Former West Ham United defender Anton Ferdinand has now encouraged Mikel Arteta to drop Arsenal star Bukayo Saka from the starting XI.
Bukayo Saka is about as close to being a guaranteed starter as there is at Arsenal.
The talismanic winger is a product of the club’s Hale End academy system, and has been one of the Gunners’ most consistently impressive performers since he made his debut in 2018.
The 22-year-old has since racked up over 200 senior first team appearances for the north London outfit, and has contributed 47 goals and 52 assists in that time.
Of course, the 32-cap England international is a fan favourite at the Emirates Stadium and is hugely appreciated by Mikel Arteta.
However, Saka has faced some challenges this season. He is regularly being targeted by opposition defenders to a greater extent than ever before. Saka has spoken out publicly about the difficulties that this presents. As a club, Arsenal also feel that Saka does not get enough protection from referees, as opposition players are often reduced to scything him down as their only means of stopping him.
Certainly, Saka has not been at his scintillating best in recent weeks, and has struggled for end product. In his last seven Premier League outings he has chipped in with just one goal and one assist, a very poor return by his own standards.
Anton Ferdinand offers solution for Bukayo Saka struggles at Arsenal
Due to this, Anton Ferdinand believes that the attacker could use some time on the bench to refocus his game. Speaking on FIVE, he said, “in terms of Saka, sometimes as footballers, and I’ve been there, sometimes you need a kick up the bum. But whether you have one or not, he’s in a rut right now. Sometimes it might be ‘come out, because you’re not good enough right now’.”
“It gives him a reality check. I need to up my game again. Because he’s still young by the way. He’s young, so young players need that. As long as it’s done to them in the right way and they’re dealt with properly after it, they need that. I think Saka is in need of that right now.”
One of the main issues with this statement is that there is no natural replacement for Saka in the Arsenal squad, as the player is a left-footed right-winger. Tactically, this is important, as Saka likes to cut inside onto his stronger foot, which not only allows him to link up more directly with Martin Odegaard, but also creates space on the flank for Ben White to make overlapping runs from right-back.
Reiss Nelson could be used to give Saka some time out of the firing line, but he is right-footed and that would fundamentally change how Arsenal play. What’s more, Arteta seems to lack faith in Nelson, given the limited opportunities he has been afforded.
Saka will instead have to play his way back into top form. It is vital that he can do so quickly. If Arsenal are to stand any chance of being crowned Premier League champions this season then they will need Saka to be at his best.
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