Monday, December 23, 2024

Report: Alexis dropped for training ground strop

Arsene Wenger decided to drop Alexis Sanchez at Anfield after the player stormed out of a training session during the week.

Both the Guardian and Telegraph claim the Chile international was later confronted by teammates in the dressing room and that a blazing row erupted. It’s suggested that senior players supported the manager’s decision to condemn Sanchez to the bench.

News on the bust-up adds fuel to rumours that the 28-year-old will look to force a move away from the Emirates this summer.

Sanchez is out of contract in July 2018 and has been linked with Paris Saint Germain, Juventus and clubs in China. Arsene Wenger has made it clear he doesn’t want to let the former Barcelona striker leave the club, however, his hand may be forced if his presence continues to cause disruption.

Sanchez came on at half time of yesterday’s 3-1 defeat to Liverpool and promptly claimed an assist for Danny Welbeck. It remains to be seen whether last week’s incident has further repercussions ahead of matches with Bayern Munich and Lincoln City.

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Paul

Too big for your boots Alexis? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbyAZQ45uww

Paul

That took effort and thought from me, I showed you nice legs, a catchy tune, the words are perfect, tough crowd! 🙁

The Loon Ranger

Woe, woe and thrice woe. There will be no St Totteringhams day and the children will be distraught. Let there be wailing in the streets and beating of breasts. In other news even though I kicjed the cats tray out the door (again) I’m still a gooner. As I explained to one of my grandsons Arsene is a legend but there comes a time when you have to choose between turning another page and closing the book.
New balls please

IamaGoober

You know what, who can blame him. At least when he plays for Arsenal he fucking runs himself into the ground. His legs are practically smoking by the time he comes off the pitch. If 50% of the Arsenal first team put in the same amount of effort he does, then we probably wouldn’t get beat anywhere near as much as we do, I think we would probably win a league title. But these are scary fucking times for our club people. Alexis Sanchez leaving Arsenal sends out a really fucking bad message across the whole of Europe. It basically… Read more »

36th Chamberlain

We’ve had players of his quality. Sadly, we sold them to our rivals or Barcelona.

Matt P

Yep, Fabregas and Van Persie were both at least as good as Sanchez.
Worrying theme of top players leaving.

Alexis, Atom & Humber

In as much as Wenger isn’t the man to take this club forward anymore, Alexis should know he isn’t bigger than Arsenal. A lot of better players have left, and Arsenal is still standing. Frankly I’m tired of his attitude and he can sod off to where ever he pleases and take Wenger and Stan with him.

Ciarán

Well actually… He is bigger than Arsenal on this current set up. Can you imagine how frustrating it must be for a player of his stature to know that the quality is there but the players don’t have the right attitude or desire to win. The whole club needs a clean up. Board, management, staff and even some players.

Matt P

Yeah. And he probably had the expectation that Arsenal were serious about building their squad quality to become true title contenders. Hasn’t happened. He’s a world class player surrounded by a squad of good-ish players

Sayan

Currently Wenger and the board are bigger than Arsenal…and not the players.

IamaGoober

Ciaran I couldn’t agree more. I genuinely think that is it. He has basically been winning every single game he has ever played when he was playing in Spain; Chile are no mugs either as they’re extremely successful on the International scene, are they not coming off the back of winning the Copa America? At Arsenal he basically loses every big match he plays in. I think he’s joined Arsenal off the back of the Ozil signing and the FA Cup win thinking, ‘here’s a club looking to push on, I want to be a part of this new project’… Read more »

Arsensarmy

I agree. And training ground bust-ups happen at any level. It gets dealt with and you move on. As a manager you certainly don’t sit your best chance of creating goals. Especially on the road against Liverpool. If I’m a Liverpool defender and I know Sanchez is on the bench and giroud is starting well I’ll tell you one thing I’m a whole lot more confident. What a joke.

