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Bukayo Saka: 2019/20 Performances

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Big Poppa

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Player:Saliba
We have to put it in perspective here. He turned 18 in September. When you look at his body type he is quite chunky for his age. He can ride tackles and hold off players on the dribble. We are talking about someone who is far from being physically developed.

He doesn't have blistering pace but he has elite acceleration and he is no slouch. When running with the ball he has it close to his feet and he is a left footed wide player who knows how to play on the left. That is quite rare. I like how he wasn't discouraged and kept going at his man.

I know people think he can be an elite full back but I don't see it. I think the future is to play Tierney and Saka on the left and Bellerin and Pepe on the right. That way you problem solve. You can invert both full backs or you can invert either side at any one time as both wingers can hold the touchline. Personally I'd invert the left and bring Pepe inside pushing Bellerin outside.

Tierney is also very good on the ball and has the ability to spin the ball out to Saka. It negates the need for Xhaka and we can reconfigure the midfield and front line.

Agreed
 

Penn_

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Don’t know whether it’s Arteta’s plan long term or a short term fix but we overload the left, a lot, which massively helps Saka.
 

Underhill

Active Member
If Tierney is as good as we hope, i guess the only solution to the "Never bench Saka or Martinelli" problem is to move Martinelli to the striker position.
 

Taxi Driver

Well-Known Member
I too think that Tierney/Saka will be the way forward - it will be quite interesting to see them both on the field.

Since they can defend and attack well they could perhaps interchange (one bombs forward while the other stays back, depending on who is in a better position).

This could potentially add another layer to our attacking play as well as add some unpredictibility. Having a good defender as a LW is also a huge boon.
 

field442

Hates Journalists Named James
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Ornstein saying we’ve offered him a 5 year deal and talks are progressing swiftly (although no deal is imminent).

As for his position, it will be at LW. Arteta has already said he’s a winger and it benefits the squad to have him play at LW. It would cost us at least £30-£40m to buy a decent LW with the potential for double figures assists and goals. Why do that when you have someone coming through the academy who can do it? Especially when we already have a very promising young left back in Tierney.
 

HaffBR

Designer of fancy pyramids
He played as LW yesterday.

HrxTwqn.jpg


Saka + Auba or even Saka + Martinelli or offensive LB + left forward is a better combination than Tierney + Saka imo a offensive LB + pure winger. You need to have at least two goalscorer in this team.
 

Dutch D

Well-Known Member & FPL Champion 19/20
Ornstein saying we’ve offered him a 5 year deal and talks are progressing swiftly (although no deal is imminent).

As for his position, it will be at LW. Arteta has already said he’s a winger and it benefits the squad to have him play at LW. It would cost us at least £30-£40m to buy a decent LW with the potential for double figures assists and goals. Why do that when you have someone coming through the academy who can do it? Especially when we already have a very promising young left back in Tierney.
Hope we get him tied down soon.

I understand your point about the LW position. My worry is that we don't really have an alternative for Saka if Martinelli is the back-up striker. That would mean we'd rely completely on Saka on the left, which is a burden that might hurt him in the longrun. At the same time if you buy a 50m+ player for LW, Saka will be marginalized for years. Dilemma.

Perhaps signing a LW who can also play CM (Grealish) alleviate some of these problems as it allows more flexibility. Saka will be able to get plenty of games then.
 

Tourbillion

Angry & Miserable
In terms of stuff like dribbling, ball control and just general trickiness he doesn’t give me elite attacking talent vibes but he is good enough at all of that to be a solid PL winger if things work.

But a solid PL level winger who can defend is an elite fullback. That’s why I lean towards that position for him, as I know his attacking attributes are good enough to be a fullback at the highest level. If he’s to be a winger there’s still a lot more development to be done as the bar is just higher.

Saka might prove me wrong though. It’s a big indicator but you don’t have to be a magician with the ball to be an elite wide player. Guys like Bale and Salah have shown that.
Pretty much agree, but it's just with his end product and even goal threat it would be a shame not to fully exploit his potential further up.

Maybe there's more to him "trickery"-wise that will come to the fore.

I think Tierney could be huge for us at LB if he ever gets fit, so would like to see Saka have a run at LW.
 

Trilly

Hates A-M, Saka, Arteta and You
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I might be talking from another perspective but Bale and Salah are very far from wing magicians. Outstanding thing on the due is their frightening pace, Bale was a standout a bit earlier because of his physical advantage and nothing special about 18 years old Salah.

