EPL, English Premier League News:
Although this is not an issue that hasn’t been debated before, Alexis Sanchez and his form have become a riddle to solve for the Gunners. After scoring 10 goals in the first 19 matches of this season, it was thought that the former Barcelona striker would leave no stone unturned to quench the thirst of Arsenal fans. However, like Mesut Ozil in his first season at the Emirates, Sanchez is looking more like a player following a tradition that was set by the German 12 months ago. Sanchez has failed to find the back of the net for 7 matches in a row now.
Here are reasons for the decline in form of Alexis Sanchez: –
No mid-season break
While winter breaks are unheard of in the Premier League, they are a part and parcel of all the other top European Leagues. While they get nearly a month off in Germany to see of their festive celebrations, Spanish football gets jammed for a better part of two weeks when it comes to Christmas. This factor, among many others, have been given a reason for the domination of the Spanish teams in Europe.
For the players Football Association in England of which Wayne Rooney is a member, the Englishman has been a known proponent of mid-season break. And looking at the decline of English teams in the 2nd half of 2014/15 in Europe, his argument carries weight.
And as you see the direction of this argument, Alexis Sanchez has been a latest victim of this gruesome schedule in England. Ironically though, not only Sanchez but all 3 of the players: Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas and Angel Di Maria, all of them have suffered since the turn of this year.
So in a simple argument that carries weight, it has been the over-dose of action that has excluded the life out of Alexis Sanchez since the turn of this year.
Return of Mesut Ozil
While the duo of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez looks terrific on paper, it looks less phenomenal on ground. The pace of Alexis Sanchez combined with the calmness of Ozil was supposed to be a pairing that would destroy Premier League defenses, however, as has been the case for the last 8 weeks, it hasn’t served well for either of them.
While at the start of the season Ozil was ridiculed for lack of work that was associated with him in 2013/14, Sanchez has been the bearer of same criticism towards the end of this season.
With the return of Mesut Ozil in the side and Sanchez shifted to the far left, it has eradicated the free ground that was available to Sanchez in the absence of Ozil. Take a look at one of the best games that Sanchez has had in an Arsenal shirt so far. That was against Sunderland at the end of December and Arsenal won that courtesy to a brace from the Colombian.
In that very match against Sunderland in October, Sanchez played in the center role, behind the ever mobile Danny Welbeck and Arsenal reaped the benefits. These two goals escalated his season tally to 5 and allowed Arsenal fans to dream.
Now coming back to 1 of his worst performance in an Arsenal shirt that was against AS Monaco a week earlier, Arsene Wenger decided to involve Ozil in center while pushing Sanchez to the far left. As a result, even though Arsenal created brilliant chances only to be splendored by their front man Giroud, the mobility of Sanchez was eradicated from the game.
Thus, even though Ozil cost Arsenal more money than Sanchez, Wenger should devise a plan that will get the best out of both, not anyone of them.
Law of Averages
For an average football fan like me, this law might sound something un-familiar however, for an expert, this is the case that separates the ordinary from the extraordinaire, the patient from the doctor, Rolex from any ordinary watch, BMW from a car, and most importantly for all football fans, Messi and Ronaldo from all other footballers of their breed.
While in the case of Messi and Ronaldo who always seem to be on a mission of their own, the word ‘’goal-drought’’ means the end of their career. However, for all the other footballers of their breed, there comes a time when everything no matter how lush and plush it seems isn’t going in your favor. Alexis Sanchez is currently going through that phrase.
Thus, as a human being like of us, it is only a matter of time before he gains back his form. However, till then, Arsenal fans should give their darling a breathing space as no footballer, barring Messi and Ronaldo of-course, can continue to deliver at the level at which Sanchez was for the better part of 2014.
Barclays Premier League: Reasons for the decline in form of Alexis Sanchez
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