Bukayo Saka started his first game at right wing in a 2-0 win at Wolves in April last season. Kieran Tierney crossed the ball which took a deflection and Saka was the first to react, volleying at chest height into the top corner giving Arsenal the lead. This was when it first clicked for a lot of Arsenal fans that perhaps we had a special player on our hands. While that was to be his only league goal that season, he would go on to provide 5 assists in 26 games in his debut season, and establishing himself as a vital cog of the Arsenal team.
Deployed as a left back in the absence of Tierney and as a left sided midfielder otherwise for the 2019 season, his role became more defined with the 3-4-3 system adopted by Arteta post lockdown. Playing in between the midfield and defensive lines – the idea was to create a left sided axis with Tierney and Aubameyang. The system persisted through to the start of the following season but quickly got stale as Arsenal couldn’t progress the ball through the middle and became stagnated in possession. One of the constant highlights of his game during this time was his ability to receive on the half turn and quickly move the ball forward into attack, looking to take players on. He was the only player alongside Tierney showing competitive drive in an otherwise drab team.
It wasn’t until the Chelsea game after Christmas day; on the back of a 7 game winless run , a very underwhelming Willian, an out of form Pepe, and the introduction of Emile-Smith Rowe did we see Saka start again at right wing. He has since then started every game at right wing in the league, except vs Man City. Below is a heatmap based on all of the starting locations of his passes since the beginning of the 19-20 season.
This clearly demonstrates the above points of how a change in position coincided with an uptick in confidence. Picking up positions in the half spaces more and more, specially on the right, quick combinations with Emile Smith-Rowe in the #10 positions the ability to take players on with confidence and burn them for pace led Arsenal to win 5 out of their next 6 games. Saka scored 4 goals and got 2 assists in that run. He clearly was a much better right wing option for the current balance of the Arsenal side, someone who understands when and where to move, when to play quick give and go football and has the self belief now to really beat anyone with the ball.
This is exemplified in the viz below which looks at where Saka initiates his Take-On’s. Last season a major chunk of his take-on’s come in the zone left of the opposition penalty box but this season it has changed. While playing in the forward line he’s usually up against the backline hence his take-on’s have been coming more in the half spaces and the zone right at the corner of the box. What’s more interesting is that he’s still completing them at the same rate, ~50% success rate since the start of last season, however he made 62 take-on’s in 19-20 and he has already attempted 73 by matchday 27 this season.
Words however don’t do justice to him as he has gone a notch higher as a player and looking like a truly world class talent this season. Here is a radar chart looking at his raw numbers between 19-20 and 20-21. The improvement is clear and huge.
Arsenal really have a player on their hands. Now the only thing is whether he can stay injury free, and has stamina of motivation to keep improving.
What do you think about Saka. Can he named in the same breath as the Haaland’s and Mbappe’s of this world? or does he still need to show more to get there.
Until next time.