There has been a lot of talk about Bukayo Saka’s future on the right wing after the Arsenal star impressed when playing in central midfield.
Mikel Arteta shocked everyone when he named Saka as part of a three-man midfield in the Gunners’ 4-0 win over Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup.
Arsenal fans liked what they saw from Saka in midfield, as he combined well with both Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke.
Following the feedback, Arteta admitted he has considered playing Saka centrally again.
It would be a masterclass if he did, based on Gabby Agbonlahor’s insight into playing the number 10 role.
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Gabby Agbonlahor’s experience in the number 10 role signals possible Bukayo Saka transformation
Being a wide player for the entirety of his career, it was a surprise to see Saka play centrally, even more so given how natural the Englishman looked in the role.
Agbonlahor just discussed Saka’s position change on talkSPORT, where he shared a valuable insight into how freeing it can be to play that role.
“When I got a chance to play number 10, I loved it in there. You got a free role, and you go and get it off the right-hand side or pop over to the left-hand side. You link up with a striker.”
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The most interesting part of Agbonlahor’s comments was about the freedom players get in attacking midfield as opposed to on the wing.
“You get more time sometimes when no one’s right on top of you. When you’re on the wing, fullback’s on you,” he said, later adding, “When you’re in that number 10 position, it can be a fun place to play.”
If there’s one thing that can take Saka to the next level, it’s to transition his role away from being a defensive asset in the wide areas.
At present, if Saka isn’t being marked by multiple players, he’s tracking back to defend, something that currently limits him in front of goal.
Giving Saka freedom could make him even better
Saka is doing just fine as he is, but on the goal front, he could certainly score more.
When comparing Saka to the elite goal-scoring bracket of wingers in the Premier League, look no further than Mohamed Salah last season.
Salah contributed to 47 goals in the Premier League alone last season for Liverpool, and there’s a stark difference between Saka and Salah.
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Salah doesn’t have a defensive workload to uphold at Liverpool, so when it comes to his role out wide, he’s got free rein.
In Arteta’s system, this cannot be permitted, so moving Saka into the more forgiving number 10 role could be paradise.
Imagine a version of Saka who was not isolated on the flank both offensively and defensively? He could be truly unstoppable.
As Agbonlahor noted, the number 10 role takes the leash off, which is just what Saka needs to make the jump from top-quality to undoubtedly world-class.
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