Bournemouth reaction and player ratings

[WMUG]

They say he walks on water
And turns it into wine
Oh I believe in Jesus!
The Arsenal number nine!

[selassie]

Saka's main issue ia hanging onto the ball too long on the edge of the box instead of either shooting or, more often, playing the timely pass before the defenders close him down

Get him to play the ball earlier in those positions and he'll be the top player we want him to be

Aye, I watched him quite closely on Saturday and he did struggle at times with his decision making. Saka is a quality player and has proven that over the past few seasons both for us and England, I am not particularly worried about him and his current drop in form.

I also think bringing in competition, I.E a new winger will help in stepping up his game, we are starting to build a quality squad now, if you are not playing to the level required then we are starting to see decent options in the squad to come in and replace out of form players.

[selassie]

Saw the highlights.
Holy shit that touch and run and then lay off from Jesus for the first goal.

Jesus

Jesus is having a "Sanchez" like effect on the team, very similar to when Sanchez came in and improved our offensive play. I knew Jesus was a good player but he has surprised me with how good he is, literally looks like an elite forward!

[HCZ_Reborn]

Aye, I watched him quite closely on Saturday and he did struggle at times with his decision making. Saka is a quality player and has proven that over the past few seasons both for us and England, I am not particularly worried about him and his current drop in form.

I also think bringing in competition, I.E a new winger will help in stepping up his game, we are starting to build a quality squad now, if you are not playing to the level required then we are starting to see decent options in the squad to come in and replace out of form players.

Oh I think unquestionably bringing in a winger to challenge him would be good both for the club and for the player

But, if we are dealing with limited resources that isn’t the priority

Anymore than bringing in a second choice left back was the priority (don’t give a fuck about MOTD creaming it’s pants over Zinchenko….it’s easy to look good when you have space and time to look good and your playing against retards….but I think the Palace game where he was made to look like a complete turd by Jordan Ayew shows more what he’s about)

[Letters]

They say he walks on water
And turns it into wine
Oh I believe in Jesus!
The Arsenal number nine!

To the tune of...?

[KSE Comedy Club]

They say he walks on water
And turns it into wine
Oh I believe in Jesus!
The Arsenal number nine!

YES!

I love that we are starting to feel the love for these guys and making new chants again.

[mandela8]

Aye, I watched him quite closely on Saturday and he did struggle at times with his decision making. Saka is a quality player and has proven that over the past few seasons both for us and England, I am not particularly worried about him and his current drop in form.

I also think bringing in competition, I.E a new winger will help in stepping up his game, we are starting to build a quality squad now, if you are not playing to the level required then we are starting to see decent options in the squad to come in and replace out of form players.

Unfortunately I reckon Saka crumbles at the first sign of competition. Just doesn't strike me as the type of person with a set of balls on him. He's just never had to face adversity and has had everything too easy...which is a huge part of the problem.

And, again, Saka hasn't suffered a loss of form here. You, and others, are now just having your eyes opened, man. You, and others, won't like to admit that but Saka is playing no better or worse than he ever has.

[Mac76]

Unfortunately I reckon Saka crumbles at the first sign of competition. Just doesn't strike me as the type of person with a set of balls on him. He's just never had to face adversity and has had everything too easy...which is a huge part of the problem.

.

You missed the bit when he failed to score a pel in a home Euros final and got pelted with racist abuse right?

Also do you have any idea what young players go through in the football machine where so few make it?

Ok, he can play better and needs to work on releasing the ball quicker but he's a very dangerous player who makes defenders
nervous which if nothing else creates opportinities for others

[mandela8]

You missed the bit when he failed to score a pel in a home Euros final and got pelted with racist abuse right?

Also do you have any idea what young players go through in the football machine where so few make it?

Ok, he can play better and needs to work on releasing the ball quicker but he's a very dangerous player who makes defenders
nervous which if nothing else creates opportinities for others

Honestly, I think if anything the whole England experience has made him even more excusable/untouchable in a purely football context, which is what I meant.

Obviously being subject to racism must be horrific but that's not really what I meant. He's came into the team and is the first player on the team sheet despite being utterly fuckin appalling most games. There has been absolutely zero consequences for his shocking performances and when/if those consequences come I think he crumbles, man.

[HCZ_Reborn]

The interesting thing is there are clear blind spots in your analysis of players

I think your critique of Martinelli is (largely) fair even though Martinelli is one of my favourite players and if I had to venture an opinion of the player Id least like to see dropped between Martinelli and Saka is Martinelli and I’d have said that six months ago too.

But the interesting thing is a lot of your criticism of Saka is attributable to another attacking player Martin Odegaard…who for me is still Aaron Ramsey with a slightly better first touch. If not for the fact that Smith Rowe moves like he has one leg shorter than the other, looks overweight and plays like he’s overweight I’d have seen good cause for Odegaard to be dropped last season. Completely anonymous in certain games, never bothers to track back and is often indecisive or just makes the wrong decision in front of goal.
Yet never heard a peep from you about him. If it wasn’t for the fact that a) for some reason better known to himself Arteta has made him captain and b) Vieira looks like a skaghead with the upper body strength of Bobby Sands I’d have been wanting to see him start instead of Odegaard this season.
Of course equally I don’t blame Odegaard entirely, when you’ve got that Albanian cretin doing nothing behind you, you’re going to go long periods without seeing the ball.