Sambi Lokonga: Sam Be the Man in Midfield?

[2Smokeyy]

Based on that standard we should loan out ESR, Saka and Ødegaard too cause there’s been nothing to suggest that they’re some Cesc level talent and they should be reliant on..... like who then do we have left to play for us?

I rate Saka tho, I think he’s a top talent but his end product is what’s holding him back from being in the same discussion as someone like Greenwood for example, he’s still deserving of a first team opportunity as he’s one of those useful players to have in the team.

Personally, I wouldn’t be against loaning out ESR and I’ve never been fully sold on Ødegaard.

 

[2Smokeyy]

@scytheavatar also do you think it was a good idea to prioritise this signing over a quality CM?

We had more pressing concerns in our actual starting eleven than bringing in another talent imo.

 

[avenellroad]

So why on earth did we sign him?

Because that is where we are as a club. We aren’t attractive to the actual good players. We have to take a risk on signings like these in the hope they become good and in the process, take in games like yesterday.

He obviously has quality on the ball, but needs to learn fast that dallying on the ball isn’t an option in this league. He seems diligent so hopefully he will learn from it.

 

[samspade]

All these AM posters on about Saka's end product when we don't generate anything consistent for our forwards and he doesn't have a consistent position, historically hi delivery's been excellent. Go look at his numbers in past seasons. The forwards need consistency and a good platform to work from, a few here have started attacking ESR and Saka and defending Pepe and Auba because they think they're 'cool and counter culture' or something. No appreciation for the nuances in each players game or the systemic health of the 11 as a whole. We need to find the forward combinations that have consistent chemistry, you won't do **** if there's a flashy shot here and there. WhEre aRE The NuMBerS? The team has to be good as whole to generate significant numbers.

 

[Maybe]

All these AM posters on about Saka's end product when we don't generate anything consistent for our forwards and he doesn't have a consistent position, historically hi delivery's been excellent. Go look at his numbers in past seasons. The forwards need consistency and a good platform to work from, a few here have started attacking ESR and Saka and defending Pepe and Auba because they think they're 'cool and counter culture' or something. No appreciation for the nuances in each players game or the systemic health of the 11 as a whole. We need to find the forward combinations that have consistent chemistry, you won't do **** if there's a flashy shot here and there. WhEre aRE The NuMBerS? The team has to be good as whole to generate significant numbers.

You won't find any attacking chemistry as long as the back line and midfielders constantly give the ball away for free, and the rare moments we do find some momentum, our big name CM decides to take a 45 yards shot because he did the math and it's saying if he has 1000 shots one should go in

 

[IstraBalagina]

Doesn't look ready at all, and it's going to be hard for him to develop under clowny.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

He had a tough night but it's tough without a consistent system or partner and after international week. He'll come good.

 

[Paperino]

his end product is what’s holding him back from being in the same discussion as someone like Greenwood for example

Cut the crap ffs.
The 20/21-season:

Saka

46 games, 17 goals/assists
/
Greenwood

52 games, 18 goals/assists

 

[Geofranco]

Cut the crap ffs.
The 20/21-season:

Saka

46 games, 17 goals/assists
/
Greenwood

52 games, 18 goals/assists

When people say end product, I think they just think about goal-scoring. Cause since Saka broke into the first team, he has lead the team in total assists. Not to mention the amount of hockey assists and penalties he has won. All while playing under enemies of progress like Emery and Arteta. The kid is actually underrated.

 

[Paperino]

When people say end product, I think they just think about goal-scoring. Cause since Saka broke into the first team, he has lead the team in total assists. Not to mention the amount of hockey assists and penalties he has won. All while playing under enemies of progress like Emery and Arteta. The kid is actually underrated.

I include assists.

 

[2Smokeyy]

Cut the crap ffs.
The 20/21-season:

Saka

46 games, 17 goals/assists
/
Greenwood

52 games, 18 goals/assists

So, are you going to completely disregard the season before 20/21 and this season?

Greenwood already has 4 goals in the PL this season, at this rate he’ll hit 15-20 goals just in the PL alone. Also the 19/20 season when he was 17 years old, he scored 16 goals in all competitions.

I like Saka but Greenwood is clear. One of the best English talents I’ve seen in years.

 

[2Smokeyy]

When people say end product, I think they just think about goal-scoring. Cause since Saka broke into the first team, he has lead the team in total assists. Not to mention the amount of hockey assists and penalties he has won. All while playing under enemies of progress like Emery and Arteta. The kid is actually underrated.

Huh?! Underrated?

Unfortunately I don’t see it, chief.

