This season, Bukayo Saka’s performances have exemplified brilliance. There is no doubt that this may be his greatest season ever. He has nine goals and eight assists in only 23 league games, which is fantastic. His previous highest league goal total was 11 goals last season; he will undoubtedly set a personal milestone in terms of league goal count.
Despite being repeatedly targeted by Alex Moreno against Villa, with each tackle attempting to injure him, he came up big. Garth Crooks, a BBC pundit, has clearly been blown away by the 21-year-old, and his words on his BBC blog after the Arsenal vs. Villa match says it all.
Crooks said: “Arsenal are not just looking like champions, they are playing like champions. Having lost to City in midweek – a defeat Tottenham and Chelsea fans enjoyed immensely – and come back from behind, not once but twice, away from home is the stuff of champions. The man at the heart of these quite outstanding performances is Saka.
“Like Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne, I’m running out of superlatives for this player – his equaliser against Villa was top class.
“He then went on to terrorise their defence, while the entire home team targeted Saka with the rough stuff and Villa fans booed him. Yet none of it made the slightest difference to what was a superb performance by one of the best players in the country.”
Saka’s impact on Arteta’s project has been substantial in ways other than goalscoring. His ability to outpace and outsmart opponents, create chances for his teammates, and pose a continual danger to the opposing defence made him a key figure in Arsenal’s assault. Saka’s performances have been a notable element of Arsenal’s season thus far, with the youthful winger regularly producing when it counts.
Would Arsenal be able to perform so good without Sake being so superb every week? Despite opponents kicking him to hell in every single game?
Darren N
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I liked how in his last game he made the pitch wider and it opened up a bit more space for Jorginho Odegaard and Zinchenko to play playmaker. He also went direct on occasion, it was a very good performance all around by Saka
Saka is developing into a truly top quality player with the potential to become an Arsenal legend.We are aware he can operate on either flank and personally I don’t see why he can’t be equally effective as a central striker where he would not be obliged to expend his energy so much in tracking back .I don’t know if Arteta has considered such a move in the continued absence of Jesus but perhaps he might be tempted in the Europa Cup competition.Most certainly Saka and our other front three players should be encouraged to interchange to make life more difficult for opposition defenders.
I agree completely with this article and would also ask for greater protection from the referees.
I cannot understand why they cannot see how our opponents try to kick the living daylights out of him!!
I fear he will get a really serious injury soon, unless he is afforded the protection against full backs who just can’t handle him.
Shades of Jose Reyes anyone?
My thoughts entirely Ken, I too think he’s a game away from a serious injury, or a sending off, the way he is constantly fouled.
The quality of the officiating is affecting the quality of the games.
Reactionary at most is the officials and even then are slow to detect time wasting and protecting highly technical players.
One of the most technical players that ever played at Arsenal had his career comes to an abrupt end as result of premeditated unfair physical attack on the pitch.
Like the post above am scared Saka could meet the same faith as Diaby, if the officials continue to ignore these dirty tactics by opposing players.
Diaby was injury prone at Auxerre, only managing a handful in each of his 2 season’s there. That’s why they sold him so cheaply.
The standard of refs is now at an alltime low. Tey arepuppete controlled by PGMOL an d also terrified of gainsaying the VAR ref. It is ahopless case and geting steadily worse.
I do not agree with those fans of every club who claim refs cheat their clubs. If you read other clubs fans sites, as I do, you will see how common those cheating accusations against refs are. And how wrong too!
But refs are, with a tiny few exceptions, simply hopeless and scared to take action, as they know the PGMOL and VAR officials will always overpower and undermine them. SAD BUT TRUE!
Around three years or so ago, MIKE DEAN BEGAN TO RED CARD THOSE WHO GRAPPLE AT CORNERS AND DANGEROUS FREE KICKS, AS ALL REFS OUGHT TO DO.
HE WAS SHUT DOWN, INSTEAD OF BEING SUPPORTED, AND SO THE GRAPPLING JUST GETS WORSE AND NOTHING IS EVER DONE TO STOP IT IN ACTION.
DISGRACEFUL INACTION IS THE ORDER OF THE DAY AND I AM APPALLED!
Studs down on Saka’s achilles, shoe comes off, and no foul!
Just garbage, amazing that Xhaka did not go over to Coutinho and choke that $h*tE out!
I’ve just seen a stat about Saka concerning fouls this season. There’s one booking for every ten fouls on him, but he receives a booking for every five fouls he makes. Crazy.