The Nigerian striker described how he was rejected from every club in his home country before finally finding a place to play with the Arsenal youth academy.
Arsenal news is a blog that covers the latest Arsenal news. The blog has been around since 2014, and in just a few years it has grown to become one of the most popular blogs on football-related topics. Read more in detail here: arsenal news.
WATFORD, England (CBSNewYork) — It’s maybe not surprising that the guy dubbed “Little Chilli” is coping with the heat. Arsenal beat Watford 3-2 on Sunday, taking another crucial step toward Champions League qualifying. Bukayo Saka scored one goal and assisted on another.
With each passing week, the Premier League’s top-four fight becomes more intense, yet Saka and Martin Odegaard epitomized a freedom of expression that defied the notion that the Gunners are under pressure to perform at the conclusion of the season.
According to ESPN, key Arsenal insiders feel the team is ahead of schedule under Mikel Arteta, and that a meaningful drive for Champions League football would not happen until next year.
Despite the fact that Watford are languishing at the bottom of the league and this was their eighth consecutive home loss, Arsenal showed a willingness to take advantage of this unexpected chance, relishing the prospect of returning to Europe’s top flight for the first time in five years.
– Watch ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (available in the United States only) – Don’t have ESPN? Get immediate access
Their play was joyful from the start, with a great first goal coming in the fifth minute. Odegaard pirouetted brilliantly to find Saka on the right flank before cutting the ball back for a return pass in the area, allowing Odegaard to slip a low finish past hapless Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster.
Cucho Hernandez’s spectacular 11th-minute bicycle kick pulled the hosts level and threatened an upset for a little moment, only for Saka to demonstrate that his obvious skill is complemented by a strong work ethic. Saka won the ball from Watford player Tom Cleverley, then swapped passes with Alexandre Lacazette before shooting a high finish in a flash.
Saka earned the moniker Little Chilli when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was delighted by his efficiency in a shooting practice, and this clinical finish demonstrated why he is definitely part of Arsenal’s present and future, particularly now that Aubameyang has departed for Barcelona.
Saka also had a part in Arsenal’s third goal, however Arteta might possibly be credited with an assist for passing the out-of-play ball to Saka for a fast throw-in seven minutes after half-time. Before Lacazette teed up Gabriel Martinelli, Cedric Soares was freed down the right flank and his cross was aided on by another magnificent Odegaard touch.
Watford’s Moussa Sissoko scored three minutes from time to set up a thrilling conclusion, but Arsenal held on and, in fact, a draw would have been a disgrace considering the visitors’ performance.
Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard were instrumental in Arsenal’s fourth consecutive Premier League victory. Getty
Emile Smith Rowe’s absence, explained here by a positive COVID-19 test, made Saka seem rather alone, considering the understanding the two Hale End academy grads have, but there are hints that he is starting to demonstrate the similar link-up with Odegaard.
This season, the duo has combined for the most completed passes in the final third by Arsenal players during league games: Saka has found Odegaard 78 times, with Odegaard to Saka coming in second with 68.
Arsenal’s time away from European play, as well as their midseason holiday in Dubai, is paying dividends. Their manager gave reasons for the improvement of the players who inspired this triumph, which was their fourth in a row in the league.
“[Saka and Odegaard] have more faith in one other,” Arteta added. “This is beneficial because they know when to do what in respect to what the opponent is doing. It’s simple: the more they play together, the better they’ll understand.”
2 Related
Saka and Odegaard’s ability to influence games is a valuable asset for a club that still lacks a reliable No. 9; Lacazette finished the game with two more assists, but lacked confidence in the goal chances he had. However, if the dynamic assaults continue and people around him continue to step up, it won’t matter as much.
Saka has 13 league goals this season, more than any other player under 21 in Europe’s top five divisions save Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz.
Given the problems that clouded his start to the season, when the 20-year-old battled with the repercussions of receiving racist online abuse as one of three Black players to miss penalties in England’s Euro 2020 final shootout loss to Italy, those stats are all the more impressive.
Saka was greeted with cheers when he returned to domestic football, and Arteta has seen him mature from his ordeal to become an even greater player capable of great things.
“Bukayo had an experience in the summer that not many players will ever have, and I believe it was wonderful for his career because it demonstrated how much the football world admired and respected him,” Arteta added.
“Apart from winning trophies, I don’t believe you get much more in football than that, and I think it was a tremendous boost for him to know that in tough times, these guys are truly going to support him, and the club did exactly the same as his teammates.”
“Then it’s about giving him that space; what he’s already doing is phenomenal at his age, and he needs that space. Don’t read too much; just do what you’re doing. Football is his priority in life, and you can see that every day in training. He needs to continue to behave and live the way he is, nothing else.”
Arsenal is a professional football club based in North London, England. The club was founded in 1886 and has spent the majority of its history in the top tier of English football. Arsenal’s home ground is the Emirates Stadium. Reference: arsenal football club.
Related Tags
- arsenal transfer news
- bukayo saka
- livescore
- bukayo saka fifa 21
- arsenal logo
