Bukayo Saka leads list of three undroppable Arsenal players after first seven games
Arsenal have started the season excellently despite being handed the trickiest of all the fixture lists to open the campaign. Away trips to Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester City returned seven points with just seconds separating the Gunners from a famous win at the Etihad Stadium and two extra points that would see them sit top of the league.
Instead, they remain level with City and just one point off a Liverpool side who have had a comparatively far simpler start to their campaign and who visit the Emirates Stadium in a fortnight’s time. Mikel Arteta has now given minutes to all his new outfield signings from the summer with the hope the recently returned Mikel Merino will further integrate into the squad.
Bukayo Saka
This is somewhat ironic considering his absence from the team may be enforced after suffering a hamstring issue whilst with England in their defeat to Greece on Thursday night. However, when fit, there is little argument that Saka is the first name on the team sheet.
His creativity has been unrivalled so far which in the absence of Martin Odegaard has been made even more important. He has seven assists and three goals in the opening ten games and without question has been the best player in the side so far.
Kai Havertz
This time last season things could not be more different for Kai Havertz. Having just moved from Chelsea and playing in midfield, the German international was not enamouring himself to the Arsenal supporters with inconsistent showings bringing his £60million-plus price tag more into the spotlight.
His price remains heavily in the focus but for the right reasons and the key part of his ‘Waka Waka’ chant that is sung now on a regular occasion, particularly at the Emirates Stadium. Havertz has now scored in seven consecutive home matches for Arsenal and playing the centre-forward role to Arteta’s explicit instructions has landed him six goals and an assist for the Gunners granting him undroppable status.
Jurrien Timber
What a player Arsenal missed last season. Jurrien Timber was unable to take part in every game last season besides the last and first matches of the Premier League campaign having suffered the now infamous knee injury he has since recovered from.
His fitness is not yet completely clean and is still dealing with some load-bearing issues in the fallout from his recovery. Yet, in the games he has played the Dutch international has been outstanding and provided Arsenal a new level of technical ability when either deployed on the right or the left of the defence.
Ben White looked like an undroppable player for two seasons but Timber’s progression has thrown the cat amongst the pigeons in that regard. Yet his versatility means Arteta can use both White and Timber and when the former Ajax man is fit, very few people would not have him starting right now.