IamaGoober

If Alexis didn’t put the effort in on the pitch, and there were all of these stories coming out about him not being happy and having bust ups and wanting to leave, I would too be telling him to fucking jog on. But he doesnt do that, he fucking runs his nuts off for 90 minutes, scores all our goals, chips in with assists as well – he practically is Arsenal FC at the moment, and its fucking so scary that he is basically packing his bags and jogging us on because he knows he cant win anything with us.… Read more »

clins

i kinda agree with you dude. as much as good player he is alexis does not have a good personality . his atitude almost looks like cristianos annoying childish attitutde when subbing off . granted the form of the club is not good to say the least but ,these do not help the cause in any way. he should be trying to inspire the teammates instead . i always thought newspapers were making a big deal out of nothing when alexis reacted like this before . but right now it looks like alexis will be leaving the club sooner than… Read more »

Antisonfire

Sorry, but you can’t have overwhelming confidence without a little bit of arrogance thrown into the mix.

Stringer Bell

Think this is about attitude not arrogance

Godfrey Twatschloch

Great player but if he’s not happy then let him go in the summer. He should bring in more than we paid for him and the money can be used for another top player or a few young up and coming ones. Doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that.

Flashmob

“He should be trying to inspire the teammates”… I think this is exactly the problem. He has teammates to whom he himself is an inspiration, while these feelings/experiences should be totally mutual. Have you guys been thinking about on how we could have been competing with the best teams in the world if the workrate and motivation level of a player from Barca was a total novelty to our players??? If this is the reality (see the opinions of Gibbs, The Ox, or Walcott about Alexis) how can we wonder that our maximum in recent years was the – so… Read more »

Eltee

In a comment I made last year, I said we had already given up the 4th position, and my argument was that we are doing the same while our rivals are making baby steps. I believe we are already down the slippery slope, because nothing suggests that the board is competent enough to pull off a smooth transition if Wenger leaves now. So either way we are stuffed? The board, the owner, the manager, and some of the players that berates our most industrious player for demanding more effort. I hope I’m wrong, but I have braced myself for the… Read more »

vnet

Every person has a breaking point. No sane person can see the same thing happening every year and not be affected by it. If these were isolated incidents, then fine. But there seems to be a culture of accepting mediocrity at board and management level every year. There will be some players happy to get their paychecks ala debuchy, arshavin . Some will be willing yo just go along with the ride and then some will be like Alexis. From an objective rules perspective, alexis is in the wrong. But i feel you cant just look at it in that… Read more »

Diarra

Been tired of watching his tantrums and primadonna behaviour. Yes he has a winning mentality but football is a team game. It was quite a while ago we looked like a team. It doesn’t really help the team when you have one player who thinks he knows better what the team needs (gesticulating others to press when it doesn’t seem to be the tactic) and not passing to certain players (Ramsey and Ox on several occasions). Wenger totally right to bench him, unfortunately some of the other guys in the first eleven are not up for the required level. It… Read more »

Faisal Narrage

I don’t think Ramsey has any grounds to complain about people not passing to him, considering what he does.

walenaija

@ Diarra, I think its Walcott that sanchez and ozil rarely pass to. Sometimes ramsey and I love it when Ramsey chose nt to pass to hm sometime. No coach and no player is bigger than clubs. Griezmann, Dyabala, Aubemeyang, mahrez and Dyabala are still available. Wenger is blinded by the media narrative though

Heavenly Chapecoense

Alexis is paid to be good. It is not because teammates aren’t as good as him that he is doing a favour to the club. Within Arsenal salary bracket, doesn’t he get more than Giroud and much more than Ox.m? Why wouldn’t he score more than them?

David Arsenal

I agree with every word.

dk

I absolutely respect his frustration especially if he was venting at his team-mates at their lack of commitment and professionalism. The saddest part of it is he no longer believes in Wenger. I’m really torn between supporting Alexis 100% and not wanting any one player to be more than Arsenal but I respect his drive and commitment to the club up to now. It would be sad to see him leave but I don’t see any other options for him given the current setup. What is frightening is that our club is a shadow of it’s former glory. Wenger is… Read more »

eduardo

“venting at his teammates lack of professionalism”

so how is his hissy fits and walking out of a training session anything other than a lack of professionalism. He can see the splinter in his teammates eye, but not the beam in his own.

Eltee

I agree with everything you said. It appears that fans fail to spot the trend that many of our better than average players tend to end up frustrated and leave. It’s also a fact that many leave then win trophies. The club has become a heaven for players that are looking for comfort but fans attack players that demand more.