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Watching lokonga struggle and Matteo being one of the players of the season in ligue 1

Does make me wonder

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Should've loaned him this season, it was always gonna be hard for a kid coming from the Belgian league to make such a step up and adapt. It's an even bigger ask for him to be the immediate backup to our two senior midfielders. It was poor planning by the club as usual.

 

[Trilly]

would like to see him, Partey & AMN in a three

see if they can control a midfield for once... let them work together as group

we are not good enough to yet to put a 10 or AM in there

One of those things I can’t quite explain is why Man City are able to do this. I know the easy answer is that they just have quality players everywhere but they typically play with a DM and two number tens and still have the best defensive numbers in the league.

For that alone I feel like Pep is a genius. I think it’s something to do with how quickly they press to win the ball back, it means their lightweight midfield never gets exposed but it can’t be just that.

 

[MikelHadADream]

All these AM posters on about Saka's end product when we don't generate anything consistent for our forwards and he doesn't have a consistent position, historically hi delivery's been excellent. Go look at his numbers in past seasons. The forwards need consistency and a good platform to work from, a few here have started attacking ESR and Saka and defending Pepe and Auba because they think they're 'cool and counter culture' or something. No appreciation for the nuances in each players game or the systemic health of the 11 as a whole. We need to find the forward combinations that have consistent chemistry, you won't do **** if there's a flashy shot here and there. WhEre aRE The NuMBerS? The team has to be good as whole to generate significant numbers.

Saka's numbers from RW are really good.The kid was a major part of an international side that got to a final of a competition playing RW, he's top top class in that position. It's his best position and where he should be playing. If that means at the expense of Pepe so be it.

 

[Trilly]

Saka's numbers from RW are really good.The kid was a major part of an international side that got to a final of a competition playing RW, he's top top class in that position. It's his best position and where he should be playing. If that means at the expense of Pepe so be it.

Going to get a lot of grief for this one but his RW numbers are just a bit of a statistical anomaly. As he plays there more and more over the season they’ll eventually show the true story which is that he’s more of a facilitator than a goal scorer and I think the left suits him better as a facilitator. There’s been a weird pattern where Saka tends to play RW in the games that we’ve randomly blitzed teams like Tottenham where he got a goal and an assist which feeds his RW stats.

RW probably is his best position but he’s not going to keep up the production that he’s had there over a season. It’s just one of those weird statistical things. He’s already played RW four times this season and blanked three times but it’s the goal and assist against Sp**s that remain in the memory.

Last season he played RW during Arteta’s (in hindsight) lucky run against the likes of Chelsea, Newcastle, Sp**s, Southampton etc. He got some numbers there which again contributed to this belief that he’s super productive on the right but he’s just not tbh. He went on to have seven appearances on the RW without a goal or assist.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Going to get a lot of grief for this one but his RW numbers are just a bit of a statistical anomaly. As he plays there more and more over the season they’ll eventually show the true story which is that he’s more of a facilitator than a goal scorer and I think the left suits him better as a facilitator. There’s been a weird pattern where Saka tends to play RW in the games that we’ve randomly blitzed teams like Tottenham where he got a goal and an assist which feeds his RW stats.

RW probably is his best position but he’s not going to keep up the production that he’s had there over a season. It’s just one of those weird statistical things. He’s already played RW four times this season and blanked three times but it’s the goal and assist against Sp**s that remain in the memory.

Last season he played RW during Arteta’s (in hindsight) lucky run against the likes of Chelsea, Newcastle, Sp**s, Southampton etc. He got some numbers there which again contributed to this belief that he’s super productive on the right but he’s just not tbh. He went on to have seven appearances on the RW without a goal or assist.

Maybe in regards to the sheer volume of goals assists from RW, but I don't think there's any doubt he's far more of a threat from RW than LW, so I'd expect him to still put up good numbers.

To me he's not a goalscorer in the Greenwood sense, where he's a lethal finisher, he's more of a Sterling, where he's really intelligent with his movement. He has the potential to be a 10goals 10 assists type player under a good manager imo.

 

[Malky]

People on here trying to claim he was the clubs biggest C/M prospect since Cesc, Lokonga is good, but he's miles away from Cesc level.
Still rating my boy Guendouzi as a bigger prospect than Sambi, hopefully we get a new manager that can convince Douzi to stay

 

[Macho]

He got some numbers there which again contributed to this belief that he’s super productive on the right but he’s just not tbh. He went on to have seven appearances on the RW without a goal or assist.

My non Arsenal mate said Saka had Burnley centreback numbers, i thought he was joking but then he showed me this tweet and then I looked it up.



Tbh, Saka is a star so I’m not getting at him, it’s just clear that many on here chat copious amounts of sh*t and believe whatever they want.