Bukayo Saka: 2019/20 Performances

[Garrincha]

Just different players. Thought Iwobi looked pretty good yesterday... One of those deals that works out for everyone.

If we can get 25+m for a few more academy prospects that would be great. He really one of the few success stories at that level in years.

 

[Geofranco]

Iwobi has poor end product but he is far better dribbler than Saka. Not even up for debate.

I don't know about "far better." Iwobi has a better touch and cleaner technique on the ball, but is not as direct as Saka is.

Saka is the sort of dribbler that will draw a lot of fouls and win penalties cause of how much of a handful he can be.

Remember Saka has barely played 5 games for the first team and just turned 18 in September.

Iwobi broke out at 19/20, so he already physically more mature.

I honestly see Saka as the type of talent to be a 10 goal, 15 assist sort of player in the league by the time he is 20/21.

His potential in the final third blows Iwobi away.

 

[Trilly]

People already trying to **** on Iwobi to praise Saka.

Saka could easily go on to have a less impressive career than Iwobi. We’ll see what he’s actually made of when the ‘shiny new young player’ effect wears off.

 

[MutableEarth]

People already trying to **** on Iwobi to praise Saka.

Saka could easily go on to have a less impressive career than Iwobi. We’ll see what he’s actually made of when the ‘shiny new young player’ effect wears off.

I actually agree with this - people were eager to **** on Iwobi when he was still here. Again, I dread any dip in form that Saka experiences - I hope Saka is afforded the kindness and patience Iwobi was never given. A cursory glance at Nelson's current treatment doesn't fill me with optimism in that regard. Same with AMN to an extent.

I back Saka to be a big success but I've seen some incredible talents not make it here. Let him build his stock before we use him as a stick to beat former young starlets with.

 

[Geofranco]

I actually agree with this - people were eager to **** on Iwobi when he was still here. Again, I dread any dip in form that Saka experiences - I hope Saka is afforded the kindness and patience Iwobi was never given. A cursory glance at Nelson's current treatment doesn't fill me with optimism in that regard. Same with AMN to an extent.

I back Saka to be a big success but I've seen some incredible talents not make it here. Let him build his stock before we use him as a stick to beat former young starlets with.

Iwobi had maturity issues. He had talent to play for Arsenal, but something was missing, mentally with him.

You could see the same symptoms with Walcott and Chamberlain.

The same thing that gave Iwobi a chance to break through also hurt him in the end.

He started getting game time when the team needed a spark and were in terrible form in 15/16.

He did really well with his opportunity, showing skill on the ball and a very good ability on the half turn.

But with the fans becoming more toxic towards Wenger and the board in the last 2 and a half years of his reign.

They also didn't afford Iwobi the same patience they did for Walcott and Chamberlain.

Maybe it was also because Iwobi chose Nigeria instead of England.


He didn't really have a lot of people to back him. One thing I always remember of Iwobi was how Özil and Alexis loved combining with him more than any other player in 16/17 season (it says a lot about his technical skills).

He was a complementary player and did well when the team played fluidly. Also always played very well against Chelsea for whatever reason lol.

 

[gunner4lyfe]

I actually agree with this - people were eager to **** on Iwobi when he was still here. Again, I dread any dip in form that Saka experiences - I hope Saka is afforded the kindness and patience Iwobi was never given. A cursory glance at Nelson's current treatment doesn't fill me with optimism in that regard. Same with AMN to an extent.

I back Saka to be a big success but I've seen some incredible talents not make it here. Let him build his stock before we use him as a stick to beat former young starlets with.

That part is not true. There was a lot of patience for Iwobi from both the fans and manager.

 

[Symbia]

How quick is Saka? Is it only me who finds it difficult to judge his pace?

Me too. Just like Pepe, yet to see their pace and from what I have seen so far Martinelli is twice faster.

 

[9jagooner]

Iwobi had maturity issues. He had talent to play for Arsenal, but something was missing, mentally with him.

You could see the same symptoms with Walcott and Chamberlain.

The same thing that gave Iwobi a chance to break through also hurt him in the end.

He started getting game time when the team needed a spark and were in terrible form in 15/16.

He did really well with his opportunity, showing skill on the ball and a very good ability on the half turn.

But with the fans becoming more toxic towards Wenger and the board in the last 2 and a half years of his reign.

They also didn't afford Iwobi the same patience they did for Walcott and Chamberlain.

Maybe it was also because Iwobi chose Nigeria instead of England.


He didn't really have a lot of people to back him. One thing I always remember of Iwobi was how Özil and Alexis loved combining with him more than any other player in 16/17 season (it says a lot about his technical skills).

