Loads of Arsenal fans noticed this picture…
A number of Arsenal fans on Reddit are debating if Mikel Arteta might be about to move Bukayo Saka into a more attacking role.
The Gunners are back in training as we look set for a return to Premier League action later this month after football was put on hold back in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Now Arsenal fans can finally focus on football again and some have noticed an interesting picture that’s got a bit of a debate going.
See below as Saka appears to race past our right-back Hector Bellerin in training…
Some Gooners wonder if this points towards the wonderkid being moved further forward, and therefore coming up against the right-back in a training game.
Saka started out as more of a winger or attacking midfielder at youth level but has shone in the senior side as a left-back, just like Ashley Cole at the start of his career.
The fan starting the thread said: “Do you think all the pictures with Saka 1v1 with Bellerin means we will see him playing further forward? Or are they because they’re both defenders and training together?”
Some of the responses included:
“Wouldn’t surprise me. Arteta said multiple times Saka is a winger, playing LB out of necessity. I think Saka is clearly one of our two best LW at this point, could very well be practicing there.”
“Saka isn’t a defender and I don’t think he will be unless we have another injury crisis so he will most likely be moved forward.”
“I think Arteta will want to get Saka into the left midfield position as quickly as possible.”
Some were less convinced, however, saying:
“Wouldn’t read too much into it. The training atm is still in smaller groups not full teams.”
“Wow, people really are bored. If Aubameyang was defending in a photo, would it mean he’s now a defender?”
“Well , it makes sense facing each other in training , if they’re in opposite teams , ones a right back, ones a left back.”
Hope this true! FINALLY have Auba down the middle where he should be playing!
You have a lot of imagination.
Saka isnt a RW, defender and threats to leave as he is fed up to be used as Niles was, playing LB out to fill holes and benched since, out of team for not being happy to be used up this way.
This is coming from upstairs, they are scared to lose Saka who won’t extend contract with a year left or so.
Just as they gave Auba captaincy hoping to have him commit, make him feel responsible so he can stay as a duty in his leader role.
Just as they took it from Ozil, benched him in order for him to leave club, he almost did to Turkey at some point. Make him feel like shit…
Not defending him but translating what you may have missed.
Saka is not our second best RB he is no RB but potentially the best left winger in the league and top 3 in Europe today.
Name me anyone as good, Sane is talented but only taller, Saka is more dangerous overall and defends more than Sane. Mane is not nor as good of a winger, who else? Frazier is good but not as Saka.
Maybe Arteta just realized he messed up completly by imposing Saka as RB when Mustafi would do better as a defender, not run forward as much, but solid in defending which is first we expect and task.
Arteta has been guessing and making wrong choices in team, 90% of the time he has wrong formation.
Xhaka captain to get rid of Ozil made Xhaka an automatic pick if not first name on sheet. Look how it ended! Let’s give it to Auba; so he commit, extend contract!.
Maybe Arteta needed time to realize he had wrong formation. Saka is one of first name you lay on team sheet, but as a winger!
He looks at options with Nketiah, Laca in center, must keep Auba to score; benches Saka and Martinelli to do so.
Wouldn’t it be best to bench a struggling Pepe to accommodate Auba on a wing he is familiar too?
Come on now, Arteta is not ready to manage a top club, he is an assistant coach who needed to start head coach in a midtable club, not make us that!
But he was the cheaper solution, he should be at Everyone and Ancelotti our manager. You can’t go from Wenger to Arteta!
We were we belong and no one gets why nor how good was Wenger for this club, keeping us in top 4 was a miracle.
To do it for so long with no money; devellop a bunch of kids to manage to do so made Wenger wanted by Real, Bayern, Paris. Reality, he won’t ever and can’t coach another team. Ask Sir Alex why!
I wonder how come it never been an article on our coaching & managing since Arteta is there. He struggled to win 3 games out of 10, wrong team 9 out of 10 games!
With all due respect; our first quest and main topic here should be a top coach/manager! Allegri is available as Ancelloti was!!!
I think Emery was a good choice, but as first season showed, he was limited by players. He did best he possibly could with players he had.
Asked for Partey & Maguire or Koulibaly. Got Luiz instead.
Couldn’t solve CB & DM, huge hole in this central defensive area! Still our main issue today!
Arteta has potential but must experiment and devellop, not in such a club.
Mogunna I am very surprised the board did not appoint you since you seemingly know so much about the subject of team and man managememt!!!!!
Nobody said anything about the right side.
You wrote a lot, not a single thing made sense though
Though no conclusions should be made from a mere training clip, it is surely already clear to at least most of us(though plainly not to all!) that Saka will now be playing in his proper position as a winger.
It was obvious that he played at LB purely because first choice Tierney was unfit, as was Kolas too for a while. It is plain at least to me that MA will play Tierney at LB and Saka at LW, as preferred first choice and injury pemitting. Some folk overlook the obvious and prefer unlikely happenings and conspiracy theories and I find that silly.
So true and I think the two of them will be great on our left side
Saka will likely go back to his position and Tierney will play left back. Laca will be benched for Auba to play up top, the big question is Saka or Martinelli on the left?