Harry Diamond
Bukayo Saka has discussed how playing at full-back will help him become a better winger, with the Arsenal youngster having enjoyed an impressive season in the unfamiliar role.
The teenage star has impressed during the opening months of the season having deputised at left-back, providing an attacking threat from the defensive position by scoring three goals and providing a further eight assists in all competitions thus far.
Saka’s eight assists is the most of any player currently in the Arsenal squad, and the 18-year-old believes his experience of playing in a new position can only benefit the development of his game upon his predicted return to the wing in the future.
“I’ve learned a lot about how wingers in the Premier League play against defenders and how to position myself because in his system it’s different,” he told arsenal.com.
“I get to play much higher because the winger comes inside and I get to go. There’s a lot of space for me and it’s good for me. I’m playing sort of as a winger when we have the ball but without the ball, I have to come back and work on my clearances, my heading and stuff I haven’t worked on my whole life. I feel like I’m doing ok right now.
“In the future if I do get to go back onto the wing I feel like I know how full backs play and playing as a full back I know what wingers do, what I like them to do and what I don’t like them to do. It’s a good learning experience for me.
“I’m really enjoying my football under the new manager. It’s not my natural position but he’s given me all the advice I need. I’ve got Granit behind, David supporting and speaking to me so it gives me licence to go and express myself in the final third and do what I can do.
“The Newcastle win will really give us that push we need. It will give us a lot of confidence. It shows we can do it, we can score goals. We just need to shut up at the back and we can score goals. As long as we continue to play like this we’ll win games.”
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