For a while I was conflicted over the media coverage post-Iceland defeat.
Almost every outlet went for a picture of Bukayo Saka – whether it was him throwing a paper airplane or laying on the ground in despair.
With the pictures, it did feel like they were blaming Saka for the defeat – very strange considering he only played 24 minutes.
This led to many, including Ian Wright, to come to the conclusion that there was something more sinister at play. And I get the point he was making.
I decided to hold off blogging on this yesterday as I wanted to take the time to really think through my standpoint. And ultimately I think anyone that is crying foul play need to stop victimising Saka.
England’s Star Boy
For a long time, Saka has been Arsenal’s Star Boy. He has also become England’s.
As “elder statesman” like Harry Kane are coming towards the end of their career, Saka is quickly becoming the leader of the next generation.
He is already one of the most recognisable athletes in word sport and with his talent, humility and demeanour he is hugely marketable. But with a high profile of positivity will always come negative side.
From Gazza to David Beckham and Wayne Rooney the English football team has always had a “face” of the team. That face is now Saka.
We can not celebrate him being front and centre of pictures when we are a success, and then claim foul play when it is his picture that also goes with defeats.
The perfect picture
Thousands of pictures get taken of players at games. Media outlets will then go through them to find the perfect picture.
For The Sun, Saka throwing a paper airplane was the perfect picture to go with their “plane awful” headline. The two together was an editors dream with England about to fly out to Germany.
The second picture often used was the one of Saka on the floor looking in shock. These was again a great picture to sum up England’s performance.
When looking for pictures for match reports, I do not select a random picture. I try and find one of the team celebrating a goal together to try and represent the togetherness of the squad.
It is a full time job in media outlets selecting the right picture to with an article. And for England’s failure to beat Iceland, the face of the team on the floor in despair was perfect.
Was there something more sinister at play? My view is no.
England’s most iconic player of the current age provided two perfect picture moments for the press, and they ran with it.
We need to stop turning every action into a debate. When you do this you actually take away from the real issues of the world.
Arsena fans (and others) just need to accept that Saka is the face of England. He will be celebrated when we win and demonised when we lose.
Racism is repulsive. But as is going out of your way to find racism in every situation.
Have a good Sunday.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 
When England wins, you know the faces they show the most.
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Declan Rice with his fake smile
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there’s no truth whatsoever in that. You’ve just completely made up the notion that when England win it’s only white faces they show. People like you feed off racism people like you need to be put to rest once that happens, hopefully races and will be put to rest. Scum like you keep it alive.
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exactly! Classic English clandestine racism that can always be gas lighted as just “wokism”. But if it’s a win, you see Ser Hairy Kant with every pundit drooling and fawning like obsessed school kids. And there are 20 images a game of that ugly fker looking vastly more stupid than Saka on the ground.
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whatever it is for England, it’s already looking like they will blame Saka (and any Sakaish person) for their woes. As a Nigerian i do not support England for support sake, but i grew up loving that country and Brazil for their true representation of people who have made their countries thick, football wise. So for me, England must do well, then, Germany! However, from the trend of things, they would rather have Cole Palmer (and i laugh) in first eleven than Bukayo Saka. How i wish he can pull out of the team and watch from sideline; let’s see if England (or the right side) is what it is without him. By the way, I think Gareth will use him as a makeshift left back….should Luke Shaw not recover as expected.
Come on Three Lions…..even though i am a full blooded Nigerian, and Super Eagles first and above!
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in all honesty stop go back in your corner and think again! Now let you and I be intellectually honest here, if Kane scored two and Saka scored 2 and England had won would Saka be the only face plastered on the back page! Wright warned about the gaslighting, he was on point with you!
let’s remain intellectually honest, if England wins the Euros, Saka scores 3 Kane 3 Gordon 3 and Bellingham 2! Do you seriously think Saka would be plastered like this all alone all over the back page, if you do you need to give your head a wobble!
We have got to stop pretending racism isn’t real, and above all stop being an apologist for racist!
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We all know what the media are like here and yes this is very sinister. You have Foden palmer Gorden Rice Kane the captain who all played more minutes than Saka yet he is the picture you use for the defeat. Everyone I spoke to agree that this is media racism all over again. You have to question who gives the permission for this to be printed as front page news and question there motives. We know how bad racism is yet the media does not do enough to quash it in some ways they encourage it.
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You’re being wilfully naive if you don’t see what the media are doing. Why didn’t the put Cole Palmer or Foden there? What the fuck is black ice meant to mean? I love Saka, he is our (Arsenal’s) star boy, and if the racist hacks in this country want to make him the focus of blame, fuck them and the horse they rode in on.
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Can you send us a picture of another player throwing a paper airplane or looking crestfallen laying on the ground
Black ice is a play on words that England slipped up when not expected to against Iceland, with their goal coming from a slip
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