‘Really disappointed’: Dean Ashton says 22-year-old Arsenal player was so poor vs Newcastle this weekend

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Arsenal have been in the headlines all weekend after losing at Newcastle but there hasn’t been much focus on their performance being pretty poor.

A number of their best players failed to deliver in what was a big game for the Gunners. The likes of Saka, Martinelli and Nketiah were all below par on the day.

That led to the Gunners not really creating much in terms of clear chances, especially from wide areas, where Saka and Martinelli seemed to be nullified.

And picking up on that aspect of the game, Dean Ashton believes Saka was poor throughout due to being overplayed.

Pundit says Bukayo Saka was poor at Newcastle and is overplayed

Speaking on the Premier League All Access podcast, Ashton had the following to say about Saka.

“I was really disappointed to be honest in Arsenal’s performance in such a big game. I think if you’re going to be title contenders you need to do a bit more. Even Bukayo Saka, I thought he was pretty poor in that game because he’s been overplayed, of course. So at the minute, I think it’s difficult for Mikel Arteta. I think there’s something missing in midfield,” Ashton said.

Saka cannot do it all

As good as Bukayo Saka is for Arsenal, there has to be games where other players step up and sort things out.

Saka has been so good so often for the Gunners and he is often the man they turn to to dig them out of a hole. But against Newcastle, as Ashton says, he wasn’t quite at it.

However, Arsenal have other players and it’s these players who need to be turning up as well in big games.

Yes, Newcastle defended well and stuck to their guns. But it can’t always be about Saka doing the business and this performance showed some of Arsenal’s other players are not up to it when it really matters.