“When I got here, I thought: ‘I’ll win the title with this squad.’” – Alexis Sanchez
Unfortunately for Alexis Sanchez, not many players at Arsenal shared the same confidence in their own ability to accomplish something the club had failed to achieve since 2004 – win the Premier League title. Arsene Wenger is also at fault for the way the Gunners manage to implode every season when the pressure gets too much but ultimately the players are also to be blamed.
This was no ordinary Arsenal season, though. Unlike previous seasons which saw sustained title challenges, the north London side only topped the table twice this season (in October and December) before brutally being overthrown by other clubs in the top seven clamouring for four Champions League spots.
At the centre of it all was Alexis – willing his team to perform and sometimes taking the onus upon himself to shoulder the burden and push the boulder that was Arsenal up a steep and slippery slope. 24 goals and 10 assists is a testament to his contribution in the Premier League this season – no other player managed double digits in both goals and assists.
The Chilean finished the season with 30 goals in all competitions – the most prolific season of his career. He took home half the club’s Player of the Month awards. He was nominated for the PFA Player of the Year but never stood a chance thanks to the club’s comical fall down the table.
All he had to show for this season was another FA Cup winners’ medal and a fifth-placed finish in the league – enough to qualify for the Europa League only.
“I came here to win trophies, to be competing in the Champions League semi-finals and to win the Premier League, and I feel disappointed.” – Alexis
The case for Alexis and his ‘disruptive’ football
The consensus is clear; Arsenal have failed Alexis Sanchez. Nobody knows what Arsene Wenger promised him when he joined the club in the summer of 2014 but it was definitely a starring role compared to the benches he would have warmed had he stayed at Barcelona following the arrival of Luis Suarez.
Alexis is a player that polarises opinions. Some see him as a disruptive player who does not fit the Arsenal mould of keeping the ball and nurturing possession. Many pointed out to the fact that he had been dispossessed far too often (128 times in the league to be exact). But these are the same critics who also complained when all Arsenal did was pass the ball with no end product.
Here was a player who attempted the risky passes which came off if he had the right players making the right runs. It is one of the reasons why Mesut Ozil scored five goals from chances created by Alexis. The German made a number of intelligent runs and profited from his passes, scoring crucial (and beautiful) goals.
Yes, there were times when Alexis frustrated fans by holding on to the ball for too long, but give him space and time to make the right decision to create chances and Arsenal played some awe-inspiring football. How else do you explain him topping the assists charts for the Gunners? He made 78 key passes, eclipsed at the club only by Ozil (100).
There were even complaints that he did not run enough. Hogwash! How many times has he tracked back to regain possession? How many times has he dropped deep to aid possession and advance the ball? How many times has he switched flanks?
Also read: Arsene Wenger may be finished but disrespect from Arsenal fans is unwarranted and shameful
Arsenal find themselves in a similar situation yet again
When Robin van Persie was in the form of his life, instead of convincing him to stay for the good of the club, Arsene Wenger sold the Dutchman for £24m instead of allowing him to see out his contract. The last thing Wenger wanted was a player who had no intention of staying.
But selling him to Manchester United was his biggest mistake. It was the perfect retirement gift for Sir Alex Ferguson as the Red Devils strolled to the league title.
Five years on, Wenger now faces a stern test of willpower yet again. Alexis is in the final year of his contract, a card none of his agents need to keep up their sleeve. It’s on the table. Sell him now or risk losing him for free.
The sharks are already circling, some closer to home than overseas. Former boss Pep Guardiola plans to bring him to Manchester City while Chelsea is also a possible destination, ensuring he doesn’t leave London.
Back in 2012, Arsenal were not financially well off. And not many other clubs had shown a concrete interest in Van Persie. Being the gentleman Wenger is, he fulfilled the Dutch striker’s wish to move to Old Trafford and play for Fergie. He eventually got that elusive league winner’s medal before his career declined following the Scottish manager’s retirement.
This time, though, Arsenal are flush with cash and don’t really need the money from a possible sale. So do they really need to sell Alexis who is at his peak? No, they do not.
The Chilean has a contract till 2018 and the Gunners would do well to make sure he honours those terms. Just as Van Persie showed, his performances would be worth their weight in the goals he scores if they are to challenge for the title. Why strengthen a direct rival just to make a few extra quid that may not be fully reinvested in the squad?
But what does Alexis want?
This is where it gets tricky for Arsenal. Can they convince him to stay and extend his deal? Can they build a squad to compete for the league title while they travel to the far-flung corners of the continent to play their Europa League games?
“Life is short and a footballer’s career is even shorter. I want to win in every training session, I want to win every game I play in. That’s why I sometimes feel powerless when I go home after a bad result.” – Alexis
This is not a lie. Alexis literally gives it his all even when the team goes through light training sessions. Teammates recall how the Chilean would drop to the ground and do push-ups even as the boss addressed the team and discussed strategy.
His penchant for not resting is legendary. No matter how thin the squad is, Wenger always ensures his players are given adequate rest following a summer tournament. Alexis has been involved with Chile every summer since his move to England and still makes it back to the squad quicker than the rest. Even when on vacations he posts videos on social media showing him nonchalantly jogging for miles or sprinting on the beach.
With Alexis, the concept of rest is only for the dead.
Not qualifying for the Champions League deals a serious blow to Arsenal as they do not have the upper hand when negotiating a new contract for a player who clearly does not believe in the club’s philosophy anymore. A new manager may have convinced Alexis to stay if he was a cut above Wenger but the Frenchman is set to stay after extending his own contract.
If it does come to Alexis leaving the club for good, Bayern Munich or Juventus would be ideal clubs to sell to rather than a domestic rival. But any bids for the player may not be made until Chile’s participation in the upcoming Confederations Cup is done and dusted.
The Gunners have known to seriously undervalue their players in the past (unless the buying club is Manchester City) so they should hold out for a club record-breaking fee (possibly in the region of £50m to £60m) so they can make a healthy profit on the £35m they paid to sign him.
But if Alexis wants to stay put in England, Wenger must put his foot down and retain him to see out his contract.
If there is one thing we know about Alexis is that he will give it his all when he sets foot on the pitch. He is not one to sulk in a corner when he does not get his way. It was evident when Wenger foolishly tried to ‘teach him a lesson’ by benching him at Anfield only to then desperately bring him on to try and change the game (Alexis got the assist for the only goal as Arsenal lost 3-1).
Selling Alexis would only bring Arsenal back to square one and it will be tough to shake off the ‘selling club’ tag. The ideal thing to do would be to retain him but, based on recent history and knowing how the club management operates, they would rather fill their coffers than be competitive in England and Europe.
