Bukayo Saka’s worrying run of form continued as the Arsenal winger failed to make any impact on the right side against Manchester City.
Saka acknowledged his poor form ahead of the cup final, but even captaining his boyhood club at Wembley Stadium couldn’t get the 24-year-old ticking.
With two goals in his previous 20 games for Arsenal in all competitions, the England international is leaving a lot to be desired, and nothing changed under the arch.
Is it time to bench Bukayo Saka?
Arsenal were so poor against Man City, and Saka was one of the worst, with one part of his performance standing out for the wrong reasons.
Bukayo Saka was bullied by Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final
Saka is a nailed-on starter in the Arsenal squad, but his recent form has suggested that he shouldn’t be.
There are so many reasons why it’s unsurprising that Mikel Arteta is sticking by Saka, one less obvious one being how he contributes defensively.
The issue that the Arsenal manager now has with his star player is that his performance against Man City revealed that every area of his game is struggling, including how he patrols the right side.
Saka was dribbled past an astonishing five times against City, being left red-faced by the likes of Nico O’Reilly and Jeremy Doku, who completed nine dribbles between them.
What is disappointing you most about Bukayo Saka right now?
Ben White and Saka were a dream combination for City, and in usual circumstances, they’d be a dream combination for Arsenal, too.
This wasn’t the case, mostly because Saka struggled to get forward, and when he did, he offered very little.
Missing two big chances to score and attempting just one dribble, which he did not complete, Saka looked wilted when Arsenal needed him most, and now it’s time for Arteta to act.
Form comes and goes; even the best players face struggles, which is why Arteta needs to respond to Saka’s form by momentarily dropping him.
No player is untouchable, and Arteta needs to send that message with Saka just as he did when Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke faced periods out of the starting lineup.
Not only is it fair to treat Saka the same, but it’s in Arsenal’s best interest, as the usually reliable forward is misfiring at a key part of the season.
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