I think his game has evolved a lot since Barca. He has been our best player this season, but his influence has been somewhat different from what we expected. Alexis arrived the club with a reputation as a dynamic wide-forward. We expected our static, narrow play last season would be improved with Alexis stretching the opposition with his runs into the channels or behind the opposition. That hasn't really materialized. Alexis is just another attacking midfielder in our team.
I have concerns about the way his game is developing at Arsenal. He played on the right (or regularly drifted there from a free role) a couple of times in the first half of the season and I've said I prefer him there cos he's more willing to work off the ball. And on the ball, he's more willing to use his pace to get to the bye line rather than ALWAYS cutting inside like he does when on the left.
Alexis is becoming very predictable. He can skin fullbacks, but would rather always cut in on his right foot into a congested centre rather than using the width. I'm also struggling very badly to remember any off-the-ball run he makes to take him through on goal from a pass. He is too attracted to the ball and he has to learn to work off it. In Barca where there were more skilled, high profile players, he was a lot more willing to make runs, but he's taking on too much responsibility in Arsenal.
Apart from his goals and assists drying up in recent months, he's creating far less chances (he was 2nd behind Cesc some weeks ago but lags far behind a handful of other players currently), and he's completing less dribbles. I think exhaustion has contributed to his form, but he's playing differently too from earlier in the season.
Alexis
posted on 26/4/15
comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 36 minutes ago
We really should be more than happy to have a player like Alexis Sanchez in our team. I think we should support him not criticise him because there is not much to criticise really.
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Terrible post
posted on 26/4/15
On the other hand he was our only threat in the first half today. His movement all over create dangerous situations for Chelsea in the first half. Faded in the second though.
He gave the ball to Chelsea so often with his bad decision making today i thought youd bought Ramires from us during the week.
posted on 26/4/15
For me the main problem with his game is his failure to play quick passes and instead dribble in circles round 2 or 3 players whilst the opposition's defence get back in position. Still world class though.
posted on 27/4/15
I'm also struggling very badly to remember any off-the-ball run he makes to take him through on goal from a pass.
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How about one week ago for his first goal against Reading?
posted on 27/4/15
I have made a similar point previously
He doesn't give us any width because he always cuts back into mf.
You hardly ever see him taking on the fullback and getting a cross in.
With him coming into mf and Ramsey on the other side, we have been void of width and have struggled on the attacking front.
posted on 27/4/15
In Wenger entire time at Arsenal the closest we have had to a natural winger on the left was Overmars. The problem isn't Alexis cutting in, the problem is having no wideman on the right to stretch play and create spaces in the middle for Alexis to move into, rather than just seeing 4 players contesting the same part of the pitch every week .
posted on 27/4/15
To be fair walcott has given us width as has Ox when he plays.
Walcott before his injury, was the most productive wide player in the league
posted on 27/4/15
comment by Bats (U18355)
posted 1 hour, 34 minutes ago
In Wenger entire time at Arsenal the closest we have had to a natural winger on the left was Overmars. The problem isn't Alexis cutting in, the problem is having no wideman on the right to stretch play and create spaces in the middle for Alexis to move into, rather than just seeing 4 players contesting the same part of the pitch every week .
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Wenger got this line-up against Chelsea completely wrong. No width means you let Giroud alone and play against 2 CB. He cant link-up because no one is there to play with neither got he any goalscoring opportunities. As we all know he is not Aguero who can create goals on his own. Think Wenger got this wrong.
posted on 27/4/15
Hid decision making is worrying tbh. Just before Koscielny set up that chance for Cazorla to shank horribly wide, Sanchez had Monreal on the overlap in plenty of space to pick a cross. He either didn't see him or ignored him, and proceeded to run into a wall of Chelsea players.
Having said that, Sanchez never hides and he'll always be a fan favourite for that. If he could improve his decision making hed be at an even higher level.
posted on 28/4/15
. Alexis arrived the club with a reputation as a dynamic wide-forward. We expected our static, narrow play last season would be improved with Alexis stretching the opposition with his runs into the channels or behind the opposition. That hasn't really materialized
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Only you expected it because you don't watch much football and your knowledge is incredibly limited. One of the reasons Barca sold him was for the problems some of us are concerned about, he's always came for the ball especially when Messi was out.
At Barca it was done a tad less because as you say there are more capable players but for Chile he's the same as what he's doing now as one of the star players.
He's improved but none of his style is different at all you'd know that if you watched him more before.
His best form for me also was centrally when he played off Welbeck for a while, N'castle was his best game on the right but he's been very good in all front 3 positions behind the CF this season.
Think his dip in form has coincided with Girouds presence (must be statistical proof for this) as he's no longer the focal point in our attack and unfortunately bar a couple of games they haven't combined well at all. They both want it to feet.
Think he's still best on the left because he'd be limited on the right he's no Theo and will never reduce his game to off the ball work. Wenger just needs to work with him on variety, the goal vs QPR (away) was proof he can go on the outside and still threaten the goal.
He needs to be unpredictable and sometimes make runs like he did vs Reading & Galatasaray as we have players (Ozil) that will pick him out.
No position will currently change his faults atm his decision making needs to be worked on pre-season, pointless speculating on it
Not sure if the rest of the article answers my other point but cba to read your drivel that spans from what you see on MOTD just responded to what I have pasted