It finally happened. It had to happen. This is Arsenal. To think we could reach December without a catastrophic injury is foolish.
Francis Coquelin is going to be gone a while, and it’s not going to be pleasant. I thought I’d touch on the negatives first, best to get them out of the way. Thinking too much about our defensive midfield causes nightmares. West Brom was pretty dismal, made worse by Coquelin’s inevitable, frightening injury. I fear for Arsenal. Our attacking players are doing the business, but the team can’t function at full capacity without Coquelin in that protective role. Already hit with an obscene amount of injuries his absense is surely the final nail in the coffin. Wenger can change this if he buys, but he’s already used that January excuse: ‘it’s a difficult window’. I take that as a flat no to any new signings. But… Arsenal, being Arsenal, still manage to cheer you up after bad weeks. It’s all part of the act. Play terrible, then win with style. And they turned it on. Sanchez, Ozil, Cazorla, all wonderful. Joel Campbell but in his best Arsenal performance, maybe he can string a couple of great games together. However, there can only be one. It was Alexis Sanchez who stole the show. He’s come storming back into the spotlight with a brace.
I thought the Chilean had taken his eye off the game for the last couple of weeks, pre West Brom at least, which I stand by. He was the only notable Arsenal player away to West Brom, showing that unwavering spirit that few have. It was never going to last though. You’re never worried about someone of his calibre – unless it’s an injury. And an injury would be damning. Alexis has become so reliable that you almost forget he’s human and that he can pick up injuries like any other player. The fact that it hasn’t happened yet just adds to the illusion that he’s indestructible. It’s a very dangerous game for Arsenal and Wenger to play. When he hits the deck I expect him to rise every time. The day he doesn’t will be hell. Amazingly, three nil at home and the manager still can’t bring himself to give Superman his rest. Alexis was exceptional on Wednesday night, playing at full throttle. It was interesting to hear his statistics about only scoring in batches because that’s what happened. We can all expect him to go on blistering run of form now. Goals always set him free.
Firstly, everyone played brilliant on the night. Weak opposition, yes, but the players still put in an angry shift. Revenge was very much on the cards. The opening goal came from a quick break – on the counter attack, as all Arsenal’s best goals come from. I think it was Giroud who poked the ball through on the half way line, and he made an intelligent run for the other goal to give Sanchez the space for his second. The opening goal saw the players of the night in Sanchez and Ozil combine in emphatic fashion. Sanchez picked up the ball on the left side, then jinked his way into space and lofted the ball for the storming German to head home. Mezut Ozil is top five in the world at the moment, let’s get that out of the way. This isn’t being bias, anyone who thinks differently doesn’t know the game. He controlled the game, and was perfect throughout. However, all the energy came from Sanchez, who seemed more alive than ever. In a game where he scored and created he still managed to show off with some ‘kick-ups’ with his head. The audacity of this guy is on another level. Later in the game when he was in full riot mode, he controlled a high ball with the top of his back – it was exceptionally ridiculous.
He was the player of the week, excelling in both games with contrast results. Goals, assists, cheeky talent, it was all working on cloud nine. He should have had more assists with Ozil having more goals but I’ll sleep all right knowing what these two players can do when in the groove. There’s a natural connection there. Although it might not be enough now with all the injuries, if Arsenal are going to win the title then it’ll be because of these two gifted stars.