Vincent Kompany's Forehead

Not sure why this was upvoted so much, there is a clear and distinct difference between striving for perfection and expecting the same of others (especially as a very well compensated man) and showing primadonna, childish behaviour. if he wants to leave fine, he has 1 year left on his contract, him and his agent basically have all the power, It’s a perfectly normal option for him to keep his head down, do his job, and leave the frustrations on the pitch (and if you get subbed off with 10 minutes of the match left for a class footballer and… Read more »

Anonymarse

You have to wonder if this has been going on behind the scenes for a while. Might go some way towards explaining why we have been so shit recently.

OzTo

I think he’s obviously got a good case for ranting but has gone too far. Some of the other players do need a kick up the arse, but that’s the managers responsibility. We’ve all lauded our depth this season, if players aren’t on form then they need dropping. Or if something doesn’t work, you don’t keep flogging it – you change it and try again. Conte – gets beaten by us 3-0, learns from it and goes on to success. Drops quality players like Fabregas in the process. Pep – same, though arguably not to success. Arsene – same shit… Read more »

Heavenly Chapecoense

Sorry but I support the manager 100℅ on disciplinary issues. Nowhere in the football world are players better treated than Arsenal. I think we need changes at the club but Sanchez is no God. Henry was moody at times but never got that far. Fans flocked to a gathering to saying goodbye to Henry. Sanchez was a Barcelona reject and must always remember that.

GunnerYY

Smh how The Barcelona reject become Arsenal best player this year

eduardo

most of the running alexis does is trying to win back the ball after he has needlessly given it away himself. if any of our other players were the one being accused of throwing a strop and walking out of training, our fan base would want him gone, but as alexis is a fans favorite he is placed above the club by many. madness.

kaius

“Most of the running Alexis does when he’s not scoring goals or assisting others or tracking back is him trying to win back balls that he’s lost”.

Sorry, the way you wrote it made you sound like a jealous Sp*rs fan.

Bob's Mexican Cousin

It tells the whole story that a Russian olygarch looks more attractive than Stan motherfucking Kroenke.

joe baker

Fair comments to a point but remember Arsenal and Wenger helped make Sanchez a big name on football. He was a bench warmer at barca.
Make him see his contract out.

Michael

Really? You can find bad things about ANYONE. So…if he was PERFECT? you’d respect him? Nothing less? Just answer this…despite Arsen Wenger holding Alexis back… Who is the top scoring player in the EPL? Hmm? Cat got your tongue? I like Wenger as a person, but it’s time for him to go. WTF? What does Alexis have to do to gain your respect? Kiss your a#*? I think his performance is more than adequate. You know…players only get so much time in professional sports and when they see entire Seasons being wasted they’re allowed to vent some frustration. Alexis and… Read more »

eduardo

Alexis sulked his way out of udinese, then sulked his way out of barca, yes the migthy barca who were winning all before them when he was there, but his lack of team play meant he did not get the game time he craved, Arsenal give him the game time, and despite what you think, Alexis would not be top of the bpl scoring charts, without his team mates, maybe its something he also needs to realize. Maybe the reason for his strop has more to do with the reported £400K a week contract offer from china, than any dissatisfaction… Read more »

kaius

Alexis is a player who rose from a tough background in Chile to the top-level of European football, and became a South American champion who played a leading role in Chile’s first two Copa America wins. Sit on the internet and talk sh*t about him sulking out of clubs all you want. But his dedication to the game and will to win is exactly what Wenger’s sides have lacked since the move to the Emirates. We need 5 more players with his attitude and far fewer fans like you who are so ready to overlook all the positives he’s brought… Read more »

Heavenly Chapecoense

All this is about money. Costa did same with Chelsea in January.Hope he pays his taxes on China.

kaius

Of course it’s about the money Einstein. As if world-class players come and play in England for the climate and cuisine.

Thank God there’s now another league in the world with enough money to bring the arrogant, self-satisfied Premier League circus down a notch or two.

Andres

Shutup you jelous pigeon eater

Jame5

Wouldn’t you be pissed if you could have had Draxler or Mane on the wings but instead stuck with a stale Walcott who doesn’t help much in build up play?

