#2 Alexis Sanchez – False Nine
Whatever is said about the future of Alexis Sanchez at Arsenal, what’s a little more clear is how easily he could fit into just about any team in Europe.
That’s because he’s so versatile.
Originally employed as a winger upon his arrival to the Emirates, the Chilean attacker eventually evolved into a fully-fledged centre forward for the Gunners last season, at the expense of Olivier Giroud, as Arsene Wenger looked for a quick-fix to his ‘no world-class forward’ dilemma.
It worked wonders as he bagged 24 league goals for the club.
However, Wenger himself has revealed in the recent past that Sanchez’s preferred position is out wide as a winger which raises the question: could the false nine role combine the best of both worlds, and might the offer of it be the key to keeping him at the club?
Quite possibly. In effect, it would give him the freedom to dip in and out of build-up play, afford him the mobility to drift in behind defences, coast across the forward line from wide position to wide position and ultimately allow him to dictate play. That would hardly be a bad move, considering he is their best goal-scoring threat and also one of their most creative talents. Plus, it would also make him happy – and happy players tend not to leave.
He has played in this position before, and although Gunners fans will question why anyone would propose shifting their best forward anywhere else, with Alexandre Lacazette and Kylian Mbappe still on the club’s radar, it might be time for Sanchez to revert to a role that suits him so well.
