Bukayo Saka: Saka The Net

[Batman]

He and the team actually might function better if he plays the left 8 sometimes. Let's pretend we could field something like this next season, maybe not Isak and Neto specifically but those sorts of archetypes:

Martinelli Isak Neto
Saka Ødegaard
Rice
Timber Gabriel Saliba White
Raya
​

I think that's much more difficult to defend than what we operate with right now because you now can't double anyone out of possession and if you lose the ball in our half, you're getting countered to death. Against a parked bus, now instead of Havertz or Rice at the left 8, you have a player in Saka who gets an easier matchup, is almost certainly faster than whomever is marking him and who can have the ball on his preferred foot to cross or shoot across the goal most of the time. He's much harder to mark at that position and there's a ton of pace and movement that will force teams to cede space for him and Ødegaard.

 

[Legend14]

Saka not being Saka is on him. Arteta can’t dribble or pass or press for him. He plays every match and so he has every opportunity to be world class. What else can he ask for?

Saka needs more to his game. Until then he is good, not world class.

 

[Sammy1887]

Saka shouldn’t be immune to criticism. This whole talk of talk him being tired is crap, just look at Ode. Truth is Saka hasn’t developed on his game and Teams have found ways to mark him out. He can’t beat his man and his crossing hasn’t been great lately. I also feel our Manager’s plan to detail out everything doesn’t help our attack.

For Example- somebody like Martinelli would have insane numbers if he played under Klopp.

 

[HighburyHigh]

Sir Limpalot again done absolutely nothing.
No way on Gods earth is this guy “World Class”.
He’s way too one dimensional and predictable, has flat feet and no pace to out strip defenders.

He had stunk the whole of April out (and most of the season in general)

And I don’t for one minute believe all this “Oh but his got an injury, Oh but his tired”
Load of excuses for a player that is essentially just decent, nothing else.

 

[Maybe]

Looks like the world class talk has started again, and fine, he isn't nearly as good as that, but he did carry this team for a while and you could say he had a good season.

I'm not exactly sure what the expectations are from some of you, maybe that he scores 30? Surely he has done his part and we need to look at others (LF, CF, LCM) as to why they didn't contribute anything this season.

 

[Tourbillion]

I've always thought his long term future should be as an 8. He doesn't have the burst or trickery to best or even compete with the best full backs in the game.

He played at 8 a couple of times in 2020 I think; at Brighton and at City away and it was interesting.

 

[North_Bank_Gooner]

How much more evidence does everyone need to see that saka is overrated?
No he doesn't work as an 8 because his passing is rubbish.
I would try him as a CF, there is no way that he would be worse than nketia and Jesus there.

 

[Sammy1887]

I've always thought his long term future should be as an 8. He doesn't have the burst or trickery to best or even compete with the best full backs in the game.

He played at 8 a couple of times in 2020 I think; at Brighton and at City away and it was interesting.

Agreed he can work in No. 8 position or perhaps can be moved into the Zinny role (pretty controversial though)

 

[A_G]

No he doesn't work as an 8 because his passing is rubbish.

He played so well there during project restart that people were outraged when Arteta moved him to RW.

 

[Penn_]

Hasn’t been great of late, and will need to add more to his game to overcome tactics used against him.

But if he’s as crap as so many believe him to be why do coaches and managers that are paid handsomely for their knowledge all double mark him?

 

[Tsl]

I think Saka and the team in generel suffer from the fact, that we create no threat at our left hand side. Bayern yesterday could easily just focus on Saka and Øde, and put two leftbacks in Mazraoi and Gurreiro in the team. Bring a new midfielder in the summer, Martinelli and the team misses Xhaka.

 

[Geofranco]

Looks like the world class talk has started again, and fine, he isn't nearly as good as that, but he did carry this team for a while and you could say he had a good season.

I'm not exactly sure what the expectations are from some of you, maybe that he scores 30? Surely he has done his part and we need to look at others (LF, CF, LCM) as to why they didn't contribute anything this season.

I don't know why folks here are acting so disappointed lol. The team reached the UCL quarterfinals for the first time in ages. This is still a pretty inexperienced team overall at that level if you take out Jesus, Partey and Jorginho. It's a work in progress. People should be more outraged if the team chokes the league again, but this is one of the most competitive EPL seasons in a very long time.

 

[Geofranco]

@Geofranco Combs you're going to be working overtime cleaning up this mess until the next Prem game.

Or do you only spring into action when I say something tame like Limpayo isn't world class or something?

Don't know why you're trying to troll me when I never called Saka world class once on this forum lol. You're still so hurt that I called you Pepe's boo, that you've tried to start this insidious trend of calling me a pervert alongside some of your forum buddies smh.

 

[TheEliteMaster100_]

He played so well there during project restart that people were outraged when Arteta moved him to RW.

4 years ago with a more nimbler and agile Saka however. But Arteta is a coward at heart and won't even attempt Saka LW let alone LCM.

 

[Maybe]

I don't know why folks here are acting so disappointed lol. The team reached the UCL quarterfinals for the first time in ages. This is still a pretty inexperienced team overall at that level if you take out Jesus, Partey and Jorginho. It's a work in progress. People should be more outraged if the team chokes the league again, but this is one of the most competitive EPL seasons in a very long time.

The result is fine, took PSG years to get anywhere with far better talent and more money. Think we could do more next season if we get the right players as our defensive base is the best in Europe already

 

[TornadoTed]

I think Saka is getting too much criticism, maybe he isn't quite World class but he has 31 g/a this season in 42 matches. That is very respectable output from a 22 year old who gets double marked consistently because our left side is considerably weaker than the right.

 

[Geofranco]

Of all our attackers Ødegaard is the only one who actually looks like he could be a difference maker at the highest level.

Bunch of effective system players the lot of em, no real star quality and definitely not world class. I hold my tongue a lot because of how defensive people get but if the Porto and Bayern legs don’t show you that he needs another string or two to his bow to be called world class then I don’t know what to tell you.

He’s been putting in performances like this occasionally throughout the season as well while making them with penalties or set piece assists. This isn’t fatigue, there’s just another level of consistency that he needs to add to his game.

I don't know man. When I see Saka destroy France in the world cup I don't think it's talent or consistency issue. I genuinely think the guy is gassed mentally and physically but will never admit it. He is very competitive and eager to please. He'll be off to playing in the Euros this summer so another summer with no rest and recuperation. We saw the same thing happen to Alexis Sanchez. The guy looked like he lost his talent overnight in the 17/18 season. Years of constant football for club and country, he got burnt out.

 

[Geofranco]

It's pretty obvious what he can improve upon. Get stronger, get better at shooting, and look for the goal more. He's still pretty lightweight, he could afford to be it if he was a speed demon but he isn't.

Saka is already one of the strongest wingers in the world. He is naturally strong like Mane, he is not going to get much bigger and really doesn't need to. He needs to improve his agility and conditioning more than anything.

 

[BaZZe]

I think Saka is getting too much criticism, maybe he isn't quite World class but he has 31 g/a this season in 42 matches. That is very respectable output from a 22 year old who gets double marked consistently because our left side is considerably weaker than the right.

Ome of the best outputs in Europe's top 5 leagues this season but apparently just a League 2 player.

 

[Geofranco]

You've said the same last time

@MutableEarth a low-key Saka hater . Wishes Reiss Nelson or Xavier Amaechi was in his place. But it's okay, I despise Nketiah, we all have our favs and our scapegoats.