Former USMNT defender Janusz Michallik tipped Dominic Szoboszlai to have a higher ceiling than Arsenal man Bukayo Saka.
The talk about player levels and ceilings always proves a murky subject, as there’s no real definition to the argument. It’s all about how one sees the game and perceives a player’s quality. Since the start of last season, many have argued about Arsenal stars Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli to figure out which player has a higher ceiling.
Saka has his way of influencing games, and so does Martinelli. The duo had a similar output last season, and despite having an indifferent start to the current campaigns, they need not be compared over their ceilings. Similarly, there are other emerging stars at other clubs, like Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez and Liverpool’s Dominic Szoboszlai.
Szoboszlai made his move to Liverpool during the summer and has had a big impact on Jurgen Klopp’s side. Compare his start to that of Fernandez’s at Chelsea; the latter has barely seen a handful of wins while at Stamford Bridge but is still considered a top talent for the future.
The point is different players have various levels in their game, as some flourish early on while others depend on how the team performs. In the case of Szoboszlai, he was under pressure to come in and perform straight away for a club like Liverpool.
Despite being only 22, the Liverpool signing has considerable experience playing for RB Leipzig, and it shows in his mature performances this season. Whether he is better than his peers in the Premier League remains a far-fetched question, but undoubtedly, he has the talent to succeed at Anfield for a long time to come.
Former USMNT defender Janusz Michallik has now tipped Szoboszlai to have a higher ceiling than Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka. He argued on ESPN FC about their respective position and insisted players like Saka and Martinelli must impact the game through their goals. At the same time, the Liverpool signing and the likes have a different kind of influence on their teams.
Michallik said, “The way I want to end it, it’s so hard to compare them. When it comes to ceilings, I could see a player like Enzo or Szoboszlai being higher than Saka or Martinelli because it’s different. They rely on scoring goals and assists, they’re impact players, but with Enzo and Szoboszlai, they could be the Modric’s of the world where every season they are the engine room.”
There’s some logic in the comparison with the 22-year-old Arsenal star, but Szoboszlai still needs to catch up to Saka in the Premier League for experience. Saka’s non-participation against Manchester City halted a tremendous run of 87 straight Premier League games, something players rarely do.
The impact of Saka on Arsenal has been evident over the last two and a half years, and Szoboszlai still has a lot of distance to cover to reach that level. While they may have different objectives in the game, their impact on the team is more or less measured by the same logic.
