Mikel Arteta is not quite sure how his Arsenal team will look without Bukayo Saka in it, but one thing he does know is that they will be “different”. Arsenal are set to be without Saka for “many weeks” after he tore his hamstring during the Gunners’ victory at Crystal Palace last Saturday and it will force Arteta into a major rethink.
The Spaniard had to cope without his captain, Martin Odegaard, for nearly two months earlier this season, but no player has been more crucial to Arteta during his time at Arsenal than Saka. The winger has made 230 appearances for Arsenal since Arteta was appointed in December 2019, which is 41 more than any other player.
Saka is the top scorer of Arteta’s time at Arsenal with 68 goals. The next best tally is 38, achieved by both Gabriel Martinelli and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. When it comes to assists, Saka is also Arteta’s top performer with 58 - which is 28 more than Odegaard in second place.
“We have to look internally at what we have and be creative,” said Arteta. “How can we mould the squad? How can we adapt to the circumstances and be different? We cannot pretend to be the same. “We’re going to have to be different and try to find the best way to do it and be very competitive and win a lot of games.
“Trying to be the same, but worse? This, I don’t want. Someone trying to do Bukayo? That player has to be him. That’s it. That’s the direction.”. This stretch of games without Saka is a step into the unknown for Arsenal, and so perhaps it is no surprise that Arteta isn’t quite sure how the team will set up.
