- Bukayo Saka says his current left-back role will only improve his skills as a winger in the future.
Bukayo Saka says his current left-back role will only improve his skills as a winger in the future.
The talented 18-year-old has assisted eight goals across all competitions this season, more than any other Arsenal player despite playing in an unfamiliar role at full back.
“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,” Saka told Arsenal’s official website.
“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.”
