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Bukayo Saka's new Arsenal role is something Mikel Arteta has hinted could be something seen more in the future
The FA Cup early rounds can be about experimentation, and that is exactly what we got to see from Mikel Arteta, although perhaps not all through choice. When the line-ups were released, many Arsenal fans were granted their wish that Myles Lewis-Skelly would start in midfield.
However, those aspirations were quickly ripped away as Riccardo Calafiori had to be replaced in the starting XI by Bukayo Saka. Back to left back went the 19-year-old but in turn we got to witness something we’d not seen for sometime, even as far back as the pandemic lockdowns: Saka in the central midfield position.
He and Eberechi Eze formed a fluid partnership, with Mikel Arteta admitting after the game he had been surprised just how quickly everyone managed to gel. He cited how difficult it can be for new connections to form.
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"I was a bit surprised with the level of cohesion and connections very early in the match," Arteta said. "Because when you make that many changes, that can be a part of the game that can be lacking, but certainly it wasn't, and we scored some very, very good goals, and I'm very pleased with that."
Saka helped set up the third goal, while Eze was responsible for two passes into Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli to set up the first two. Granted, it would have been preferable for the summer signing to have been as impactful in the draw with Brentford, considering he was hooked off at half-time, but this could be a foundation for something better.
It comes at a good time for Arteta in some ways with Martin Odegaard suffering a new issue and both Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino also missing.
"Especially because we are going through [to the next round]," Arteta said. "Before it was the strikers, then it was the defenders, now it's the midfielders.
"But we are still coping with that but we need some players back and fit and to give us as well not only numbers but different options in relation to the opponents that we have, so the quicker the better."
Arteta suggested that using Saka as a central figure could be something that we see in the future.
"Yeah, that's something that's a possibility and I wanted to try it and we might use it in the future," Arteta admitted. "So we still have so many games, competitions and different scenarios to play in this season, and that's a possibility that we have."
The prospect of seeing it at Wolves on Wednesday, however, is highly unlikely. The expectation is that Saka will move back to the right wing, with both Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi coming into the midfield.
Eze, though, should keep his central spot, and will hope to build on these assists. Of all the Gunners' summer signings, Eze has probably been the most underwhelming, and it should be said this isn't entirely a surprise.
Coming from Crystal Palace, where he was the star player, afforded him both more freedom and fewer responsibilities, and he has joined a meticulously coached team, subsequently being given significantly more responsibilities. You have to relearn how to play in many ways, but to flip the script: perhaps he also could be given more license and less responsibility?
Although the likelihood of seeing that happen is another question entirely. And not one I think has a surprising answer.
Yes, it was Wigan, yes, it proves very little, but this win could be a spark; a catalyst for individual players and the team, and truly, from a clash like this, that is the best case scenario.
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