I think part of the problem is where he plays - people naturally expect all wingers to look more like Martinelli, all relentless running and chaos. Someone who gets you out of your seat whenever they’re anywhere near the oppo’s area.Originally Posted by mandela8
Saka, for me, is a new breed of player - someone who does a little bit of everything to high degree of competence and is available as an extra man everywhere down the pitch, creating overloads wherever he goes. He’ll get back, almost doubling up as an extra fullback at times. He’ll drop into midfield to get moves started and carry the ball out of trouble. He’ll come central as an extra 8 or 10, stay wide as a traditional winger, slip in overlapping fullbacks, make diagonsl runs into the box as an extra forward - whatever’s needed.
LW, RW, LB, either 8, 10… you can literally play him in half the outfield positions in the team and he just gets on with it and links well with everyone around him. It’s not always flashy what he does, and not always what people are expecting to see in their “winger”, but he’s an absolute dream of a player for any coach. The kid just gives you so many options and so much tactical flex in one player, and that ability for coaches to spontaneously adapt and change game plans feels like it’s becoming an increasingly valuable commodity in the modern game.
That’s what I see in him anyway - whether you agree or not, take solace in the fact that Pep wants him at City, Klopp wants him at ‘pool, he’s a key member of the national team at 20, and he’s been nominated for the young player equivalent of the Ballon D’or 2 years in a row now. He must be doing something right.
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