Arsenal have signed a “powerhouse” who seems like a brand new Saka-type participant

Arsenal continued their sturdy run of type within the Champions League on Wednesday evening.

Mikel Arteta’s facet performed host to Greek outfit Olympiacos and picked up their second win of the marketing campaign.

The Gunners ran out 2-0 winners in the long run, and whereas they may have scored lots extra, the guests put up extra of a struggle than some would have been anticipating.

With that stated, virtually everybody who featured for the hosts put in a robust displaying, together with somebody who might find yourself turning into a brand new Bukayo Saka for Arsenal.

Saka’s rise at Arsenal

Saka was handed his Arsenal debut by former supervisor Unai Emery again in November 2018. He got here off the bench in a recreation away to Ukrainian facet Vorskla Poltava, after which made his full debut for the membership just a few months later at dwelling towards Qarabağ.

Nonetheless, whereas the Hale Ender confirmed some actual promise early on, he did not make all that many appearances below the now Aston Villa coach.

Actually, earlier than Arteta was appointed in December 2019, the dynamic winger had made simply 16 appearances for the primary group, most of which got here on the left-hand facet, both in left midfield or at left-back.

Happily, the 24-year-old started to be moved over to the appropriate extra within the following marketing campaign, and by the beginning of the 2021/22 season, he was effectively and actually established because the Gunners’ first-choice right-winger.

Greater than that, although, the teen would then grow to be the group’s most necessary attacking outlet, a job he nonetheless fulfils to at the present time, as mirrored in his unbelievable numbers.

For instance, regardless of nonetheless being solely 24 years previous, the talismanic winger has made 269 appearances for the North Londoners up to now, scoring 72 objectives and offering 72 assists.

Sadly, with him being so key to the membership’s attacking risk, the final couple of years have seen opposition groups double and triple up on him, making it far more durable for the unbelievable expertise to create alternatives for Arteta and Co.

The excellent news is that Arsenal have added extra high quality to the facet to assist mitigate that drawback, together with somebody who might be like a brand new Saka for the facet.

The Arsenal star turning into a brand new Saka

Arteta and Andrea Berta did effectively so as to add just a few new attacking skills to this Arsenal squad over the summer season, from the direct and difficult Noni Madueke to the versatile and mercurial Eberechi Eze.

Nonetheless, on the subject of the participant who has the very best probability of embodying among the issues that make Saka such a star for this group, it must be Viktor Gyokeres.

Now, a few of you’ll rightly level out that the pair play in numerous positions, and that, as issues stand, the previous Sporting CP star has not scored as many objectives as some would’ve hoped.

But, there are nonetheless parts in his recreation which are much like the Hale Ender’s, most notably his gravitational impact on the sport.

Which may sound like an odd technique to discuss a footballer, however this primarily signifies that, simply because the Englishman has spent the previous couple of years being double and triple-teamed by defenders, the Swedish worldwide is already dragging opposition defenders all around the pitch this season.

He won’t be scoring with the regularity that some would really like, however the 6 foot 2 “powerhouse”, as described by information analyst Ben Mattinson, is already beginning to make the appropriate runs, get into the proper positions, and this, mixed with the truth that he has a deadly shot on him, signifies that defenders can not depart him alone.

This was on full show on Wednesday evening, notably for the primary purpose, as his cost in the direction of the penalty space noticed two defenders converge on him and left house for Gabriel Martinelli to faucet the ball into the again of the web after his shot was saved.

Simply think about the gravitational influence he’ll have on defenders when he is up to the mark and placing away the probabilities so many know he can.

In the end, Gyokeres is not on the identical degree as Saka and has loads of variations in his recreation with the Englishman.

Nonetheless, he is likely one of the few gamers able to hanging the same degree of concern into opponents and one of many few attackers who’ll pressure them to converge on him.