Saka (Arsenal)

Lash

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Really good player, I hope if Arsenal continue to be shit, we're in his ear early doors.
 

RyRoc

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Hes a good player but he's still nowhere close to Sancho or Rashford as a player. It's just a weird selection when Sancho hasn't had a minute but has been among the best all round attackers in all of Europe for the past 2 years. So when you ask why has he not had a chance, what answer is there other than he plays in the Bundesliga? Because Saka genuinely isn't in the same world as Sancho, despite being a promising player himself.
I thought this as well but then it was brought up that Saka played against the Czech left-back Boril in the Europa QF when Arsenal beat them 4-0 and totally destroyed him. So perhaps Gareth actually deserves a bit of credit seeing as Saka was Motm.
 

passing-wind

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How do you know Saka wouldn't be the best wide player in the Bundesliga? He would probably bag 20 goals 20 assists.
This is fanatical nonsense because the biggest criticism from Arsenal fans about Saka is his end product.
 

tinfish

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Maybe, just maybe he has impressed in training? He was also one of the better players during the friendly. Probably deserved his chance and he took it with both hands. I would liked to have seen Sancho given more game time though, probably over Sterling. Rashford I think is pointless if the claims about his persistent niggles/injury concerns are true.

As the pundits said, we'd probably go 5 at the back now for the next game and see more boring, drab football...

Don't expect any of Rashford, Sancho, Grealish, Saka to start next game....
 

MO_Football92

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Would be more useful to us as a squad player than VDB. Give VDB to Arsenal and take Saka.
Saka wouldn't even acknowledge United.

If Arsenal persist with Arteta and inevitably finish 8th again next season then he'd consider City, Liverpool and possibly Chelsea too.
 

ThatsGreat

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This is fanatical nonsense because the biggest criticism from Arsenal fans about Saka is his end product.
He's got a bunch of pre-assists. Doesn't show up in his numbers, but you won't find Arsenal fans too upset about his output. The criticism about his finishing is made more to stay away from overhyping him, or give him more room to improve so that he can be even better. But he's a pretty solid player with no major weaknesses. His finishing is solid, not at Greenwood's level obviously but his all round game more than makes up for it.

 

MO_Football92

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Poor attempt. Need to much much work harder. Far better WUMs on here.
I'm not, its just the truth.

Anyway I'm glad Saka is showing his talent at the international level too. Needs to start for England moving forwards and probably Smith-Rowe too from next season.
 

TrustInJanuzaj

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I'm not, its just the truth.

Anyway I'm glad Saka is showing his talent at the international level too. Needs to start for England moving forwards and probably Smith-Rowe too from next season.
Yes because Utd didn’t finish ahead of Chelsea and Liverpool last season. Move along you WUM.
 

Dorris

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Got to start ahead of Foden. Saka’s far more dynamic and in a rigid team such as England that dynamism is needed. Foden clearly works better in a well oiled machine.
 

MO_Football92

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Yes because Utd didn’t finish ahead of Chelsea and Liverpool last season. Move along you WUM.
Liverpool's injuries were almost as bad as Arsenal's in 2016. Clearly Lampard's managerial inexperience scuppered parts of Chelsea's league campaign.
 

Brwned

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Hes a good player but he's still nowhere close to Sancho or Rashford as a player. It's just a weird selection when Sancho hasn't had a minute but has been among the best all round attackers in all of Europe for the past 2 years. So when you ask why has he not had a chance, what answer is there other than he plays in the Bundesliga? Because Saka genuinely isn't in the same world as Sancho, despite being a promising player himself.
Sancho is a combination player, and there’s few opportunities for combinations in this England team with their style and with the key players. Saka likes to connect with the other attackers too but he’s nowhere near as intricate so not as reliant on having those foundations there. So the math could be that a 2/10 Sancho is worse than a 7/10 Saka. Sancho has clearly looked nothing like his best in an England shirt so it’s not pure speculation there either.
 

MO_Football92

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Sancho is a combination player, and there’s few opportunities for combinations in this England team with their style and with the key players. Saka likes to connect with the other attackers too but he’s nowhere near as intricate so not as reliant on having those foundations there. So the math could be that a 2/10 Sancho is worse than a 7/10 Saka. Sancho has clearly looked nothing like his best in an England shirt so it’s not pure speculation there either.
I think Saka's best attribute is his ability to combine play. Particularly his combinations with Lacazette, Smith-Rowe and Tierney standout.
 

