Micah Richards compares a current Arsenal star to Invincibles legend Robert Pires
Micah Richards compares a current Arsenal star to Invincibles legend Robert Pires… praising the striker’s ability to “drop his shoulder and bend it into the far corner” as he looks to lead the Gunners to a first title in 19 years.
Micah Richards has given a current Arsenal star a huge boost by comparing him to one of the club’s all-time legends, Robert Pires.
The former defender heaped praise for Arsenal’s current talisman, praising his dribbling and shooting skills as the Gunners look to end their 19-year Premier League title drought this campaign.
Pires was one of Arsenal’s most important players in the 2003-04 season, in which the Gunners clinched the title without losing a game, so perhaps Richards sees similarities to Bukayo Saka’s play.
The Frenchman scored 14 goals and provided nine assists that year, proving himself one of the team’s biggest providers and one of its deadliest finishers, while Saka has been equally prolific with 13 goals and 10 assists in the league.
In a Match of the Day podcast, Richards ranked the former Gunners winger as the seventh best French player in Premier League history, with teammates Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira at numbers one and two respectively.
Micah Richards made comparisons between one of the Gunners’ current stars and Robert Pires
French striker Pires was one of the Gunners’ most important players in his six years at the club
‘Robert Pires…’ Gary Lineker began, as he, Richards and Alan Shearer discussed the great French stars of the division.
‘Now we are cooking! It reminds me of (Bukayo) Saka,’ Richards said.
‘The way he… On the other hand, the way you think he’s not going to beat you and then he just drops his shoulder and then rolls it into the far corner.’
It’s high praise for Saka, but the English star has been one of the best in Europe this season.
He became the first player this season to reach double figures in goals and assists at the weekend with a brace and an assist against Crystal Palace in Sunday’s London derby at the Emirates Stadium.
He is also his team’s top scorer along with Gabriel Martinelli, with 13 this season in all competitions, and is beginning to establish himself as one of his country’s leading right-backs.
Bukayo Saka has been the standout player for the Gunners in 2022-23, reaching double figures in both goals and assists.
The Gunners hold a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table as they try to end their title drought.
Pires was primarily a left winger, with former Arsenal caretaker manager Freddie Ljungberg deployed on the right with equally devastating impact.
However, the similarities in their game are evidently there for Richards, as they are both lefties with an eye for goal.
Saka has been one of the key pieces for Mikel Arteta’s men, who are five points ahead of the top of the table.
And the English striker has barely missed a game for his team in all competitions, playing 38 games, with a total of 2,963 minutes, which means he plays an average of 77 minutes per game.
