09 November 2023 , 12:23
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Bukayo Saka has become irreplaceable for Arsenal - but the stats deliver a frightening warning over potential burnout.
Incredibly, Saka has played 183 games since the start of the 2020/21 campaign and is already on course for another 50 game season. That is a staggering total for a 22-year-old whose body is still developing and a player who gets kicked off the park virtually every week.
Saka has already played 18 games this season - his run of 87 consecutive Premier League appearances was ended when he missed the Manchester City game last month through injury. But he has completed 867 minutes in the Premier League. He played 62 games for club and country last season, 48 the previous year and 55 before that. That underlines just how important Saka is to Arsenal and Mikel Arteta because in terms of goals, assists and performance then no-one else comes close.
Saka is the epitome of the modern winger with his decision-making, final pass, crossing and finishing. It puts him into the elite level and has won England’s Player of the Year award two years running. He is a national treasure. And yet there are so many times when Saka looks tired, finishes the game limping off or takes huge whacks from the opposing full back.
Arteta surely needs to sign a player who can provide back-up so Saka can get the odd rest because they can manage without him on occasion, as they proved by beating City when he was not fit to start. However, Saka is such a threat and worry for opponents that Arteta spent the whole week trying to bluff Pep Guardiola by claiming he was in contention to face City. Only to then insist after the game that he had not trained all week.
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Saka has become hugely important for ArsenalIncredibly, Saka even turned up for the City game clutching his wash bag to try and fool the TV cameras and City that he might be playing - but was not actually in the squad. That is how important Saka has become to Arsenal - and yet surely it is time they wrapped him up in cotton wool from time to time.
It does smack of the days of Jack Wilshere when, as a teenager, he was so important to Arsenal that Arsene Wenger played him week after week. And he was pushed to the limit one season but ended up missing Euro 2012 through injury because he had overplayed and his whole career was dogged by injury. Wilshere remains one of England’s most talented players - and yet injury stopped him fulfilling that potential.
Arteta is far too reliant on the EnglishmanThe same cannot be allowed to happen to Saka - even if, of course, the clamour will be for him to face Burnley on Saturday. Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was full of praise for Saka and Gabriel Martinelli afterwards but is also showed just why they have to play every week.
Rice said: “One v one they were frightening. Every time they had the full-backs one v one, they drove at them. I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that to be honest with you. They were both electric and hopefully they are both okay with the knocks they have got and they’ll be ready for Saturday.”
That is what you are up against but it is also another reason why Arteta must be strong as a manager and, after seeing him limp off against Sevilla in the Champions League, judge when his best player needs a break.