A Big Impact Off the Bench
Saka didn't hit that tally against the French visitors, but he shook off illness to come off the bench and set up Eberechi Eze's strike for 2-0 before rolling in Arsenal's third. The 25-year-old now has four goals in nine games this season and looks to be taking the next step as Arsenal's key man.
Most of his side's attacking play runs through him, so he has always been influential. But with defenders doubling up on him and injury problems over the last two seasons, there were doubts about whether he could still deliver in attack or had lost a yard of pace.
Arteta has tweaked Saka's positioning this season to get him closer to goal, and said so before the Lille game. "That is where we need to get him," he said. "And if he misses the chance, so be it. At the end, the more volume we generate, the bigger the probability of him scoring more goals."
Saka's finish against Lille was a confident one-touch effort, coming after he missed a late one-on-one in Saturday's Premier League win over Leeds. "He has been getting in great positions, getting shots, getting one-touch finishes and tap-ins," Arteta added. He said Saka could easily have four or five more goals by now, and that if the player starts thinking in terms of goals per game, the mentality shift will put him in those positions more often.
Saka has reached 20 goals in a season only once, in 2023-24, when 16 came in the Premier League. He is also in good form for England, with five goals in his last four matches, including a double in the 7-0 Nations League win over Croatia in the recent international break. For Arsenal in major European competitions he has 19 goals, behind only Thierry Henry (42), and nine Champions League assists, behind Henry (16) and Cesc Fabregas (14).
Saka won't reveal his personal targets. Arteta, though, was pleased with the response. "I don't know if that's the case, but I am very happy," he said. Saka wasn't feeling well the day before and on the day, with some sort of illness, and wasn't ready to start. "He was really wanting to contribute to the team if it was needed and he came on and made a huge impact and delivered with real quality."
Arteta also revealed he had a word with Saka after criticising him in the press conference. "I said 'Bukayo, I just killed you in the press conference, good luck tomorrow'," he recalled. "He was laughing. He knows that we have discussed these kind of things and he takes it because he wants to be the best version of himself." Big objectives and challenges are needed, Arteta said, and when it doesn't work, the answer is to keep going because Saka has the ability.
A Mixed Night for the Fringe Players
Arteta made five changes from the team that beat Leeds, with six matches to get through in all competitions this month. Noni Madueke moved to the right wing after a good display on the left at the weekend, while Mikel Merino, Eze and Viktor Gyokeres all came into the starting XI.
Eze had started only two games in all competitions before this one, and Arteta had called his attitude "phenomenal" despite the lack of minutes. The 28-year-old showed flashes of his quality, and his finish for the second goal, his first of the season, should boost his confidence. Madueke had a mixed night. He showed he can beat a defender, but questions remain over his end product, even though he provided the assist for Jurrien Timber's classy opening goal.
It was a poor night for Gyokeres. The Sweden striker scored 21 goals in all competitions last season as Arsenal won the title for the first time in 22 years, and he is known for his willingness to run and work. Against Lille, though, he had just 12 touches before being replaced, and Kai Havertz looked a much more natural fit up front, even teeing up Saka's goal.
Arteta brought on Saka, Havertz and Martin Odegaard after going 1-0 up, and all three showed why they remain first on the teamsheet and why the manager will lean on them heavily if Arsenal are to win more honours.
