Morning all.
Let’s begin with the information that Bukayo Saka’s new contract (which we’ve identified about for a while) has been signed, and it was made official yesterday with an announcement on the Arsenal web site. The brand new deal runs till 2030, and since his debut he has made 297 appearances for the membership, with 78 objectives and 78 assists to his title.
He says:
I’m feeling superb. I feel it’s a implausible second for my household and for me. I really feel immense pleasure to proceed my journey at this membership. For me, it was a straightforward dedication and I simply hope to win all the pieces right here.
Within the good moments, within the unhealthy moments, the assist I really feel from the followers, there’s no phrases to explain it. In my coronary heart, I simply need to repay that. So, I hope once I go on the pitch, they see that I give all the pieces and that I simply need to do all the pieces to assist deliver glory again to this membership, in no matter method I may help. I simply hope they see that, and hopefully sooner or later we’ll be capable of have a good time that achievement collectively.
I’ve to say, I really feel a bit sorry for him that this announcement was very clearly pushed out after the Wolves debacle, to deflect a few of the warmth round that. I feel all of us perceive why, and sympathy for him or anybody else may very nicely be in brief provide, however I suppose that’s the type of cynical world/soccer world we stay in proper now. Handle the message and the temper at each out there alternative.
And look, there’ll be individuals who say it’s a bit a lot to really feel sorry for somebody who’s gonna earn an absurd sum of money each week and many others and many others. I get that, however I feel it’s attainable to separate the pay cheque from the particular person, and for me Bukayo Saka and the way in which he has delivered on such a constant foundation, and represented this membership with actual distinction in good occasions and unhealthy, deserves a bit higher than the outdated ‘Look over there! Excellent news all people!’ flim-flam. Perhaps that’s simply me. Anyway, that is nice information, his future is secured together with so a lot of our prime gamers, and that may solely be a great factor.
What I’ll say although is that his output this season hasn’t been fairly on the stage you’d count on, and I’m certain he’d agree with that. Proper now, I feel everyone seems to be being judged by means of the prism of the anxiousness that has enveloped this season, and once more I perceive that. The workforce has a possibility to do one thing we’ve all been ready an extended, very long time for, and in Premier League phrases our forwards should not giving us what we want.
There’s most likely a dialogue available about whether or not that’s down completely to these people, or if there’s a collective situation at play right here. If everyone seems to be beneath par, it’s extra prone to be a bit extra the latter, however the numbers aren’t actually on the stage you’d count on from a title successful aspect.
Arsenal Ahead Stats Premier League 2025-26
APPS/MINS
GOALS
ASSISTS
BUKAYO SAKA
23 (1642)
5
5
LEANDRO TROSSARD
23 (1525)
5
5
GABRIEL MARTINELLI
21 (709)
1
2
NONI MADUEKE
18 (837)
2
1
VIKTOR GYOKERES
25 (1647)
8
0
GABRIEL JESUS
11 (306)
2
0
Personally, I feel Saka has been higher than a few of the commentary I’ve seen round him, but additionally not anyplace close to his finest on a constant foundation. Now, clearly, could be an excellent time for him to seek out some kind, as a result of time is operating out this season. And whereas I feel it’s too nice a burden to say he – or any participant – has to tug us over the road, we stand a significantly better likelihood of reaching what we wish if one or two (or extra) catch fireplace a bit when it comes to objectives and assists.
Saka is the star man of this challenge, so there’s extra deal with him, not least as a result of we all know – very similar to the workforce itself – he’s able to higher than we’ve seen this season. The brand new contract most likely makes that highlight shine even brighter on him, however I feel we all know from previous expertise that that’s not one thing that can faze him. He’s handled challenges up to now, and I again him to do it once more. There’s an enormous recreation on Sunday, and if that’s the second he kicks on once more, it wouldn’t shock me within the slightest.
As I mentioned although, this isn’t a one-man workforce, and it’s the job of Mikel Arteta to elicit higher from Saka and all of our different attacking gamers. I don’t know if it’s about giving them freedom, taking the handbrake off, making our soccer really feel much less inhibited, coping with the actual problem of how different Premier League groups arrange in opposition to us, our personal insecurities/fears, or a mix of all of these issues, however there’s zero room for us to really feel sorry for ourselves after Wolves. There should be a right away response.
Maybe the Saka information provides us that little enhance, on prime of the willpower and resolve to place proper what went so badly unsuitable at Molineux. Solely time will inform in that regard, however I hope we will see it on the pitch on Sunday. And, as he has usually been up to now, if Saka is the distinction maker in a vital recreation, then it’d be fairly becoming for him to mark this event in one of the simplest ways attainable.
Proper, I’m gonna go away it there for now. We’ll deliver you all of the information from the supervisor’s press convention afterward Arseblog Information, and our North London derby preview pod will drop tomorrow as I assumed it was most likely finest to take a breath after dialogue of Wednesday night time. In case you haven’t listened but, James and I get into it beneath.
Have an important Friday people.
