Euro 2020: 3 tasks for Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka in England vs Italy final with Gareth Southgate likely to start 19-year-old in Wembley showpiece. (Photo by LAURENCE GRIFFITHS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
It’s here. The big day. The biggest day of all. England will face Italy at Wembley in the final of the 2020 European Championships. The hopes of a nation rest on this talented ensemble – and one of them is likely to be the Arsenal player of the year, Bukayo Saka.
Arsenal have a magnificent global fanbase. Supporters from all walks of life whose love for the football club is as strong as the next. Yet many of the non-English fans probably want England to lose, like, well, most of the world. It’s to be expected. Bukayo Saka may change a few minds, though.
With the continent taking notice of just how magnificent this young man is, doubters over his suitability in a squad brimming with attacking talent have had to rethink: he was man of the match against the Czech Republic, influential against Germany and offered a vital intervention against Denmark.
Just because it’s a club that may not be able to lure the best players to north London any more or lay claim to being deserving of a ‘top six’ tag in the Premier League doesn’t mean it isn’t blessed with talent.
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Euro 2020: 3 tasks for Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka in England vs Italy final with Gareth Southgate likely to start 19-year-old in Wembley showpiece
Ahead of the biggest game in the lives of almost all of the players taking to the pitch for Sunday’s final, it appears as if Saka will get the nod from the start.
Phil Foden was among the candidates to take up the right-sided role against Italy but having not trained on the Saturday after picking up a knock, his chances have been drastically slimmed. The other options in that position are Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, with neither set to usurp the star boy from the lineup.
Sancho is an outrageously talented forward yet he has started just once this Euros campaign – when Saka was injured – and for continuity is unlikely to be given the nod. As for Rashford, some pundits called for his inclusion but it would be a bizarre and foolish decision from Southgate to unsettle his team with someone who has been limited to five late substitute appearances, regardless of his ability.
It looks for all the world as if Saka will be handed the formidable task of finding a way through an Italian side without defeat in their last 33 matches. They’ve got a couple of blokes in central defence who aren’t too bad either.
There are three key roles for him to play, even if he doesn’t start, that there is every faith in him to carry out.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 07: Kyle Walker of England interacts with Bukayo Saka during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Semi-final match between England and Denmark at Wembley Stadium on July 07, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Frank Augstein – Pool/Getty Images)
1. Work With Kyle Walker to Limit Lorenzo Insigne’s Threat
Italy are a team who know well in advance what it is they need to do. Every motion, phase and passage of play is stored neatly away into a mental filing cabinet for the players to flick through at the time of asking and carry out.
In other words, Roborrto Mancini knows how to drill his teams (so definitely not sorry for that).
When they attack it’s where Lorenzo Insigne is able to come alive. Starting out on the left wing, the support he receives from his full-back is essential to allowing him to move into the half-space where he is most dangerous.
Fortunately for England, Leonardo Spinazzola’s intelligence in his role helped them click but his Achilles injury has ruled him out. The job will fall on Emerson’s shoulders and while not as reliable, he will nonetheless look to provide that width.
Saka has to be alert to his danger. Him playing over other options in the position is due to his stronger defensive qualities, and there will come moments – probably long and excruciating periods – where he will have to operate almost as a wing-back to Kyle Walker.
A full-back should never be caught running too far infield but a strong line of communication is going to be needed between him and Saka to know who covers who when Italy are in the final third. Kalvin Phillips has had an excellent tournament and his understanding of space and when to press is vital, and that trio have to be at full focus to nullify Insigne’s threat and Nico Barella’s tendency to wander into one of the five lanes of attack.
Saka will have to drop into a defensive half-space as well as an attacking one on Sunday and nothing other than total understanding between him, Walker and Phillips will suffice.
When the going does get tough you need players who won’t hide. Saka never does. Against Denmark when under the cosh, the youngster always showed for the ball, never crumbled under the occasion. He’ll be doing that again.
