Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has found himself at the centre of a storm at Euro 2024 after England disappointed in the group stages.
Gareth Southgate’s side advanced to the knockouts as group winners, but they thoroughly underwhelmed in every game, with just one win and two goals in three games.
Arsenal’s Declan Rice and Saka have both been criticised, with Manchester United legend Paul Scholes calling out both players for their performances.
Ian Wright claimed that with England struggling in attack, Saka could be moved to left-back to accommodate Chelsea winger Cole Palmer, and this caused a storm amongst fans and media.
Micah Richards disagreed with the idea, and Arsenal fans were angered that a club legend would make such a poor suggestion about one of their best players.
Saka has now weighed in on the situation ahead of England’s last-16 clash with Slovakia.
Bukayo Saka claims he is not the solution for England’s left-back problems
Speaking to BBC Five Live Sport, Saka claimed that whilst he would respect any decision Southgate makes over his team selection, that he is not the saviour for England at left-back.
“Putting me out of position at left-back is NOT the solution for England, but it’s in Gareth’s hands & we all have to trust what he selects on the day,” he stated.
England have problems at left-back. Southgate selected just one natural player in the position in Luke Shaw, who missed the entire group stage with an injury which has kept him out since February.
Kieran Trippier filled in during the groups, but underwhelmed in possession, and Wright claimed that if Saka was to play there instead, he could get on the ball more and help England’s attackers thrive.
Bukayo Saka has not played at left-back for Arsenal since 2020
A lot of suggestions for Saka to move to left-back are based upon the idea that he played there when he first broke into the Arsenal team.
Saka did indeed come through under Unai Emery, Freddie Ljungberg and Mikel Arteta initially as a left-back, with Sead Kolasinac and Kieran Tierney injured at the time.
He thrived in the first-team going forward, but defensively it was obvious that Saka was not cut out for a long-term future in the back four. Granit Xhaka was vital to Saka playing in the position as he would drop deeper to cover the spaces Saka left behind.
Saka has not played at left-back in any capacity since 2020. Arteta selected Xhaka at left-back in the Europa League semi-finals in 2021 rather than attempting to place Saka back there.
Both Arsenal and England cannot lose Saka’s ability in his natural position on the right wing, and forcing him into a now unfamiliar position to cover for the fact that Southgate inexplicably did not pick a suitable alternative left-back, would be unfair on the 22-year-old.
Arteta has Arsenal stars in Marbella whilst Bukayo Saka struggles at Euro 2024
In this week’s episode, Will Jones and Rahul Lakhani discussed England’s recent poor performances at the European Championships. With Arsenal players Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka receiving mixed reviews for England so far, Gareth Southgate’s tactical decisions were questioned.
There was some talk about the members of the Arsenal squad currently on a surprise training camp with Mikel Arteta in Marbella, as well as a brief look at how Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli are getting on at the Copa America with Brazil.