Bukayo Saka: The Buk Stops Here

[Gooner Zig]

The cope in the last few pages, I see A-M is now focusing on the defensive numbers and crying about everyone hating him. Funny guys

Meanwhile the guy I got pelted for rating on a similar level is about to sweep the player of the season awards.

What cope? His defensive numbers are mad and he hits elite attacking numbers. He's a unicorn in that sense.

Foden wins POTY while having basically the same G/A and worse underlying numbers than Saka. Bukayo wasn't even on the short list

 

[GDeep™]

What cope? His defensive numbers are mad and he hits elite attacking numbers. He's a unicorn in that sense.

Foden wins POTY while having basically the same G/A and worse underlying numbers than Saka. Bukayo wasn't even on the short list

I don’t think Foden has any penalties, while Saka has had 6/7. This extra goal scoring moments are going to stand out.

Nobody cares about defensive numbers.

 

[Gooner Zig]

I don’t think Foden has any penalties, while Saka has had 6/7. This extra goal scoring moments are going to stand out.

Nobody cares about defensive numbers.

Fair about the penalties, they have very similar non penalty xG if I remember correctly. Again, the joke is Saka not even being a candidate.

 

[Macho]

Nobody cares about defensive numbers.

Depends who you speak to. I personally have never given a single sh*t, it's not how I rate an attacking player at all.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Fair about the penalties, they have very similar non penalty xG if I remember correctly. Again, the joke is Saka not even being a candidate.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1791829199264645316

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Only thing left is blaming Saka for everything when England lose out at euros.

BINGO

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1791794983302820193

 

[Trilly]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1791421597963670010

View attachment 24454


Disrespected?

Not at all, think he’s rated very highly and even the saltiest of rival fans know deep down he’s a very good player.

I think this level of discourse around his ability started with Arsenal fans crowning him as WC and rival fans basically not having it.

Similar things have definitely happened on here I’m sure with us reluctant to rate rival players as we should, eventually said player just pulls out a season that absolutely nobody can deny. I hope Saka does the same.

 

[Trilly]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1791794983302820193

Putting club and country in there and using CIES rankings is just silly really. This fanbase doesn’t help itself.

It’s weird because I don’t know why everyone else is trying to force Saka into these conversations, if anything it should be Rice and maybe Ødegaard. They’re the ones being nominated for the big individual awards this season.

Lastly, I’m sure Saka was up for these awards last season. Why cry about it this season when there are more deserving winners and two/three other Arsenal players being nominated?

 

[Trilly]

Nobody cares about defensive numbers.

Never have and they never will when we’re talking about attacking players. Pointless cope.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Putting club and country in there and using CIES rankings is just silly really. This fanbase doesn’t help itself.

It’s weird because I don’t know why everyone else is trying to force Saka into these conversations, if anything it should be Rice and maybe Ødegaard. They’re the ones being nominated for the big individual awards this season.

Lastly, I’m sure Saka was up for these awards last season. Why cry about it this season when there are more deserving winners and two/three other Arsenal players being nominated?

I think Saka is better than both Palmer and Foden and was better than both these season.

Lets just agree to disagree on this one.

 

[Macho]

Not at all, think he’s rated very highly and even the saltiest of rival fans know deep down he’s a very good player.

I think this level of discourse around his ability started with Arsenal fans crowning him as WC and rival fans basically not having it.

Similar things have definitely happened on here I’m sure with us reluctant to rate rival players as we should, eventually said player just pulls out a season that absolutely nobody can deny. I hope Saka does the same.

Many don't want to admit that he's failed the eyetest and without set pieces his quiet periods would be far more glaring. He has too many ineffective games for sustained periods to be considered world class for now, but people really force it.

If you look at some of the attackers getting stick right now, it's guys like Martinelli or Rashford who are in and out the team and do not have set pieces to mask indifferent displays like we have seen with Saka.

He's been elite, but they can't put all the Arsenal players in these lists and Ødegaard + Rice are more deserving. Their attacking numbers aren't even crazy btw so it's clearly not down to purely numbers or defending.

 

[DJ_Markstar]

Not sure about this. I love him, but Saka does have bad games. Numbers are decent this season but i've definitely seen better seasons from him if we are talking the eye test.

This ironically prove @Gooner Zig's point

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

Putting club and country in there and using CIES rankings is just silly really. This fanbase doesn’t help itself.

