Fear not, Arsenal fans, the international break is finally coming to an end this weekend.
However, while the return of the Premier League can’t come soon enough, the Emirates faithful have been able to watch a number of their stars excel for their nations over the last week and a half.
One of those who has been particularly impressive has been Bukayo Saka, who scored a wonder goal against Wales and then picked up an assist against Latvia.
So long as he remains fit, the Hale Ender will surely be one of the first names on the team sheet at the World Cup, as his importance to the Three Lions is only eclipsed by his importance to the Gunners.
With that said, while Saka will likely remain the North Londoners’ talismanic number seven for as long as he’s playing, Mikel Arteta and Co may already have the perfect long-term heir in one of the most exciting talents in the country.
Arsenal's recent number sevens
Despite the amount of change the squad has been through, Arsenal have only had three first-team players wear the number seven shirt since 2016.
The first of those was Alexis Sanchez, who took the number ahead of the 16/17 season following the departure of Czech international Tomas Rosický.
The former Barcelona ace was already an undeniable superstar for the Gunners at this point, having produced 37 goal involvements in 41 games the season prior.
However, with his new number on his back, the Chilean international reached another level, scoring 30 goals and providing 18 assists in 51 appearances, totalling 4230 minutes, in the 16/17 season.
That comes out to a staggering average of a goal involvement every 1.06 games, or every 88.12 minutes. If that wasn’t enough, he also scored the opening goal in the club’s 2-1 FA Cup Final triumph over Chelsea that summer.
Appearances
52
Goals
25
Assists
12
Goal Involvements per Match
0.71
Appearances
41
Goals
17
Assists
11
Goal Involvements per Match
0.68
Appearances
51
Goals
30
Assists
18
Goal Involvements per Match
0.94
Appearances
22
Goals
8
Assists
4
Goal Involvements per Match
0.54
However, all good things must come to an end, and midway through the following season, he moved to Manchester United in a swap deal that saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan come the other way.
The Armenian international took the seven shirt off the departing winger, but, interestingly, had to wear 77 in Europa League matches because two players are not allowed to wear the same number in the same campaign.
Unfortunately, while the Yerevan-born player is undeniably talented and has been brilliant in Italy, he failed to deliver in North London and, within a year and a half, was sent on loan to AS Roma, with just nine goals and 13 assists in 59 games for the club.
The loan was made in the summer of 2020, and in July, the seven was handed to one of the club’s own: Saka.
While he hasn’t had a season as explosive as Sanchez’s 16/17, the Hale Ender has become a reliable source of goal involvements as well as someone who can step up in the big moments.
Moreover, and arguably just as crucial, he has also become the face of Arteta’s project and rejuvenation of the club, with him netting his 100th Premier League goal involvement in just his 200th league appearance before the international break.
In all, the Gunners’ “legend in the making,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored 73 goals and provided 72 assists in 270 games for the club, totalling 20448 minutes.
In other words, since his first-team debut, the dazzling winger has averaged a goal involvement every 1.86 games, or every 141.02 minutes, which is made all the more impressive by the fact he spent much of his early career at left-back, or being played all over the place.
So, it’s clear that, so long as he can remain fit, Saka will almost certainly remain Arsenal’s number seven for potentially the next decade or so, and in even more good news, the academy looks like it’s producing someone who could be his long-term heir.
Arsenal's future number seven
There is certainly an argument to be made that Ethan Nwaneri could end up being Arsenal’s future number seven, as most of his games last season came off the right, in place of Saka.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
However, it has become increasingly clear this season that the club view him as a central player, and anyway, there is now another, younger Hale End gem who looks like he could thrive out wide and eventually make the number his own: Max Dowman.
It is hard to think of another academy gem who has received as much media attention as the 15-year-old, but it’s not just fans and pundits waxing lyrical about him.
For example, at the start of last season, Kulig claimed the teenager was the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal”, and then last November, Hale End expert Will Balsam called him “the biggest talent in England.”
It might all sound somewhat hyperbolic, but his numbers from last season suggest it might not be.
Appearances
23
Minutes
1945′
Goals
19
Assists
5
Goal Involvements per Match
1.04
Minutes per Goal Involvement
81.04′
In just 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, he scored 19 times and provided five assists, which comes out to an average of 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes.
Moreover, he played brilliantly in pre-season, winning a penalty against Newcastle United, and then did the same at home to Leeds United in the league, with respected analyst Ben Mattinson pointing out that he “hasn’t even done his GCSE’s but he’s humiliating Premier League players.”
Finally, while there is a case for his future being in the middle of the park, his best attributes seem to be his agility, ability to beat opposition defenders, and his ability to burst into the penalty area, all of which feel like key skills for a top-class winger.
On top of that, his first team experience has come off the right, and he is currently playing out wide and thriving for England’s U19 side.
Finally, if the Gunners want to have him and Nwaneri in the team in the future, leading the way for Hale End, then it makes sense to play the latter in the middle and keep the former on the wing, where he can make the most of his incredible gifts.
Ultimately, Dowman is not going to take the number seven shirt from Saka in the foreseeable future, but given how young he is, there is every chance he becomes the 24-year-old’s long-term heir at the Emirates.