He was a complementary player and did well when the team played fluidly. Also always played very well against Chelsea for whatever reason lol.

You're right!
He combined very well with Kola.

I am however glad he has moved. As you said in your post, one could easily see that mental block was there whilst he was at Arsenal and with opportunity to constantly fight for his place at Everton, I expect him to show some of the brialliance he has shown the NT especially now that Silva has 'decided' to play him in the middle of the pack.

It' the reason I always support loan moves for our young players. Fans have very short memories. Wait for Saka to have few bad runs and see how quickly fans will turn on him. All you need to do is scroll back to the Reiss Nelson page here on AM or even Maitland Niles

 

[RichWeath]

Maybe it was also because Iwobi chose Nigeria instead of England/QUOTE]


Better find some racism somewhere now it's a hot topic.

He got less time because people didn't want another 10 year Walcott style flop, and given his output statistics we did the right thing.

 

[Mark Tobias]

People already trying to **** on Iwobi to praise Saka.
.

You been under a rock? People were ripping Iwobi apart long before they even knew Saka existed.

 

[Trilly]

You been under a rock? People were ripping Iwobi apart long before they even knew Saka existed.

More the revisionism wrt Iwobi's breakthrough, from people like yourself actually.

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

Iwobi played here many years and got a lot of games. Sometimes you've got to sell a player when it doesn't look like he'll make it. Otherwise you get another Walcott where we all wonder what happened with that player vs Pool at Anfield.

It's not like Iwobi didn't get chances. He is just not Arsenal material if you want to compete, no shame in that. And for his own good he shouldn't stay just because we could use him as a squaddie.

 

[samshere]

Saka looks much better than Iwobi at the winger role though. Iwobi was great technically, but always seemed a bit of a misfit on the wings. I wanted him to be tried out centrally at Arsenal, but failing that I'm glad he's getting that opportunity at Everton.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Saka > Pepe

Also

Iwobi > Pepe

Now everybody be friends!

 

[Mark Tobias]

More the revisionism wrt Iwobi's breakthrough, from people like yourself actually.

If you check my post history you'll see i was warming well to Iwobi till the end of last season. Pretty certain at one point I named him as most improved under Emery... I don't think he is a horrible player but I also don't think he is good enough for us. Think we did decent business there but would also have been happy if we kept him for a bit longer.

 

[Trilly]

Iwobi never once looked nearly as good as Saka is looking every week. He'll be cut enough slack because he has earned it. Iwobi, not so much.

More talking about this post.

Yes it's an opinion but you only need to look at the early pages in his thread to see how good he was when he broke through.

 

[Mark Tobias]

More talking about this post.

Yes it's an opinion but you only need to look at the early pages in his thread to see how good he was when he broke through.

I still stand by that post. I never got the same feeling with Iwobi. His technical ability was great to see but the lack of final product was always there to be seen. Saka just seems to have that bit more. That maturity to play beyond his years at a level above his classmates. I just don't think Iwobi is destined to reach the same heights.

 

[GDeep™]

Iwobi was excellent when he first broke through, much more exciting than anything we've seen from any youth player since.

 

[rich 1990]

People already trying to **** on Iwobi to praise Saka.

Saka could easily go on to have a less impressive career than Iwobi. We’ll see what he’s actually made of when the ‘shiny new young player’ effect wears off.

Think Reiss Nelson is in more danger of that at the moment, tbh. Saka is having a clear impact every time he plays. Nelson is tidy enough but drifts through games. You look at Saka's goal at Frankfurt, would Nelson do that?

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Saying that Iwobi never once looked nearly as good as Saka is looking is an incredible claim and revisionism of the highest order. Iwobi broke into the first team in the latter half of 15/16 season and then was a starter for the most of the 16/17 season up until Spring time. Wenger wasn't playing him week in week out for the hell of it. He was showing great potential. He had a great last few weeks in the 15/16 season and was in superb form for the first few weeks of the 16/17 the 3-0 win away to Watford and the 3-0 home win over Chelsea automatically stand out for me. In fact the 4-2-3-1 with Alexis up top with Iwobi, Özil and Walcott behind was working really well. We didn't lose a game from the Liverpool defeat on the first day until the Everton defeat in December.

Perhaps you can say that Saka is the bigger talent but people are acting as if Iwobi never showed any sort of serious potential. I mean he's even shown enough for Everton to spend quite a bit of money on him and Everton have ambitions of their own of breaking into the top 6. He's a player in need of some fine tuning but the talent is there.