Stoke were never going to give Arsenal problems at The Emirates. They didn’t. Sanchez, on the other hand, destroyed them at will.
There’s little that hasn’t already been said about this super star. So, really, I don’t know how to describe his displays in a new and exciting way. He’s consistently outstanding, and he’s consistently at the heart of everything good about Arsenal’s football, everything dangerous, and everything exciting. He starts moves and makes sure to finish them. He does not waste opportunities. His ratio against Stoke was something similar to three shots, three on target, and two goals – and an assist. It’s a clear sign of a world-class player working at the peak of his powers. And he’s still only 25 – in his first season of English football. Impressive. His assist was fairly simple, and still typical Alexis Sanchez build up; collects the ball on the left hand side, shifts it quickly and picks out the perfect cross, bang, goal. His second was a bit more special. He played a neat one two with Rosicky, then shimmied into the box, sorted his feet out and slotted the ball with unerring precision. Really, he had no right to score from that position, and with the number of bodies hassling him. But he did. Because he can. Alexis Sanchez is ridiculously capable.
The only worry with Sanchez is that he needs a rest; one that he doesn’t appear to be getting. And this will only stretch on with our harsh up-coming schedule. We face Manchester City and Tottenham away over the next two weeks, and they’re going to be hectic games, played at 110%, causing many heart palpitations. He won’t be rested. He can’t be. He’s our talisman now. We need him every game if we want to hit it big. He should have had some rest against Stoke, especially after the game was done on 50 minutes, and with Walcott eager to play – oh, yeh, that guy called Joel Campbell, too.
I don’t know how I feel about saying it aloud…but Coquelin looks solid – for now. He put in another steady performance. He comes from the same generation as Wilshere. They played together at youth. So there’s hope with Coquelin. I like him in our midfield, especially with the electric Rosicky, who I’d like to be seen in every big game from now on.
Santi Cazorla also continued to impress in his midfield role, where he is really excelling. He is controlling the games. He is orchestrating a lot of our football, and its showing. He looks much happier than he did a few months ago, where there were signs of him slowing down – these signs have since been eradicated.
For the City game, I’d like to see more of the same team. It’d be suicidal to remove Cazorla from the middle in his current form. Sanchez is a starter, and Wenger will likely go for Giroud – because he’s predictable. But we should be brave. Start Walcott. Line up with Chamberlain and Sanchez on each side. That’s frightening. That installs fear. Giroud does not. I’d keep the growing Coquelin, making a midfield of Rosicky and Cazorla again. There’s a good balance in the team at the moment. Walcott may disrupt that, but the pros of Walcott outweigh any concerns. He’s a massive player. The back five picks itself. Keep Szczesny out the team for as long as possible. I’m bored of his arrogance.
To rap up, it was another Arsenal week dominated by Alexis Sanchez. He is the current king. Nobody looks like over-throwing him. And who’d want to?