Here is the thing about Bukayo Saka. You leave him out of a World Cup semi final, as Thomas Tuchel did, and he does not sulk. He does not go missing....
Here is the thing about Bukayo Saka. You leave him out of a World Cup semi final, as Thomas Tuchel did, and he does not sulk. He does not go missing. He goes out and scores a hat trick against France, of all sides, and makes the decision look like a misjudgement of the highest order.This was not some gentle reintroduction. This was Saka dragging England back into a contest that had threatened to slip away. Two clinical finishes, one ice cold penalty, and a performance that reeked of intent. Every time he received the ball on that right flank, the French defence had a problem they could not solve. He went at them, went through them, and when they sat deep in a low block he simply found the space nobody else could see. The kid is 23 years old and already playing like a veteran who has seen it all.Tuchel's logic, as reported by GoalZaza, was rooted in tactical flexibility. He wanted a more rigid structure in that semi final, extra cover in transitional play, and Saka's natural instinct to take risks perhaps did not fit the script. But football is a game of moments, and moments are what Saka produces. The German manager now has to ask himself a difficult question. Is structure worth more than the chaos this boy can cause Because when the game is in the mixer and you need somebody to step up, Saka does not hide. He demands the ball.The England camp, according to GoalZaza insiders, has been buzzing since that hat trick. There is a feeling that Saka has made himself undroppable, not because of his reputation but because of the sheer weight of his output. Tuchel is a man who trusts data and patterns, but the data is now screaming at him. England create more chances, score more goals, and win more duels when Saka is on the pitch. That is not opinion. That is just the numbers.So where does this leave Tuchel Probably with a headache he never expected. He left Saka out once, and the response was a statement performance that will be remembered for years. Do it again, and the scrutiny will be unbearable. Pick him, and you unlock a dimension of forward play that few managers can call upon. This is not a selection dilemma. This is a test of whether you trust your eyes over your plan. I know which one I would go with.
