How Bukayo Saka is getting into more shooting positions this season

Bukayo Saka has taken 13 shots on goal across four Premier League games and one Champions League game so far this season. The next highest volume shooter in the team is Kai Havertz with eight. There has very clearly been an emphasis on getting Saka into strong shooting positions this season.

With Havertz and Odegaard fit (for now!) the possibility of fluidity and interchange has been far higher this season. Christos Tzolis has largely picked up where Leandro Trossard left off in this regard too. Let’s look at some examples of how Arsenal are manipulating situations where Saka can take up shooting positions.

Declan Rice feeds a pass behind the Coventry left-back here and it’s not Saka or even Ben White running onto it. Left winger Christos Tzolis has drifted to the right here. Look at Bukayo Saka’s position as a result. Nice and central in the area.

Tzolis pulls the ball back into the area and Saka is there alongside Havertz like a second striker. Saka takes a touch but his effort is deflected behind for a corner. It’s not just a speculative Saka shot, he is in front of goal and around eight yards out. It is a high value shooting situation.

As well as giving Saka license to get into more central positions, there has been a heavy emphasis on him being sure to fill the back post when attacks emerge down Arsenal’s left side. Saka’s first two goals this season emanated from Arsenal combining down the left side.

Declan Rice feeds Tzolis on the left here and we can see that Saka is roughly in line with that back post and slightly outside Havertz.

Havertz scores a few minutes earlier and when the ball is delivered by Calafiori, we see Saka is ready on the back post again. Arsenal rinsing more from their left side has helped Saka to focus on being a finisher with late arrivals into the box.

Tzolis’ low cross ricochets a little and when it arrives at Saka’s feet, he is in the sort of position a centre-forward might equally be in. (Notice Odegaard also crashing into the area for any bits and pieces too).

We have also seen Saka keener to make diagonal runs off the shoulder of his full-back. Rice makes an interception here and strides forwards and Saka isn’t satisfied to fill the right flank, he wants to run into the area.

In the end, Villa have to make a cynical foul to stop him and narrowly avoid conceding a penalty.

We see something very similar in the dying seconds of the Sunderland game. This time it’s Bruno who has the ball in midfield and Saka is making a diagonal run again rather than staying on the touchline.

Again, a cynical foul is required to stop him and this time it is in the penalty area. Saka converts from the spot.

His goal at Villa is another example of honed penalty area instincts and the increasing fertility of Arsenal’s left side. Calafiori and Eze combine this time and look at the position Saka is in even before the pass to Calafiori.

The subsequent run is not just about filling the back post either. Saka wants to get into the most optimal position (again, Odegaard is also sniffing here which feels significant). This is a proper striker’s goal.

We see that desire to run off the shoulder again here. It looks as though Chelsea have won the ball back from Havertz here.

But Odegaard has something to say about that and as soon as he makes for the loose ball, Saka is on the move with another diagonal run.

But Martinez is equal to his right-footed shot. But Saka is showing much sharper movement in behind this season.

Odegaard has the ball here and Saka is already on the move before the ball is played.

That makes Havertz’s mind up for him to flick the ball around the corner.

But Saka’s first time shot is well saved by Martinez.

At Sunderland, Declan Rice receives the ball on the corner of the area here and Saka is visible in the penalty area.

A common misconception among fans is that passes beget runs but it’s the other way around. The forward’s movement invites the pass. Saka daggers into the area so Rice provides the service.

Rice finds Saka but he’s just too close in to take a touch and a shot here. But it’s another example of his cuter movement this season.

When Odegaard gets the ball in this position at Sunderland, look at how aggressive Saka’s position is. This really could and should have been a repeat of his goal at Villa Park but Odegaard pulls the ball back to Havertz here.

This situation leads to a Havertz overhead shot in the end but look at Saka’s positioning here. Odegaard is over on the right and Saka is making a run into the box.

When Havertz connects look at how central Saka is again in case anything drops for him in the area.

There has clearly been an instruction for Saka to make runs off the shoulder of his full-back and to try to take up as many central or close to central positions in the penalty area as possible. He has also benefited from Arsenal’s increasing potence on the left side via Tzolis and Calafiori to attack the penalty area more often. If this pattern- and his fitness- hold, I suspect Saka might break his personal record for open play goals this season.

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