Arsenal’s winger Bukayo Saka is tackling the challenge of increased defensive attention head-on, analysing his performances to enhance his impact on the pitch.

Bukayo Saka has been analysing his performances this season to counteract the increased attention from opponents.

In an interview with the Evening Standard, Saka acknowledged that teams are frequently deploying two defenders against him and Gabriel Martinelli, making it challenging to find space.

Despite this, Saka played a pivotal role in Arsenal’s recent win over Brentford, providing an assist for Kai Havertz’s late winner.

This season, he has been a key contributor for Arsenal, with six goals and nine assists in 18 games, more than any other player in the team.

Saka commented on the situation, saying, “I feel like a lot of games I’m facing a double team with two guys on me and it’s the same for Gabi (Martinelli). It’s happening in every game.

“I keep watching all my games back trying to find a solution, what I can do better. In the end I just feel like I need to understand that this is how it’s going to be this season and I just need to deal with it and keep finding a way like I did today. That’s what I need to keep doing.”

Arsenal’s recent 1-0 victory against Brentford propelled them to the top of the Premier League. The team has been strong defensively, conceding only 10 goals in 13 League games, the best record in the top-flight.

However, their attack has been less prolific, with only Tottenham and Manchester United scoring fewer goals among the top eight teams.

Saka also highlighted the adaptations Arsenal are making, stating, “The managers know a bit more how we play and it’s up to us to adapt in each game and to find a solution. Of course, each game is different but we know that we can be a lot better.

“We’re especially working on breaking teams down, but we’re still getting really good results and we’re top of the league. So we can be really happy.”

Reflecting on Arsenal’s performance last season and their prospects this year, Saka expressed optimism, “Right now we’re getting good results, we’re top of the League and we’re only going to keep progressing, improving and getting better as a team.

“We have some injured players who are going to be back and at the business end of the season I really hope we can push on and do really well. It’s nice to be back on top. We had to fight hard today to achieve that but we’re satisfied with the win and the three points.

“It shows we’re going to keep going until the end in each and every game. It also shows it’s not been easy for us.

“We’ve faced a lot of low blocks and teams that want to sit. Credit to Brentford, they defended really well.

“So it took all the way to the end for us to find a breakthrough, but we managed to do it so we’re happy.”

Bukayo Saka’s 23/24 season so far

So far this season, Saka has earned an impressive FotMob rating of 7.97.

His contribution to Arsenal’s Premier League campaign includes four goals and five assists, marking him as a key player in the squad.

He has been on the pitch for 1,037 minutes across 12 matches, all of which he started, and has received just one yellow card.

Saka, known for his agility and precision, has maintained a shot accuracy of 45% with 22 shots, translating into those four goals.

His expected goals (xG) stand at 4.23, underscoring his efficiency in front of goal.

Notably, his goals have come with an xG of 0.81 and an xG on target (xGOT) of 0.87, showcasing his ability to capitalise on opportunities.

His versatility is further highlighted by the distribution of his shots: 14 with his left foot, five with his right, and three headers.

Saka’s contribution isn’t limited to scoring goals. He has provided five assists with an expected assists (xA) of 3.98, showcasing his vision and playmaking abilities.

With 385 successful passes at an accuracy of 82.8% and 50.0% accuracy in long balls, he has been a pivotal figure in Arsenal’s build-up play.

His creative prowess is evident from the 32 chances he has created and the 22 successful crosses, out of which he has a cross accuracy of 32.4%.

In possession, Saka has been effective, with 17 successful dribbles at a success rate of 53.1% and 737 touches, including 80 in the opposition box.

Defensively, Saka has also contributed significantly, winning 16 tackles with a success rate of 61.5%, winning 79 duels (52.7% success rate), and winning 11 aerial duels (45.8% success rate).

His ability to recover the ball is shown by his 58 recoveries and 11 possessions won in the final third.

Despite being dribbled past 12 times, Saka has made four interceptions and blocked eight shots.