Bukayo Saka: From Starboy to Champion

[fabregooner]

We just need him to start finding the net when he cuts in. It's been wayward too often.

He's doing a great job being in the right places to find the goals, but if he can add the cut and shoot finish, he'll be better than he was.

 

[Aubamabludclat94]

He definitely looks slower, or at the very least uses his top top speed much more rarely than he used to. Might be more of a loss of agility than anything else. Not that I’m too concerned about it, his best trait was always how efficient and smart he is. As long as that ankle allows him to play at 85% level (at the very least) for majority of the campaign, he’ll rack up the goal contributions

 

[Aubamabludclat94]

I don't remember the last goal Saka scored that was comparable to the goals he was regularly scoring in 2022-2023 (e.g., his stunner against United). You got the sense that every time he cut in on his left foot, he was a real threat to bend one into the bottom left corner of the goal. Part of that might be that he's marked so aggressively but, again, my eyes tell me he's slower and less explosive.

Don't get me wrong, he's still our best attacker and he gets goals and assists in a scrappy way, but I think we should be honest with ourselves that he isn't at the level of the PSG, Real Madrid, and Barcelona attackers and that's unfortunate because he would have been right up there with Yamal and Vinicius if he hadn't been hacked down every single game.

Some of Barcelona and Real Madrid attackers don’t look like Barcelona and Real Madrid attackers either lmao. It’s a symptom of the mileage players go through nowadays, and just the experience that teaches you that you don’t always have to sprint at full tilt to change the game up

 

[Aubamabludclat94]

I don't remember the last goal Saka scored that was comparable to the goals he was regularly scoring in 2022-2023 (e.g., his stunner against United). You got the sense that every time he cut in on his left foot, he was a real threat to bend one into the bottom left corner of the goal. Part of that might be that he's marked so aggressively but, again, my eyes tell me he's slower and less explosive.

Don't get me wrong, he's still our best attacker and he gets goals and assists in a scrappy way, but I think we should be honest with ourselves that he isn't at the level of the PSG, Real Madrid, and Barcelona attackers and that's unfortunate because he would have been right up there with Yamal and Vinicius if he hadn't been hacked down every single game.

He doesn’t try to get that extra bit of separation he used to be able to get when he would cut inside and either let one rip or put in one of those KDB half space crosses he had mastered anymore. I’m of the opinion that yes he’s lost some agility as you do once you get older and gain some of that man weight and the mileage starts adding up on your legs, but I think he’s also trying to change his game up a bit. Be less flashy, more efficient, more simple, more off the ball movement. Kinda ties into how patient we’ve become as a build up team. We really monopolize the field tilt since about 2025

 

[Red London]

Bro, watch clips of his best games just last season. His explosiveness is there, it's just hasn't been there *all the time* because of the hamstring + achilles injuries.

Sorry to pick on you but Saka *is* a top player, you likely didn't mean it this way but when I read "However, he (Saka) can still be a top player" implies that he currently isn't a top player which is crazy to me.

He was not a top player last season IMO. By his own lofty standards.

 

[Gooner Zig]

He was not a top player last season IMO. By his own lofty standards.

Agreed but you do not lose top player status because of one 'poor' season, surely?

 

[Gooner Zig]

Not sure if you can embed Tiktoks but how has noone discussed that cele?

****ing loved how locked in Bukayo is right now

 

[viktor]

 

[Gooner Zig]

It's interesting to see lots of Arsenal FT accounts post clips of Saka when he was younger ostensibly to show us all that 'he's lost his PACE and BURST' but these ignore that we were a completely different team back then. Games we were involved in were more end to end with more space afforded. He also wasn't double/triple teamed either.

 

[Tnegs]

He’s only just turning 25 in a couple of days time seems like he’s been carrying this team for so long. Alexis was 25 when he joined us let’s hope Saka is able to up his game a level as he enters his prime.

 

[Red London]

Goldman Saks

 

[2Smokeyy]

Goldman Saks

That’s actually brilliant I’m sure Saka will see it with the way it’s gaining motion on X. From pointing to the gold PL badge in GW2 to snatching Palmer/Rogers celebration + Goldman Saks lol

@Riou this will be included in the top 3 heel turns of all time, right?

 

[Red London]

Agreed but you do not lose top player status because of one 'poor' season, surely?

We’re debating the way I worded that original sentence here. The spirit behind what I said is he can return to being a top player, but was not last year. I’m talking season long form and you are talking about overall ability and body of work.

I do think his form being off was down to overthinking / second guessing, as his goals dried up and he was fighting fitness issues, so he was constantly trying to prove to himself and the club he is still that guy, and forcing things. It messed with his decision making at times. Messed with his confidence.

The common denominator here is fitness though. If he struggles heavily again with fitness I won’t only be concerned about his form I’ll be concerned about his future level. If he gets the fitness issues behind him then a lot of the main issues will disappear. Even if he was to lose some explosiveness (let’s agree to disagree there) he would figure it out because he’s a top player. He is too good to fail UNLESS fitness issues heavily hamper him.

I pray we see Saka back to the his usual self this season. Encouraging signs so far because he really needed a couple goals (no matter how easy) to get that monkey off his back goals wise. I think it took its toll last season.

 

[Red London]

That’s actually brilliant I’m sure Saka will see it with the way it’s gaining motion on X. From pointing to the gold PL badge in GW2 to snatching Palmer/Rogers celebration + Goldman Saks lol

@Riou this will be included in the top 3 heel turns of all time, right?

@A_G change the thread title to Goldman Saks if he puts in a performance vs Chelsea?

 

[A_G]

 

[viktor]

 

[HollandGooner]

We should play him there more often if Eze cannot make it.

 

[Barry]

He's such a champ. Love him.

 

[MartiSaka]

What a player he was

 

[MartiSaka]

It's interesting to see lots of Arsenal FT accounts post clips of Saka when he was younger ostensibly to show us all that 'he's lost his PACE and BURST' but these ignore that we were a completely different team back then. Games we were involved in were more end to end with more space afforded. He also wasn't double/triple teamed either.

This is why the IBU have embargoed Mik