Do Not Sell My Personal Information
It is sometimes easy to forget that Alexis Sanchez has only just joined Arsenal last summer. Such has been his impact on the side and his seamless transition to life in the Premier League, and the Chilean has already proved pivotal to the side’s success.
If stats are anything to go by, he led the team in scoring with 16 league goals and was second to only Santi Cazorla in assists with 8. To delve a bit deeper beyond stats, Sanchez’s presence galvanized the side with his work rate and endeavour lifting those around him.
It is perhaps just that which makes him so important. He is exceptionally talented, using his pace and trickery to get in behind defenders and create dangerous opportunities, but it is his work rate that goes even further. Alexis puts in an absolute shift week in and week out, tracking back defensively just as eagerly as he joins in the attack.
His endeavour is infectious, and he can be partially credited with Arsenal’s slight shift in philosophy. Last season in particular saw Arsenal adopt a more pragmatic approach during difficult periods, relinquishing a bit of possession for the sake of defencive shape.
Alongside the emergence of Francis Coquelin (who deserves most of the credit for the new philosophy to be fair), Sanchez was seen on numerous occasions busting a lunge to get back and put a foot in defencively, and the rest of the team follow suit. It is brilliant to watch, and the impact was there to see as Arsenal rose from 5th in the table to 2nd at one point.
Of course he is one of the side’s most dangerous assets in attack as well (if not the most dangerous) with his goals and assists lifting the side for large spells last season. He had to shoulder the goalscoring burden when Giroud went down with injury last season, and provided the goods when we needed it most.
He is off to a quite start so far this season, but it is only a matter of time before he kicks into gear once more. Alexis is without a doubt Arsenal’s most influential player and is crucial to Arsenal’s fortunes this season and seasons to come.
Arsenal were twelve points off the leaders last season.
They have strengthened and Arsenal have failed to sign ONE outfield player.
The only team in the top five leagues in Europe to not sign an outfield player.
This is managerial incompetence.
I am absolutely staggered and struggling for words that this man is actually still in post and is supported by so many.
I am just waiting with interest to see when our season collapses as it always does just what the stance on Wenger will be.
After nineteen years there HAS to be a change – its just staggering…
Regarding Sanchez.
World class player as he is there will come a point very soon when he gets fed up with carrying the team and will look to move to a club with title aspirations – Wenger is too arrogant and ignorant to see this of course…