Bukayo Saka is at a critical point in his Arsenal career… their recruitment has stifled him, the numbers reveal his influence is waning – but here’s how he can prove he’s still Gunners’ beating heart, writes ISAAN KHAN
When chasing a goal, Mikel Arteta turns to Bukayo Saka – not far from him.
Only if his Arsenal side have a match all but sealed will the Spaniard consider replacing his star winger to wrap him in cotton wool; he is very appreciated.
Over the previous two seasons, the 24-year-old has only been taken off before the hour mark (excluding injury substitutions) four times in the Premier League or Champions League.
That context made the moment against Bayer Leverkusen last week, when Saka left the field in the 60th minute – the first time he has been taken off in either competition this season (barring an injury against Leeds) – seem particularly symbolic.
Arsenal looked to equalize, but their evening was without the decisive contributions that define them. No goal or assist, no massive impact. Instead, it was Saka’s replacement, Noni Madueke, who won a penalty to give the Gunners a fortuitous 1-1 draw in the first leg in Germany.
He was better in the return match at the Emirates on Tuesday, but still. Saka’s numbers have not kept pace with the expectations around him – he has scored just two goals and provided three assists in his last 23 appearances in all competitions.
Mikel Arteta almost never takes Bukayo Saka off when a game is on the line – which made his withdrawal after 60 minutes against Bayer Leverkusen last week all the more significant
Much of Arsenal’s play still comes through their highest-paid player, but Saka’s numbers are down compared to previous seasons.
Yet much of Arsenal’s play still comes through their highest-paid player. It’s a complex picture, but his substitution against Leverkusen could mark a crucial turning point under the ruthless Arteta.
In today’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, the first hurdle to overcome in the club’s quest for the quadruple, Saka has the chance to step up and reaffirm why he remains at the heart of Arsenal’s ambitions – and a key cog in Arteta’s system, with Madueke and Max Dowman knocking on the door.
No player is ever entirely safe on this team, so the numbers give food for thought.
This season, Saka’s goals and assists per 90 minutes in the Premier League are 0.3 and 0.17 respectively. These are his lowest figures since 2021-22, lower than the 0.32 and 0.19 he mustered during this campaign when he was first consolidating himself into the Arsenal XI. Even his chances created per 90 (2.41) are the winger’s lowest total since the 2022-23 season.
He is arguably facing the consequences of high expectations after a meteoric last two years, having placed himself in the same category as the world’s best strikers.
Saka scored a phenomenal 37 goals and assists during the 2023-24 season, before registering 26 last campaign despite suffering a serious hamstring injury. This offensive power is so difficult to maintain for an extended period of time, not to mention the injuries have not been kind to him.
On the other hand, it is Bukayo Saka. The numbers can and should be better. Sources highlight the difference in how Arsenal are organized this season in having Viktor Gyokeres as their number 9. For this reason, Saka is often placed wider to make more room for the Swede, for whom he is yet to provide an assist in the league.
Last season, the two wingers deployed by Arteta would have more freedom to enter the box, while the emphasis is now on allowing the striker to operate between the lines. Gyokeres himself likes to break out towards the left flank, which adds an extra element to the equation.
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Noni Madueke (left) and Max Dowman (centre) are two of the players knocking on the door to replace Saka – but he has a chance to prove his worth again in today’s Carabao Cup final.
Of all Arsenal’s forwards, Kai Havertz shares the strongest bond with Saka – and the German has been injured for most of this season.
Of all Arsenal’s strikers, Kai Havertz shares the strongest bond with Saka. For example, he received on average just 1.9 passes per league game from Gyokeres, compared to 5.3 passes per game from Havertz last season.
As we saw on Tuesday night against Leverkusen, Saka thrives on connection. Ben White, who has started just five league matches this season, immediately linked up well with the Englishman, exchanging quick back-and-forths that set Saka on track.
Arsenal’s core over the past three seasons has been an axis of Saka, Martin Odegaard and White on the right flank. Invariably, that has changed in recent times due to injuries – and the rise of Jurrien Timber. The Dutchman often attacks the penalty area from right-back and poses a threat going forward himself, which has also kept Saka away.
Despite a drop in goals and assists, his Arsenal teammates continue to look for him on the right wing. Much of their buildup comes through Saka, whose knack for drawing two defenders opens up space for others.
If Saka can return to the form that once made him untouchable, the Carabao Cup final provides the perfect setting to show why he is still the beating heart of Arsenal.