Mein Bergkampf

A lot of talk with other managers goes into them not being able to effectively manage the ‘big’ players. I think looking at our history, the same could be said of Wenger. Fabregas’ situation was pretty embarrassing, selling for way too little after his irregular DNA, and as for RVP… let’s not go there. I fear Wenger doesn’t understand egocentric and career minded footballers and as a result we tend to lose them. Unfortunately, these are the players that win you things and if you can’t keep them happy and settled, you’re probably not going to get much more than… Read more »

Mein Bergkampf

A lot of talk with other managers goes into them not being able to effectively manage the ‘big’ players. I think looking at our history, the same could be said of Wenger. Fabregas’ situation was pretty embarrassing, selling for way too little after his irregular DNA, and as for RVP… let’s not go there. I fear Wenger doesn’t understand egocentric and career minded footballers and as a result we tend to lose them. Unfortunately, these are the players that win you things and if you can’t keep them happy and settled, you’re probably not going to get much more than… Read more »

Ed

What a fucking mess.

Paul

I know! My thumbs down stats…!

BidOnLard

Oh dear, they are even getting worse :/

spinner

It’s a fucking mess alright. Where’s the owner in all of this? Hiding on his 200 acre ranch?

In my opinion, Kroenke is one of the biggest cunts on the face of the Earth.

Sir Henry Norris's Foreskin

Where is Mesut Özil?
He’s basically been AWOL since January. Methinks more of the same.
Nonetheless, up The Arsenal!

Rossi88

Well no player is bigger than the club. I can say how he could run some players up the wrong way…but I also see his frustrations, with some team mates just not up to it. But we are a TEAM first and foremost. If he’s becoming a negative presence in the dressing room he has to go.

efnenjrnjr

Spot on. No way can the club try and salvage the situation just get rid of one of the best players in the league.

Kwame Ampadu Down

A TEAM ? Have you watched us this season? Or last. There is no team spirit in this team. Mediocrity & accepting defeat are the norm. You do realise posting selfies together isn’t proof of team spirit? It is way, way overdue for a player who actually cares to call it out.

Rossi88

Yes, football is a TEAM sport. And by that, it means pulling your own weight I agree…but there’s a way of geeing up your team mates and so on. I’ve been in footy teams where you have a brilliant player, and when things don’t go their way they strop. Or have a go when you don’t pass to them and you know what, after a while you think yeah your good mate but your just being a prick now. And it does affect the dressing room. Sometimes when Sanchez shouts and bellows I look at the shape of the team… Read more »

Kwame Ampadu Down

We’ve all played in football teams. And I guarantee you the successful ones I played in were the ones where nobody was let off the hook for not doing their job & everybody was man enough to take being balled out for not doing their job.
Look at the Invincibles : Who wasn’t a moaner? Pires & Gilberto maybe. The rest never stopped whinging. It’s what successful teams do.

Arsene has fooled thousands of Gooners who should know better into thinking that saying the right things to arsenal.com & not getting into trouble makes you a legend.

Diarra

Rossi88: Exactly this

sauce

Yeah.. taking a selfie requires absolutely no effort. That’s why they do it

Michael

Senior players? Looks like there are some people willing to kiss Wenger’s butt cheeks to get a chance at Sanchez’ starting spot on the field. Just keep it up and Arsenal can keep on with mediocrity. Wake the f#*# up. You do know that everyone has to get rid of their baby blanket and grow up some time don’t you?

Dan P

There are no senior players just spineless turds like Koscielny. If we had senior players we might occasionally show some fight

Zakgooner

Completely agree no player is bigger than the club. However, looking at the state of the squad and the decisions made upstairs, would you want to stay? This is a player who gives an actual shit, never wants to lose, winning a game by margins isn’t enough for him, he’s an elite and that perspires through his attitude on the pitch. Whilst he doesn’t love the club like many top players before him, you’ll get 100%, and fingers ready for the thumbs down….he’s too good for us. Not necessarily as a team, but in terms of direction and ambition. He… Read more »

clins

i really hope sanchez stays another year and another manager replaces wenger . in any other case we will be loosing one of the best player in the league

spinner

I would rather keep Sanchez and lose Ozil, but I strongly suspect that it will be the other way round.

