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    Bukayo Saka ‘wasn’t really himself’ – Martin Keown

    CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
    Bukayo Saka Arsenal 2023 24 4

    TNT Sports pundit Martin Keown remarked that Bukayo Saka seemed out of his usual form following Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to Porto in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie. The Gunners appeared poised to hold Porto to a goalless draw until Wenderson Galeno’s remarkable strike from outside the box in the 94th minute secured victory for the Portuguese side.

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    Martin Keown said Bukayo Saka “wasn’t really himself” after the England star struggled to impose himself on the first leg of Arsenal’s UEFA Champions League last-16 tie away to Porto.

    Despite the Gunners dominating possession at the Estadio do Dragao, they suffered a 1-0 defeat due to Wenderson Galeno’s stunning 94th-minute goal. Mikel Arteta’s team, renowned for their potent attack, struggled to break through Porto’s solid defense and failed to produce a single shot on target throughout the match.

    “They were [wasteful],” Keown said on TNT Sports.

    “It seems as if they don’t start the game full on and with that confidence it affects them then in the second half and that’s what certainly happened today.”

    “Saka wasn’t really himself, they didn’t get as many touches and when they did it broke down too many times.”
    Porto’s compact shape limited the chances Arsenal were able to create through the middle, forcing them to go down the flanks and rely on set-pieces and crosses, something Keown added is at odds with Saka’s style of play.

    “It’s not something he does that often, slinging it in, he usually cuts inside and you expect more,” Keown continued.
    “You’ve grown so used to seeing these guys [create chances]. But Saka was giving the ball away and that’s just not him.”

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    Despite Arsenal’s impressive form coming into the match, having scored 21 goals in five consecutive wins to narrow the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool, the UEFA Champions League presents a unique set of challenges.

    Martin Keown emphasized that the defeat to Porto serves as a wake-up call for the English club, highlighting the different pressures associated with European competition. He suggested that this result will force Arsenal to refocus ahead of the crucial second leg at the Emirates.

    “It was a harsh lesson for Arteta and his team and he talked about attacking better and showing more aggression and they’re quick learners,” Keown added.
    “They are young in this competition as manager and as players and I think they’ll learn quickly and do much better in the return leg.
    “They can’t play this badly again. It was a professional performance because the defence really did a good job until the goal and there are question marks. Was the keeper a bit too low? Could Declan Rice have gone a bit higher, could he have pressed a little bit?
    “I think there was a little bit of fatigue there but there’s still plenty to go in this tie yet.”

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