The Gunners suffered their third consecutive defeat of the campaign on Sunday. They are in a worrying position now, and Saka’s form has been a hot topic of discussion. Burley has now had his say on the 22-year-old Arsenal winger.
ESPN pundit Craig Burley says Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka has lost his pace
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka is one of the best players in the Premier League.
The Englishman was absolutely incredible for the Gunners last season, and his pace, dribbling and quality on the ball were just terrifying for defenders.
Saka’s numbers this season are still terrific – he has 20 direct goal contributions in 26 appearances, which is a fantastic return for a wide player.
However, it has to be said that he hasn’t been at his best this season. Defenders are finding it easier to deal with him, and his form in front of goal hasn’t been great either.
Burley was asked about Saka, and the pundit thinks the Englishman has become slower. He has claimed that the winger has lost that ‘burst of pace’ that he possessed last season.
He said on ESPN: “It just looks like he’s a player who has just lost a wee bit of confidence and he’s doubting himself a little bit because I’m not talking about the one he shanked at the back post in the second half, which wasn’t great, but how many times have we seen this super-talented guy at the moment beating defenders?
“It seems to me at the moment he’s coming back in a lot on his left foot and I’ve not seen him a lot recently drop the shoulder and go away from a full-back and really get in behind and make the difference.
“It’s just that part of his game he’s just lost that little burst of pace at the moment and maybe that’s his confidence or whatever it is or he’s feeling the heat of the amount of games that he’s played in the last 18 months.
“I don’t know, but I think there’s one thing for sure – If Bukayo Saka continues to struggle, it’s going to be a difficult pathway to see Arsenal winning this title.”
Winter break should help Saka and other Arsenal players
Arsenal have won just one of their last seven games in all competitions, which is a shocking return considering they were on top of the Premier League table on Christmas.
The Gunners now have a winter break where they will not play a game until the 20th. They’re going away for some warm-weather training in Dubai, and that should really help everyone, including Saka.
The Englishman has played an awful amount of football for club and country over the last two years. He never seems to get a break, which is why the next week or so should really benefit him.
Arsenal take on Crystal Palace next and they need to bounce back in that game. If they don’t and continue to have a poor run, their title dreams could be over as early as February.
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