas during a match, whereas, Saka seems to be restricted to hog the right wing by his Manager who has yet to justify the writer’s claim of him being a tactical genius.In Nelson, Jesus and Trossard we have three players who are comfortable on the RW so the need for a costly back up for Saka is not a priority as far as I am concerned.
oh well its not as if saka is a winger foden is an attacking midfielder thats why they have different responsibilities.
Firstly ,I disagree that Arteta is any different from Guardiola in managing the minutes of his players. As a matter of fact, there were five City players who clocked more minutes than Saka last season i.e.Rodri,Gundogan,Haaland,Akanji and Ederson. What is common in these selected City players is that they didn’t have equal replacements, just like Saka for Arsenal.
Secondly,I don’t believe that Foden played fewer minutes because his minutes were being managed/monitored. Until this season,following KDB’s injury and the departure of Gundogan,Foden didn’t play because there were other players preferred ahead of him. The same can’t be said for Saka. There’s just no one else in the squad who is as effective as him on the RW in my opinion.
Finally,star players generally don’t like to be subbed or rotated. Think of Salah,prime Messi,prime Ronaldo,Haaland,Mbappe,Bruno Fernandez,Vinicius Junior,Neymar, Kane,etc. These guys are almost never subbed or rested in a league game unless they are injured. Last season the likes of Kane,Bruno Fernandes,Rodri,Haaland,Rice,Enzo Fernandes,Vini Jr all played more minutes than Saka.
I don’t disagree that Arsenal need another option on the right though. But that player will likely get very few chances unless he’s versatile enough to play other positions like Pedro Neto, who can comfortably play on left or right.
The solution for Saka being worn out or getting injured perhaps lies in reducing his workload in games. In terms of tackles made per game this season,Saka is third in the squad with 2 tackles per game,only second to Rice and Zinchenko who both average 2.2 tackles per game. Most stars like Salah and Mbappe don’t do much defensively. Maybe Saka’s game can be simplified too for his own durability. It might even improve his efficiency going forward.
I agree with your points.
Unfortunately, an irrational and irresponsible narrative has been generated by a number of fans.
Ideally we would have an equally effective player who could rotate from time to time with Saka. We have some players who could do a job in the role but they are generally not going to be as effective, or are needed for cover in other positions. Saka is also one of our most durable players which is a reason he plays so much. All of our other forward players have had to contend with injury.
Good article. I would argue against the use of the phrase “Arteta is a tactical genius” but with the main point of the piece was the over use of Saka, and I completely agree. Arteta will even leave him on during games we are comfortably winning! This ultimately will lead to him becoming overtrained and worn out even at his tender age; there are no exceptions to this rule. Top athletes especially need to manage their workload, otherwise it leads to injury.
The thing is whilst I would welcome the likes of Michael Olise and Pedro Neto to the club, we already have a better back-up right winger than either of those in Gabriel Jesus. Historically, he scores most of his goals from the RW position and his defensive work ethic would be a real benefit to the team. Using him out wide on occasion would afford him more game time and Saka a rest. It baffles me as to why MA won’t do it!
I have mentioned in various articles of my own or in replies to comments by other people that Arteta’s misuse of the meager squad at his disposal isn’t helping an already dire situation. ESR, Trossard, Martinelli, Nelson, Jesus can all cover for Saka and should do. Ultimately Arteta’s over reliance on Saka risks shortening his career. I’m not saying this is going to happen but it’s far more likely unless he can start working in some proper respite for the lad. Basically, Arteta needs to trust his squad to cover for Saka. If he can’t then he should sell them and bring in someone he does trust.
Plainly a too hyped comment to claim MA is a “tactical genius” . A more realistic and sensiblyused phrase for MA would be “a good tactician but with clear holes in his overall tactics”.
I dislike obvious and misleading hype nd th wrong use of “genius”!
For context, Mozart, Einstein Da Vinci were geniuses. MA is merely a good football,manager with a good grasp of tactics, GENERALLY SPEAKING.