Arsenal: Welcome to Opportunity 101 with your instructor, Bukayo Saka

Arsenal had a shaky affair against Standard Liege, but Bukayo Saka was far from shaky. He understood the opportunity in front of him and he took it.

2-2 against Standard Liege in the final match of the Europa League group stage with the top of the group on the line may not be an inspiring result, but it got the job done for Arsenal. And since you want inspiration, just look at Bukayo Saka and call it a day.

Bukayo Saka has had a rocket start to his Arsenal career. He was relatively unheard of last year, but early cameos showed a kid with an engine who could dribble like crazy. What we didn’t know was that he was also a prince of delivering from wide angles and he could fire a wicked shot too.

We’ve learned that by now. That’s why he spent several weeks in the Premier League starting XI when Alexandre Lacazette was hurt. He took that chance, but was still done away with and pushed aside when Emery was fighting for his job.

Knowing that Gabriel Martinelli is about to leap frog him and knowing that his chances are a delicate thing, Saka grasped this opportunity and showed everyone what it means when we urge our players to “take their chances.”

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You can only do what you can with what’s in front of you. If you pulverize what’s in front of you though, it looks better than if you were to understatedly sweep them aside. Bukayo Saka pulverized Standard Liege, and the numbers back him up this time around.

Sake led the team by a longshot with five shots taken. Three were on target, which is more than the rest of the team combined.

He created four clear chances, more than any two other players combined. He also gave up possession less than any other player in front of the back line. Yet again, it’s always security in possession that impresses me most with our most creative attacking players.

If ever you want to see an introductory course in how to make a statement and take an opportunity, Bukayo Saka can be the instructor, because this was it. Such a dominant performance. Despite positive performances by Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson, Saka ruled the day and reminded us why he sits near, if not at the top of the pile in our youth ranks.

Now we just need to see more of him. Please.