Heavenly Chapecoense

If all this is true, Alexis should apologize to manager and teammates and get fined. Otherwise he will play in youth team until he leaves.

xi

I’ll try an analogy here. You got head hunted to join a top sales team. Over the past 3 years you’ve become the indispensable member of it, pulling in the numbers and hours, pushing for that coveted bonus of being the very best team. Some team mates were great, but majority seems to be really happy with the 9-5 and that base pay. You continually performed and asked the boss for a raise. And sure, sometimes frustrations got the better of you, and have a go at colleagues who seemed too comfortable to put in the extra effort needed, when… Read more »

Heavenly Chapecoense

What if you are doing all this to join competitionle sales force for a bigger bonus ?

Yankee Gooner

In this scenario, if I were one of the co-workers you were having a go at, I’d report you to HR and tell you to act like an adult.

Moral high ground

Well well. A sideshow distracting from the fact that we were well beaten by a team yesterday who appeared to actually have the benefit of some smart tactics. Bye bye Arsene. You are an Arsenal legend but there is a massive sample size of games against top teams where we flop. No question at all statistically that we are underperforming…..

An Ox-sized Coq

Don’t fool yourself, we weren’t beaten by “tactics” the other day. In that first half Liverpool just wanted it more.

DB10**

the tactics part includes putting the right person to do the job. he should get players who want in more and play them.

Mözilla

I think sanchez has made his mind up on making force moved this upcoming summer. If his attitude is seriously being question by the manager then i suppose I can’t fault wenger for dropping him. But then again who can really believe the media these days and they seem to be adding more fuel to the situation. Whatever happens we better replace him player equally or better than him.

Hank1979

This rings true. Alexis has been in a strop for about 6 weeks now. He wont be around next season. He was always moving on. Its down to what we can get for him and how we replace him. Great player but not bigger than the club.

Gargoyle

And we’re back full circle with replacing stars that leave instead of strengthening the team. If that’s true, then Arsene has truly outdone himself. Spent nearly 250 million on players in the last four years, not to mention some of the talent it took him almost a decade to nurture and what does he have to show for it?

Mike

So we were told yesterday it was a tactical decision now this.The club is a shambles.What “senior players” backed this? because whoever they are show zero seniority or leadership on the pitch

GunnerDareMACEDONIA

Well if true it is a right decision for wenger and it is not a shambles, because no player is bigger then the club, alexis can’t hold the club ransom or acting like he is the club and without him we are nothing. I back wenger on this if true. If alexis doesn’t respect the club and teammates and busting up with players, then he needs to change his attitude regardless of it is wenger next season or a new manager, if not he has to go PSG will offer around 70-80 mil if he doesn’t want to go in… Read more »

Doozer

With a year to go on his contract? We’ll be lucky to get £30m. Should have signed a new contract then flogged him.

Paul

I think corporal punishment is going too far…

spinner

How are you going to force him to sign a new contract?

Paul

Exactly what I said, but without the YouTube clip. 🙂

efnenjrnjr

This comment is incredible. Surely it’s Wenger that’s holding the club to ransom. He’s waiting till April to decided if he’s staying. Everything is currently on hold till he decides his future. The club can’t really do much on transfers or contracts till he decides his future. If he decides to leave in April there’s so much that has to be done prior to pre season. How do you know if Ozil has had bust ups or not in training? How do you know Ozil has so much respect for Arsenal? All he’s said the right thing a few times.… Read more »

DanishGooner

-you got it all wrong…..the club is currently without a manager for next season….hence, it can do whatever it pleases, without thinking about what Wenger thinks…THAT’S how it works….

efnenjrnjr

Yeah that’s really not how it works. Say for example Arsenal offer Ozil a contract. He asks who’s the manager. I’m not sure a shrug form Gazidis would be good enough.

What kind of players will Arsenal even be looking to sign without a manager? Which contracts should they look to extend? One that fits Simeone’s style. Or Tuchel. Its just all up in the air.

Michael

Then the media is misreporting… according to what you just said. Everything I have read and heard says that everybody is sitting and waiting to see what Wenger decides.