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<h2>Euro 2020: 3 tasks for Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka in England vs Italy final with Gareth Southgate likely to start 19-year-old in Wembley showpiece</h2>
<p>Ahead of the biggest game in the lives of almost all of the players taking to the pitch for Sunday’s final, it appears as if Saka will get the nod from the start.</p>
<p>Phil Foden was among the candidates to take up the right-sided role against Italy but having <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/11/euro-2020-3-tasks-saka-england-arsenal/"https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12016/12352886/phil-foden-england-forward-misses-training-as-a-precaution-ahead-of-euro-2020-final-with-italy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not trained on the Saturday</a> after picking up a knock, his chances have been drastically slimmed. The other options in that position are Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, with neither set to usurp the star boy from the lineup.</p>
<p>Sancho is an outrageously talented forward yet he has started just once this Euros campaign – when Saka was injured – and for continuity is unlikely to be given the nod. As for Rashford, some pundits called for his inclusion but it would be a bizarre and foolish decision from Southgate to unsettle his team with someone who has been limited to five late substitute appearances, regardless of his ability.</p>
<p>It looks for all the world as if Saka will be handed the formidable task of finding a way through an Italian side without defeat in their last <em>33 matches</em>. They’ve got a couple of blokes in central defence who aren’t too bad either.</p>
<p>There are three key roles for him to play, even if he doesn’t start, that there is every faith in him to carry out.</p>
<div id="attachment_117159" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-117159" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/11/euro-2020-3-tasks-saka-england-arsenal/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1327522865-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Bukayo Saka" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 07: Kyle Walker of England interacts with Bukayo Saka during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Semi-final match between England and Denmark at Wembley Stadium on July 07, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Frank Augstein – Pool/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>1. Work With Kyle Walker to Limit Lorenzo Insigne’s Threat</h2>
<p>Italy are a team who know well in advance what it is they need to do. Every motion, phase and passage of play is stored neatly away into a mental filing cabinet for the players to flick through at the time of asking and carry out.</p>
<p>In other words, Roborrto Mancini knows how to drill his teams (so definitely not sorry for that).</p>
<p>When they attack it’s where Lorenzo Insigne is able to come alive. Starting out on the left wing, the support he receives from his full-back is essential to allowing him to move into the half-space where he is most dangerous.</p>
<p>Fortunately for England, Leonardo Spinazzola’s intelligence in his role helped them click but his Achilles injury has ruled him out. The job will fall on Emerson’s shoulders and while not as reliable, he will nonetheless look to provide that width.</p>
<p>Saka has to be alert to his danger. Him playing over other options in the position is due to his stronger defensive qualities, and there will come moments – probably long and excruciating periods – where he will have to operate almost as a wing-back to Kyle Walker.</p>
<p>A full-back should never be caught running too far infield but a strong line of communication is going to be needed between him and Saka to know who covers who when Italy are in the final third. Kalvin Phillips has had an excellent tournament and his understanding of space and when to press is vital, and that trio have to be at full focus to nullify Insigne’s threat and Nico Barella’s tendency to wander into one of the five lanes of attack.</p>
<p>Saka will have to drop into a defensive half-space as well as an attacking one on Sunday and nothing other than total understanding between him, Walker and Phillips will suffice.</p>
<p>When the going does get tough you need players who won’t hide. Saka never does. Against Denmark when under the cosh, the youngster always showed for the ball, never crumbled under the occasion. He’ll be doing that again.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/11/euro-2020-3-tasks-saka-england-arsenal/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2. Get. At. Emerson </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_117160" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-117160" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/11/euro-2020-3-tasks-saka-england-arsenal/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1327462673-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Emerson Palmieri" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 06: Emerson Palmieri of Italy in action during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Semi-final match between Italy and Spain at Wembley Stadium on July 06, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>2. Bukayo Saka vs Emerson One of the Deciding Battles</h2>
<p>This. Will. Be. Tasty.</p>
<p>Looking at this frightening Italian side, the weak link is obvious. Were Spinazzola playing then we’d be talking about one of Gli Azzurri’s greatest strengths, but with Emerson coming into the game as his replacement that turns on its head.</p>
<p>The Chelsea left-back isn’t <em>terrible</em>. He certainly isn’t anywhere near the Roma man’s level but what is crucial is how little football he has played this season. Emerson started just two Premier League matches all term.</p>
<p>Saka has the potential to destroy him. Those out to in runs are one of England’s most lethal weapons.</p>
