Thursday, March 28, 2024

Opinion: Coquelin Is No Saviour – The Top Four Myths of Arsenal’s Season

3. Arsenal need Alexis

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Alexis Sanchez has enjoyed what is undoubtedly one of the best first seasons in English football any player has experienced to date. His work rate and winning mentality have found him a place in the hearts of fans around the globe. But Arsenal don’t need Alexis Sanchez; Alexis Sanchez needs Arsenal.

One phrase that was often uttered by pundits and commentators last season was something along the lines of “Barcelona were wrong to sell Sanchez.” This simply isn’t true. The reason Barcelona were willing to let go of Alexis Sanchez is simple: he is far too wasteful while in possession at times – something which the player himself has admitted. The sight of Alexis Sanchez chipping the ball into a box absent of red shirts or dribbling his way into trouble while ignoring his teammates was commonplace last season, and you can’t get away with things like that at Barcelona.

Luckily for Arsenal fans, the Chilean has improved this aspect of his game dramatically over the past ten months, as has his reputation in Europe, thanks to the work of Arsene Wenger. This does, however, suggest that Alexis needs Arsenal far more than Arsenal need Alexis. If the 26-year-old was to leave the club tomorrow, Arsene Wenger would be able to find a decent replacement in a month or two, but would Alexis be able to find a club capable of honing his abilities and developing him as a player? I highly doubt it.

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