Arsenal's hard-fought victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers has sparked a debate about their attacking limitations, with a leading pundit warning the Premier League leaders have become overly reliant on star winger Bukayo Saka.
Late win masks underlying concerns
The Gunners secured a dramatic 2-1 win at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday night, but the nature of the performance raised questions. Yerson Mosquera's 90th-minute own goal was required to secure all three points after Tolu Arokodare had equalised for Wolves in stoppage time, threatening to derail Arsenal's title charge.
Despite the result, which kept Mikel Arteta's side two points clear of Manchester City, former England defender Micah Richards believes a significant tactical issue is emerging for the league leaders.
"Too reliant on Saka" - Richards' stark warning
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Richards dissected Arsenal's attacking patterns, suggesting they have grown predictable. "Arsenal need to do a little more. They are too reliant on Saka all of the time," he stated.
Richards elaborated, pointing out that while players like Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli contribute goals, the creative burden falls disproportionately on the England international. "It feels as though all the dangerous play has to come from Saka," he said, highlighting that most attacks are funnelled down the right flank.
The pundit argued that this predictability is now being exploited by opponents who see Arsenal as the team to beat. "They need a little bit more imagination in the games now because you can’t keep relying on Saka to dig something out. It needs to be shared around," Richards concluded.
Arteta's squad seeks reset after gruelling schedule
The criticism comes as Arsenal players enjoy a rare break in a congested fixture list. The team had faced seven matches in just 21 days prior to the Wolves game.
Bukayo Saka acknowledged the intense period, telling reporters: "It's been a really, really busy schedule. Credit to all the boys and the staff... we've had some amazing results."
He emphasised that the week off before facing Everton is not for relaxation but for resetting, stating: "It's just a time to reset a bit and then go again next week in the training sessions." Whether Arteta uses this time to address the perceived lack of attacking variety remains to be seen as the title race intensifies.