Saka do have a lot of pace in him and some bit of underrated trickery but he doesn't play like someone that is trying to impress onlookers with unnecessary step overs and strange dancing. He just got to the pitch and play with the team.
Also, his decision making is outstanding for his age.
Yeah that’s what I’m saying. The typical elite wide player is a magician, your Neymars and Hazards etc.

But there are definitely other ways to succeed, solid decision making is the key even if you’re not rainbow flicking guys by the corner flag. :lol:
 

Trilly

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Pretty much agree, but it's just with his end product and even goal threat it would be a shame not to fully exploit his potential further up.

Maybe there's more to him "trickery"-wise that will come to the fore.

I think Tierney could be huge for us at LB if he ever gets fit, so would like to see Saka have a run at LW.
Saka at LW enables us to get Auba and Pepe closer to goal as well. I have no issue with that!
 

yybecause

Formerly known as ArsenaLover
Arteta clearly said he wants specialists.
Saka will be a winger non stop next season, no more fb
 

progman07

Established Member
In terms of stuff like dribbling, ball control and just general trickiness he doesn’t give me elite attacking talent vibes but he is good enough at all of that to be a solid PL winger if things work.

But a solid PL level winger who can defend is an elite fullback. That’s why I lean towards that position for him, as I know his attacking attributes are good enough to be a fullback at the highest level. If he’s to be a winger there’s still a lot more development to be done as the bar is just higher.

Saka might prove me wrong though. It’s a big indicator but you don’t have to be a magician with the ball to be an elite wide player. Guys like Bale and Salah have shown that.
He literally gave an assist yesterday by dribbling through two defenders with an amazing skill, then almost created another chance for Lacazette by running around a defender.

It's football which is always going to be absolutely subjective, but I believe Saka has that top level ability on the ball, paired with the drive and guts to take risky decisions even as the youngest player on the pitch, that I think he is going to be an absolutely top top winger.

Personally I'm sure we are wasting him as a LB, but if this is the price of playing then of course let's keep using him there.
 

El Duderino

That's, like, your opinion, man.
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Saka at LW enables us to get Auba and Pepe closer to goal as well. I have no issue with that!

Think I've read somewhere that the instruction is for Xhaka to cover LB and for Saka to work more like a wingback or a left winger, than like a normal leftback.

This is designed to make Auba play like a second striker, allowing for Saka to be 1v1 more often.

Bellerin, on the other hand, is being told to play much more like a traditional rightback.
 

Trilly

Hates A-M, Saka, Arteta and You
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He literally gave an assist yesterday by dribbling through two defenders with an amazing skill, then almost created another chance for Lacazette by running around a defender.
Like you said it's all subjective.

I've really offended many people it seems but that's just my view of an elite winger! I'm not saying that every top class winger is necessarily super tricky on the ball but most of them do that have in their locker. Bale is a good example of a world class wide player who isn't supper 'dribbly' so it can be done, it just isn't as common.

You mention his excellent skill to create the chance but I'd have to see a lot more of that kind of dribbling from him to view him as that type of player. I think he's a very 'effective' dribbler at the moment, more like how Ox would fly down the wing for us than rather somebody like Sancho who is just super tricky despite not being super fast.
 

Country: Iceland
Like you said it's all subjective.

I've really offended many people it seems but that's just my view of an elite winger! I'm not saying that every top class winger is necessarily super tricky on the ball but most of them do that have in their locker. Bale is a good example of a world class wide player who isn't supper 'dribbly' so it can be done, it just isn't as common.

You mention his excellent skill to create the chance but I'd have to see a lot more of that kind of dribbling from him to view him as that type of player. I think he's a very 'effective' dribbler at the moment, more like how Ox would fly down the wing for us than rather somebody like Sancho who is just super tricky despite not being super fast.

All about transforming his u23 game to senior level. Saka was destroying full backs for fun at young levels. Hard to expect him to do that instantly against seniors but yesterday was a little example of what he can do when he matured physically and mentally for that level!
 

Yousif Arsenal

On Vinai's payroll & misses 4th place trophy 🏆
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Ornstein saying we’ve offered him a 5 year deal and talks are progressing swiftly (although no deal is imminent).

As for his position, it will be at LW. Arteta has already said he’s a winger and it benefits the squad to have him play at LW. It would cost us at least £30-£40m to buy a decent LW with the potential for double figures assists and goals. Why do that when you have someone coming through the academy who can do it? Especially when we already have a very promising young left back in Tierney.
yes exactly Tierney Saka/Martinelli should be our future left side.
 
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