The consistently fantastic Thomas Dow on Bukayo Saka, an understated but talented Arsenal player
Bukayo Saka scored his 50th and 51st goals for The Arsenal on Sunday.
In addition to his 49 assists for the team, his 100 goal output has sparked discussions about whether he is indeed a world-class player.
Rio Ferdinand claimed on Vibe with FIVE that despite being at the top, he isn’t nearly world class since he hasn’t shown himself in the Champions League’s later stages.
Saka and Phil Foden of Manchester City have been compared as a result, with many people thinking that Foden has the upper hand in that specific discussion.
But with Porto playing in the round of sixteen the following week, Saka’s chance to prove he is a top player becomes even more appealing.
However, Saka’s performance stats at Arsenal are instructive. He is the primary offensive threat for Arsenal at the age of just 22. Saka always steps up when The Gunners need a goal in crunch time. With only 210 games played, he has contributed 100 goals, an astounding statistic given that 21 of those games were at left back.
Season after season, his goal involvements have increased since he joined the first team in 2019. He has already surpassed his output of 26 goals and assists from the previous year, despite the opinions of many that he hasn’t yet reached the pinnacles of his career this year. February is barely over.
To put that into context, consider that this season, Mohamed Salah—a player who is universally regarded as being of the highest caliber—has contributed to 27 goals. Saka is in the prime of his profession, which adds to the impressiveness of his 22-year-old output. Salah had been sent out on loan from Chelsea at the same age.
But Saka has a drive that really makes him stand out. He is the focal point of the film; he is not a supporting character. After the 6-0 thumping of West Ham, he was told he had scored his 50th goal for the team. His initial reaction was to discuss the opportunities he believed he should have had. a high level of thinking for someone so young.
