Former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson explained why Bukayo Saka had a hard time watching as much ball as he did last night.
Gunners were disappointed after losing 1-0 at home to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals.
Saka was far from the best player at Emirates Stadium yesterday evening, but he is often the only important guy they are looking for to inspire with offense.
Former gunner Upson feels that one problem for Saka yesterday is the absence of Thomas Party in the middle.
Ghana International was stopped for this game, meaning Mikel Arteta had to change things in the middle.
Arsenal’s midfield shape had a negative impact on Bukayosaka
Upson feels that Partey’s not playing means that the other midfielders were playing a slightly different role than usual, so essentially there is a knock-on effect across the team.
That meant things didn’t flow in terms of getting the ball to Saka, and he could have the influence he normally would.
Speaking about BBC Radio 5 Live, Upson said:
“I don’t want to get deeper into why parties are important, but it was balance. Playing with different types of feel and balance can confuse how to give those key players the ball.”
Can Arsenal turn this game around?
Arsenal is only 1-0 in total, so there will certainly be an opportunity to turn things around with Parc des Princes in a week.
The AFC has partbacks for that game, but there are still many other key players free of charge due to injuries.
Kai Herberts, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Magalges all still out for the rest of the season.