‘A lot of things to work on’: Arteta says Arsenal player needs to get better at defending

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has told BT Sport that Bukayo Saka still needs to work on his game defensively.

Saka started for Arsenal at left-back against West Bromwich Albion yesterday and he once again impressed in the position.

The youngster claimed an assist for Arsenal’s first goal of the game, as he cut the ball back for Emile Smith Rowe.

But Arteta says that Saka still needs to work on his game defensively to really be at home in the position.

He said: “Going forwards we know Saka is a real threat, he gives you something unique.

“Defensively there is a lot of things to work on with him.

“But he adapted. We believed we were going to attack against them and he gave us a lot of joy.”

Arteta’s comments may just hint at why he hasn’t used Saka at left-back more often in Kieran Tierney’s absence.

The Arsenal boss has preferred to play Granit Xhaka on the left side of defence with Tierney sidelined, which has baffled many Gunners fans.

In that sense, Saka’s impressive display yesterday hardly helped Arteta’s argument that Xhaka is more suited to the role.

But it is fair to say that Saka wasn’t really tested defensively against the Baggies yesterday and he may have struggled more had he been put on the back foot more often.

Thankfully for Arsenal Tierney is almost fully fit again after returning from injury, so the debate over who should slot in a left-back should be coming to an end anyway.