It’s weird because I don’t know why everyone else is trying to force Saka into these conversations, if anything it should be Rice and maybe Ødegaard. They’re the ones being nominated for the big individual awards this season.

Lastly, I’m sure Saka was up for these awards last season. Why cry about it this season when there are more deserving winners and two/three other Arsenal players being nominated?

Spot on

 

[outlawz]

Depends who you speak to. I personally have never given a single sh*t, it's not how I rate an attacking player at all.

Times have changed, our attackers ability to defend and win tackles is a fundamental part of how we play. It's like when people would disregard a fullbacks ability to attack.

Nevertheless, I don't think Saka gets treated as best in class because he's excellent across the board, but isn't exceptional at any one thing that gets people talking.

 

[Bucephalus]

Many don't want to admit that he's failed the eyetest and without set pieces his quiet periods would be far more glaring. He has too many ineffective games for sustained periods to be considered world class for now, but people really force it.

If you look at some of the attackers getting stick right now, it's guys like Martinelli or Rashford who are in and out the team and do not have set pieces to mask indifferent displays like we have seen with Saka.

He's been elite, but they can't put all the Arsenal players in these lists and Ødegaard + Rice are more deserving. Their attacking numbers aren't even crazy btw so it's clearly not down to purely numbers or defending.

Eye test is silly and subjective. This isn't figure skating. Game is decided by who puts the most goals in, and his G/A is top notch. As are his defensive stats if you buy into modern metrics.

Moreover, it's a team game, and the other team gets to assert its tactics, too. If Martinelli wasn't having such a poor season, teams wouldn't be able to so blatantly double and even triple team Saka.

And my subjective eye test is that he very rarely has an indifferent game. Rather, he has games where lack of service/persistent double and triple teams give him little opportunity. And periods against very top clubs where he has to drop back and put in a defensive shift. With the former, he responsibly recycles the ball and retains possession rather than dribbling into a dead end; with the latter, he always stands up to his defensive duties.

 

[Macho]

Times have changed, our attackers ability to defend and win tackles is a fundamental part of how we play. It's like when people would disregard a fullbacks ability to attack.

This is nonsense because if under a different manager an attacking player has less defensive responsibility and he's suddenly not pulling up trees then what?

Defending can sometimes be somewhere for ineffective attacking players to hide. Furthermore, attackers with freedom isn't stuck in a bygone era, it's prevalent today. How much defending do you think Haaland, Salah and Havertz do? The top 3 teams in this league btw. I could go onto Mbappe, Leao, some others.

This yearning for defending attackers is something that has come along with Arteta, to explain away the treatment of unpopular players or cope with indifferent form of favourites being burdened.

It's not a real thing just something many regurgitate without really thinking.

 

[A_G]

The reason I posted those defensive stats wasn’t to celebrate his numbers, it was because they were being directly compared to his peers and how much more of a burden he has placed on him. There’s an argument to be made it’s limiting his effectiveness going forward.

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

You brits should stop comparing Saka Palmer and Foden and just be happy you have three generational talents on your hand

 

[outlawz]

This is nonsense because if under a different manager an attacking player has less defensive responsibility and he's suddenly not pulling up trees then what?

Defending can sometimes be somewhere for ineffective attacking players to hide. Furthermore, attackers with freedom isn't stuck in a bygone era, it's prevalent today. How much defending do you think Haaland, Salah and Havertz do? The top 3 teams in this league btw. I could go onto Mbappe, Leao, some others.

This yearning for defending attackers is something that has come along with Arteta, to explain away the treatment of unpopular players or cope with indifferent form of favourites being burdened.

It's not a real thing just something many regurgitate without really thinking.

Name the managers who don't demand their attackers to press, defend or win possession. All the top teams today employ attackers with defensive responsibilities whether that be front foot defending i.e pressing, or back foot defending i.e. recoveries. Just look at how much stick attackers who don't do the work cop nowaways, see Rashford.

Have you been living under a rock? It started long before Arteta with Klopp and Pep more recently, and Sacchi before them with his high court pressing Milan sides.

Defending is one of many factors to judge an attacker, and a small factor at that, but it's not irrelevant. I also don't think it's some travesty he wasn't nominated for POTS, so don't make the error of thinking we are on opposite sides of the wider debate.