Dynamic youngster Bukayo Saka was arguably Arsenal’s player of the year, contributing throughout the season at different positions and showing a level of skill, composure, and responsibility that is rarely seen from any player, let alone a 19 year old.
However, with that level of aptitude has come a higher level of importance to this Arsenal side and that is reflected in the amount of games and minutes he has played in the Premier and Europa Leagues – to the tune of 41 games played out of a possible 52 (nearly 80%) and 3252 minutes overall.
The question becomes – for a player still acclimating to 1st team football and developing physically, has Bukayo Saka been overplayed or mismanaged?
To understand that, we first have to understand how players’ health, fitness, and ultimate availability decision-making process works.
That decision-making isn’t simply Mikel Arteta saying “you will play, you will not”. Rather, it’s a team of decision-makers making methodical decisions:
– The sports science staff who harness multiple metrics to assess player’s physiology and physical readiness and keep them out of the high risk “red zones” of overuse.
– The training staff who work with players on their strength, conditioning, and fitness on a daily basis and have a pulse on how that player is feeling & looking during those sessions.
– The medical staff (including physios) who are monitoring and examining possibly physical issues.
– The coaching staff who work with the player on a daily basis during training sessions and can see their perform eve firsthand on the pitch.
Although typically not every one of these units holds the same weight, everyone typically does have a say. For example, when manager Mikel Arteta states “the player wasn’t available”, that’s coming from decision is coming from the more qualified units.
When you look at Saka’s injury record this season:
It’s clear that the methodology and decision-making has been quite sounds. He’s picked up some knocks during games but only had two soft tissue issues all seasons.
That’s pretty remarkable when you think about his still developing body and fitness, the intensity of the Premier League week in and week out along with European knock-out football, and coming off a shortened pre-season.
So to sum it all up – Saka wasn’t overplayed because the indicators, methodology, and decision-making was very sound which is reflected by his lack of injuries.
Great work by Arsenal, continuing a very positive trend in their health and fitness aptitude.