<p>In both full-back positions is where England will have most of their joy since <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/11/euro-2020-3-tasks-saka-england-arsenal/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/06/30/arsenal-raheem-sterling-england-interest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Raheem Sterling is in the form of his life</a> and going to feel like he has a similar opportunity against Giovanni Di Lorenzo on the opposite flank. However, Saka will twist and turn Emerson out, force him to dive in at the wrong moments and drag him out of position.</p>
<p>Walker has been the more defensively minded full-back in England’s side but he has real potential to exploit those weaknesses. Whoever plays in the middle, whether Mason Mount or Jack Grealish, will have Saka to one side inviting the extra man cover and freeing up half-space potential.</p>
<p>Southgate has favoured starting Saka and then bringing him off by the half hour mark but if the 19-year-old gives Emerson the nightmares he has the capability to do then it’ll be the Italian making way early doors.</p>
<p>With movement so divine and farcically intelligent for someone his age, we’ll know seconds into the match whether he has Emerson on toast or not. The uncertainty becomes visible in the opponent with the way he uses space mere moments after kick-off.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/11/euro-2020-3-tasks-saka-england-arsenal/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 3. Aid Harry Kane </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-117161" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/11/euro-2020-3-tasks-saka-england-arsenal/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1327518974-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Bukayo Saka" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 07: Harry Kane, Mason Mount, Kalvin Phillips, Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka of England celebrate their side’s first goal, an own goal by Simon Kjaer of Denmark. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Bring the Best Out of Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling</h2>
<p>Heung-min Son and Kane have a (frustratingly) incredible on-pitch relationship. They bounce off each other in a way you have to admire even if it’s normally Arsenal who are on the receiving end.</p>
<p>For England and especially in this tournament, however, it’s different for the captain.</p>
<p>With Raheem Sterling and Saka either side, Kane relies on the two working in tandem despite their geographic distance from one another in order for him to find the spaces he feels he can hurt the opposition.</p>
<p>Saka has earned storming praise for his performances but the aspect that has gone mostly unnoticed is how his role in the team favours his two forward partners.</p>
<p>So versatile in his positioning, he is someone who can hold the right on his own but come infield to make up the numbers needed to counter Italy’s three-man midfield. That area of the pitch will be <em>the </em>battle ground that could swing the tie either way, regardless of individual superiority in other areas.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wow… what a send-off! 😍</p>
<p>Amazing scenes as the <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/11/euro-2020-3-tasks-saka-england-arsenal/"https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThreeLions?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>#ThreeLions</a> depart St. George’s Park for the final time. <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/11/euro-2020-3-tasks-saka-england-arsenal/"https://t.co/FU9Z3417nC">pic.twitter.com/FU9Z3417nC
<p>— England (@England) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/11/euro-2020-3-tasks-saka-england-arsenal/"https://twitter.com/England/status/1413896546484117510?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>July 10, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/11/euro-2020-3-tasks-saka-england-arsenal/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div>
<p>Declan Rice will have his hands full with Nico Barella, and with Saka dropping deep, Phillips’ energy can complement him who can then hone in on Marco Verratti. Getting them pinned in will isolate Sterling and Kane further up and the Man City man’s pace will always beat either Italian central defender.</p>
<p>Bulking up the numbers in midfield will free Kane and Sterling, as it has done for the latter many times already this tournament. In-game positional shifts are invaluable to disrupting and suffocating the Italian engine room, which Saka has in his locker to perform.</p>
<p>Both Sterling and Kane have profited from Saka’s ingenious movement in this tournament. It’s not always dropping deep either, as seen with his clever bending run and movement against Denmark. Darting in between wing-back and full-back, he made a run was superbly found by Kane who could drop deeper to assume possession on account of Saka moving out to the touchline.</p>
<p>He brings the best out of England’s best.</p>
<p>So, there it is. A blueprint to beat Italy. Steady as she goes. And while there are many more than three roles for Saka to perform should he start as expected on Sunday, the three mentioned which are already instinctive parts of his game, could swing the pendulum one way or the other.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Smart recruitment step" data-url="https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/10/arsenal-smart-recruitment-appointment/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/11/euro-2020-3-tasks-saka-england-arsenal/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/10/arsenal-smart-recruitment-appointment/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Smart recruitment step </a> </div>
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<p>Bring it home, Bukayo. We’re so proud of you whatever may come.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
