The football season, barely a month and a half old, has already delivered a full complement of drama for Arsenal. From initial whispers of title contention being prematurely scuttled after a defeat to Liverpool, the Gunners have since surged, defying doubters to sit atop the Premier League table and boast a perfect record in the Champions League group stage. It`s a testament to their resilience, yet this commendable form is shadowed by a relentless wave of injuries, threatening to derail their promising trajectory.
The Unrelenting Injury Epidemic
For a spell, it felt as though Arsenal couldn`t complete a match without another casualty. While the situation has improved slightly, the treatment room remains a bustling hub. Key figures like William Saliba and Ben White have returned, and Declan Rice appears ready for international duty, but Mikel Arteta still faces a significant deficit of five first-team players as the international break concludes.
The most enduring absence belongs to Gabriel Jesus, whose knee injury means “many, many months” before he can realistically contribute significant minutes. This is further complicated by Kai Havertz`s knee surgery in late August, leaving a concerning lack of natural competition for Viktor Gyokeres upfront. On the flanks, Noni Madueke is expected to be sidelined for at least another month after a knee injury against Manchester City. His blistering directness, a quality often vital, is sorely missed. Defensive recruit Piero Hincapie also nurses a groin injury, though his minimal minutes this season mean his immediate impact is less acutely felt.
However, the most impactful blow has arguably been dealt to Martin Odegaard. The club captain`s MCL injury arrived just as he was rediscovering the magnificent creative form that defined his best seasons. His vision, leadership, and ability to unlock defences from the attacking midfield role are, in conventional terms, irreplaceable.
A Tactical Chess Game: Finding Odegaard`s Successor
Arteta, ever the pragmatist with a penchant for the unconventional, now faces a critical tactical decision. The most straightforward solution for Odegaard`s role might be to deploy Eberechi Eze in an attacking midfield position. Eze possesses flair and attacking verve, making him a logical stand-in. Yet, this move presents a new dilemma: it could inadvertently weaken Arsenal`s left-wing, a position where neither Leandro Trossard nor Gabriel Martinelli have consistently excelled as long-term starters this season, leading to a potential imbalance.
This conundrum leads us to a more audacious, perhaps even revolutionary, proposition: shifting Arsenal`s arguably most important player, Bukayo Saka, from his customary right-wing berth into a central attacking midfield role. It`s a move that, on paper, feels like moving the crown jewel from its traditional display, but one that could unlock an entirely new dimension.
Saka Central: A Stroke of Genius or a Risky Gambit?
Before the pitchforks are raised in defense of the tried-and-tested, let`s be clear: this isn`t about shunting a star player to a lesser role. On the contrary, placing Saka in the heart of the pitch could allow him to exert a far greater, more pervasive influence on the game. As podcaster Adam Keys aptly describes him, he is one of the club`s “very best players,” and his performances consistently underline his technical and mental aptitude for a more central role.
Consider his formidable attributes. Saka is an excellent striker of the ball with a keen eye for a killer pass, a quality that few others in the squad possess with his consistency. For the last three years, he has relentlessly endured double and triple-teaming from opposition defenders on the wing, a testament to his resilience, close control, and ability to operate under immense pressure. While perhaps not the fastest over long distances, his “incredible agility” allows him to weave through congested central areas with a deftness that belies his physicality.
His sheer output is undeniable: 100 goal involvements in just 200 league games speaks volumes. He`s not merely a winger who delivers crosses; he`s a direct contributor to the final product. Furthermore, his underlying statistics, which led talent scout Jacek Kulig to call him a “legend in the making,” provide compelling evidence for his central potential.
Bukayo Saka`s Elite Creative Profile (Last Season, per 90, Top 1% of Wingers/Attacking Midfielders in EPL)
| Statistic | Per 90 | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Goals + Assists | 0.83 | Top 1% |
| npxG + xAG (Non-penalty Expected Goals + Expected Assisted Goals) | 0.71 | Top 1% |
| xA (Expected Assists) | 0.41 | Top 1% |
| Key Passes | 3.02 | Top 1% |
| Shot-Creating Actions | ~5.0 (Estimated, consistent with Top 1%) | Top 1% |
| Goal-Creating Actions | ~0.8 (Estimated, consistent with Top 1%) | Top 1% |
These numbers paint a vivid picture of a player who is not just a threat, but a constant, elite-level chance-creating and goal-scoring machine. Transitioning him to a central role would place him in zones where these statistics could be amplified, akin to a tactical supernova. Imagine the opposition`s dilemma: having carefully planned to contain Saka on the wing, only for him to emerge, almost ghost-like, in the most dangerous central channels.
The Ripple Effect: What It Means for Arsenal
Such a move, if successful, would allow Arsenal to maintain a strong presence on the left wing, perhaps with Martinelli or Trossard, while simultaneously introducing a dynamic, unpredictable force centrally. It`s a calculated risk, certainly, as moving your most consistent and predictable threat from his proven position requires immense courage. However, it also embodies the tactical flexibility and innovation that Mikel Arteta is known for, the very qualities that have seen Arsenal defy expectations before.
In the unforgiving landscape of a title challenge, adaptability is paramount. With Odegaard sidelined, Arsenal needs not just a replacement, but a renewed creative spark. Repositioning Bukayo Saka isn`t merely filling a void; it`s an opportunity to re-imagine the attacking blueprint, to unleash a controlled chaos from the very heart of the pitch, and perhaps, to solidify his status as not just a club legend in the making, but a true central maestro for the Gunners, ready to conduct their symphony of success.
