Bukayo Saka: Arsenal’s model student has a bright future

Jamie Carragher marvelled in hiscomposure and quality on the ball. The famously hard-to-please Roy Keane talked up hislovely performance. Even Cesc Fabregas voiced his acceptance. Saka is a participant, he composed Twitter. Eighteen years old and showing great maturity.
Arsenal and Manchester Uniteds 1-1 draw at Old Trafford last month was another reminder of just how far the two clubs have fallen since the times of the epic rivalry, a drab affair. For Bukayo Saka it provided a platform to further enhance a rapidly growing reputation.
At 18 decades and 25 days , and producing his seventh mature appearance for Arsenal, Saka became the youngest player to start a Premier League game between the 2 sides. And in a floor there was proof of their inexperience.
Actually, Sakas starting place now appears more stable than that of the 72m Nicolas Pepe. Unai Emery explained Saka as ansignificant player after the Manchester United game and started him in the 1-0 win over Bournemouth. The academy graduate will likely be assured of maintaining his position.
And why should not he be?
Saka provided the first glimpses of his raw talent last season – most especially with his man-of-the-match revealing against Qarabag from the Europa League – however, much like one of his own driving runs Arsenals left flank, his progress has gained momentum from the new effort.
The winger scored his first senior goal in the 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt a month, finding the bottom corner with a curling finish from 25 yards out, and there also have been three assists, including the smart through-ball for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyangs equaliser in Old Trafford.
It is that ability which has propelled Saka to the spotlight, moving him graduates Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson in the pecking order of Emery, but whats just as reassuring for Arsenal fans is that hes demonstrating the personality that is perfect too. Saka humble it off and is mature and confident on the pitch.
Respectful, really hard-working and always keen to understand, is the way club captain Granit Xhaka explained him recently. Theyre traits not just to those working in Arsenals academy, which he joined at age eight, but in addition the staff at Greenford High School in Ealing, west London, in which he was a student from the age of 11 to 16.
He was a role model of a student, assistant head instructor Mark Harvey, who also taught Saka PE, informs Sky Sports. A lovely and respectful lad with a really great attitude. He carried himself in such a way.
Occasionally you can teach pupils who are exceptionally good in football, but if you get them on a pitch, they simply hog the ball or they would like to flaunt with it. Bukayo wasnt that type of man at all. If anything, he played how good he was, which was really nice to watch.
Saka was training regularly with Arsenal at the time he started in Greenford, making the long journey from his family house in Ealing into the club north-east London academy many times each week, however it is a nod to his mindset – and ability – which he never permitted his research to endure even when his soccer commitments required time out of school.
Hed his GCSEs with us until he left and that he did very, very nicely, says Harvey. Each of his grades had been also high, particularly in English and Maths. In addition, he failed business research, hed RE, hed sciences. He did very well across the boardwhich will be amazing considering the amount of time.
We tried to use Arsenal as much as possible. We understood the ranges he was becoming along with exactly how studious he was, so that we had been elastic about persuading him time out. His loved ones were really supportive and always ensured he would do his homework, which was the vital thing.
Saka threw himself to his soccer with the dedication, increasing through the youth ranks of Arsenal and breaking into Freddie Ljungbergs U23s soon after his 17th birthday. At the same time, he fared nicely in the junior sides of England, impressing coaching staff with the manner in which he embraced an unfamiliar position.
He grabbed the eye in precisely the exact same manner he does today, Neil Dewsnip, Englands former U18s trainer, tells Sky Sports. He was very quick, strong and might hurt defences, whether that was an out-and-out left winger or as a left-back, that is where he played for us at the beginning of last year.
He managed that positional change quite well. He is very competent at one-v-one defending, so defensively he didnt get found out, and that he was very good at learning. He was open-minded to everything else along with my assistant told him. He wasnt in any manner obstructive to anything that any member of staff said.
Saka has demonstrated the exact same willingness to take on Emerys directions this season, his variation helped by his mentor Ljungbergs presence on the coaching staff, and there has also been evidence of his defensive knowledge. Saka is currently averaging tackles per 90 minutes.
It seems he has even made a comment on Gareth Southgate, that name-dropped Saka when talking the attacking alternatives of England before the European Qualifier from Czech Republic 10 days past. A future call-up into the side could come as little surprise.
He understands what he is about and he is really inspired, he says. I found him to be silent, but maybe perhaps not in a helpless way. He had opinions and I found he spoke intelligently from a football viewpoint when he had the floor in the dressing area. He was capable of making observations about the resistance strengths and weaknesses.
Saka definitely succeeded in harnessing Manchester Uniteds flaws running in Ashley Young at each chance and pouncing on a loose pass. The challenge is to set himself.
Initially, young gamers get that luxury of competitions not really understanding much about these, says Dewsnip. Bukayo is quick, he is strong, he will createhe can score, he can cross. But everybody knows that now. He will have to find different ways of changing the sport as well.
Its fortunate that Saka includes an established appetite for self – so there appears little possibility of his enhanced profile moving to his mind. In Greenford High School, where the staff refer to him asour boy and at which his signed England U19s shirt hangs framed on the wall at a reception area, he remains a regular guest.
Our previous head teacher was a big Chelsea fan, however, he had a very wonderful relationship with Bukayo and Bukayo really came to his leaving do a year along with his dad, says Harvey. He had some pictures taken and spoke to a couple of our students. He still has friends in sixth-form here and he often comes into school and says hello to people
The simple fact that Saka has friends is a reminder that this is only the start for him. 19 doesnt even turn . But of the components are there for a bright future. Saka is making a significant impression from Ealing to Old Trafford.
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