Raees

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Made this a while back but kids a baller. Deserves to be mentioned amongst England’s brightest talents.

What people don’t get with Sancho and I think @Brwned alluded to this is that he needs all the right pieces around him to thrive. Needs an attacking right back, needs licence to roam... whereas Saka can get on with it on the flank and hold his own 1 v 1 even from a deeper position. Also more likely to put a shift in defensively.

In my preferred lineup I’d like to see them both lineup down that right in a 3421 but in Gareth system I can see why he prefers Saka.
 

MyOnlySolskjaer

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I think Saka's best attribute is his ability to combine play. Particularly his combinations with Lacazette, Smith-Rowe and Tierney standout.
He's outstanding. But the player he's most impressed with is Jack Grealish. I'm getting a lot of criticism for saying he'd bench Greenwood but anyone who's watched him play regularly can see how ridiculously talented he is. Silenced those who thought Rashford/Sancho should be starting as well, he's our most comfortable RW, even Sancho plays his best football on the LW.
 

Brwned

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I think Saka's best attribute is his ability to combine play. Particularly his combinations with Lacazette, Smith-Rowe and Tierney standout.
Yeah so it’s hard to nuance that point in the direct comparison but I should clarify I think his combination play is great too. I just think it’s fair to say Sancho’s exceptional in that regard, and is also used to playing in a team with a far higher standard of interplay.

I don’t know if his combination play is his best quality, but even if it is, I think he’s quite well rounded so the difference between his best and 5th best quality is quite small. He’s also obviously very versatile and he can bring different qualities to different roles. He prefers to be a combination player but he can be an individualist when it suits, and he can even be a workhorse when required. That’s notably different to Sancho.

I think because he’s less of a specialist he’s seen as unexceptional, but I think he’s great. It’s not at all unreasonable to have him as a first choice wide player in this team IMO.
 

Hughes35

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No idea why clubs have not been linked to him for the last few months.

He's equally as good in about 6 positions. Would be absolutely great for us, take him in a heartbeat.
 

Schmeichel's Cartwheel

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:lol: Would he feck
He’s a better right winger than Greenwood to be fair. Greenwood is a striker. I think Greenwood has the higher ceiling but “would he feck” makes it sound like Greenwood is considerably better, which he isn’t.
 

TrustInJanuzaj

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Liverpool's injuries were almost as bad as Arsenal's in 2016. Clearly Lampard's managerial inexperience scuppered parts of Chelsea's league campaign.
Convenient that they get to use excuses while Utd don’t. We had no pre season and dropped most of our points in that spell.
 

cyberman

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What are you on about. All the big teams play with wingers. Also Saka is also an inside forward who links play better than Greenwood.
Nope. Most top sides use their widemen as inside forwards. Wingers are a dying breed.
Mason is on another level to Saka in that regard. Not saying Saka is bad but Greenwood is one of the best propects in world football. He will be scoring 20 plus a season from there in no time at all and he isnt even a wideman really.
 

mancan92

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Nope. Most top sides use their widemen as inside forwards. Wingers are a dying breed.
Mason is on another level to Saka in that regard. Not saying Saka is bad but Greenwood is one of the best propects in world football. He will be scoring 20 plus a season from there in no time at all and he isnt even a wideman really.
Greenwood is a great prospect but he clearly isn't a wide man. There are alot of things on the ball and tactically that saka does far better.
 

amolbhatia50k

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Greenwood is a great prospect but he clearly isn't a wide man. There are alot of things on the ball and tactically that saka does far better.
Greenwood is not a natural wide player but is a bigger talent with greater potential than Saka. Also, it really depends on what you want from your wide player. Link up play? Saka for sure. End product? Definitely Greenwood. Either way, there's not a chance I'd take Saka in my squad over Greenwood.
 

cyberman

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Greenwood is a great prospect but he clearly isn't a wide man. There are alot of things on the ball and tactically that saka does far better.
Like what? Greenwood scores goals, assists and contributes to the build up play. I think he will be a phenomenal striker but hes an excellent inside forward. Not being funny but I cant see what tactical observations can be made from this Arsenal side
 
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Like what? Greenwood scores goals, assists and contributes to the build up play. I think he will be a phenomenal striker but hes an excellent inside forward. Not being funny but I cant see what tactical observations can be made from this Arsenal side
defend.