Ødegaard is sensational, he really is, but Saka is the real star of Arsenal's right-hand side. Ødegaard can't overlap with any reliable power or threat due to his lack of power + weak right foot, so much of his quality comes from combining, meaning penetration is reliant on Saka.
Few wingers in the sport could excel the way Saka does in such an environment. Many a winger could combine with Ødegaard considering he's elite in that regard, but someone like Mahrez at City can create separation with bigger ease than Saka because of KDB's off-ball runs + threat
KDB regularly overlaps or sits in the half space and every defender in the sport knows they can't afford him a yard of space. Ødegaard is different in the sense that defenders approach him more cautiously.
As a whole these factors result in Saka having massive responsibilities..
As a whole these factors result in Saka having massive responsibilities..
I'm not saying the environment Saka operates in isn't phenomenal, because it is, particularly when considering Arteta's system and Ødegaard's quality is his primary setting. However, Ødegaard is primarily an elite combiner and ball retainer. Penetration is largely reliant on Saka
This also isn't to say that Ødegaard doesn't provide penetration, because he absolutely does, but in a different setting than I'm referring too.
He attacks the box from deep when the ball is on the left wing, for example, & does that to a top standard, but that's unrelated here.
He attacks the box from deep when the ball is on the left wing, for example, & does that to a top standard, but that's unrelated here.
Much of the actual penetration falls on Bukayo, outside of the occasions when him and Ødegaard effectively combine, and that's quite a heavy burden to hold.
The fact that all of his goals in the Premier League this season have seen a change in gamestate for Arsenal proves that..
The fact that all of his goals in the Premier League this season have seen a change in gamestate for Arsenal proves that..
It is for this reason why I believe Bukayo Saka has been the best player in the Premier League this season.
Much of the focus has been on the performance of someone like Ødegaard, and rightly so because he's a really special player and a leader, but Bukayo is a superstar talent.
Much of the focus has been on the performance of someone like Ødegaard, and rightly so because he's a really special player and a leader, but Bukayo is a superstar talent.
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