Michael

No player is bigger than the club? But the coach is?

clins

in any case dropping sanchez further enhaced his reputation and showed wengers decision backfired. a similar situation happened at juventus last week. allegiri and bonucci had a very ugly verbal spat and that too in front of the camera . both of them stopped short of holding each others throat. in the next match allegiri predictably drops bonucci , but unlike wenger went on to win the game with ease and showed bonucci who’s the real boss. dropping alexis is the right decision indeed but wenger should’ve made sure to win the game . instead it looks like wenger had… Read more »

Diarra

Agree, have also noticed this

FREDDO

Good points. But you can’t tell me that the team is never supposed to press. That can’t be right, particularly in today’s football. I think that what drives Alexis nuts (and drives me nuts watching the team) is that nobody seems to know when to press and when not to press. That comes down to coaching and the players being prepared to take risks (which also comes down to coaching). I don’t think Wenger has ever believed much in pressing and, as a result, Arsenal’s pressing has always been pretty sloppy. Whereas Klopp obviously instills in his players a one-in-all-in… Read more »

rosa

No manager is bigger than the club either…

ant

Thank you. Alexis is probably the only leader in this team. He gave 100% from the moment he arrived and he’s entitled to his recent reactions based on his teamates and the manager.

GunnerDareMACEDONIA

wow really ? I love alexis don’t get me wrong but you are making him a god and above arsenal.

Michael

Wow… talk about completely misunderstanding and overstating this situation. Just because somebody says that somebody has a right to be upset and that the’ve been a leader doesn’t mean that they said or insinuated he a f’n God. ?? C’MON!?!

GunnerDareMACEDONIA

And how do you know if he was only upset ? he is upset for months even we can see that on TV and he was never dropped for being upset.

What if he was insulting team players and not respecting the manager is that right to do it if you are alexis ?

When he did a gallas at borunemouth everybody forgot that, if ozil did that you would call for his head and asked the club to be sold immediately.

Michael

What if ?? What if?? What if we concentrate on what we really DO know? What if Wenger tried to grab his but?? Let’s concentrate on reality.

Doug

Koscielny and Cech

Uba Ngenegbo

Senior players? It has to be clowns like Per that has just been rewarded with an additional one pension by the club for doing jack!
As much as I detest Alexis attitude lately, I get his frustrations when Ozil strolls, around the pitch, when Theo cannot control a ball, when Ramsey cannot complete a five yard pass, when there is no tactical direction from an increasingly clueless manager and when a board and an owner can’t be arsed

hector's new hair

let’s be honest…alexis is gone..great player with passion for football but he doesn’t love arsenal…wenger loves arsenal but not good anymore..i stand by wenger’s decision..that being said, wenger should leave because of everything else that’s been happening.

Tino

Well I agree, he doesnt love Arsenal, he loves winning more. And I can totally relate to that. I wish him better supporting cast wherever he plays next year.

Dusko

Well if he loves winning more he should have stayed at Barcelona on the bench, they were winning everything back then…He can f.. off from Arsenal. I think ever since him and Ozil started their contract talks and asked for incredible sums of money (back in October) Arsenals season was over as they upset the team. Football is a TEAM sport as many here said. You may have 1-2 better players than others but you still need 11 on the pitch.

Andres

Hiw dare you say he don’t love Arsenal???? When he put all his effort risking his own health on the pitch for the team. Or loving Arsenal is playing and trainning on your confortable zone waiting for the paying day to replace the car or going out for a photo session at restaurant?? Plastics fans

Glocken

Although it’s very disappointing to hear and unprofessional you can understand it to an extent. To see the rest of the players phoning it in & a Manager well past his sell by date somehow unaccountable must be really frustrating. He has to go but if he gets a move good for him. As long as we get good money & we can use it for a replacement he’s not irreplaceable – but that’s the cost of putting him in with inadequate team mates, deserves better. Hopefully the manager follows suit and bows out as well. The future is bright… Read more »

loose_cannon

But who do we replace him with? Who will want to come? It’ll be obvious why he left, because we’re truly finished as a footballing force and are far too complacent. It’s not about money, it’s because we don’t have the mentality and ambition of a top team and that’ll be clear to everyone.

Michael

If Arsenal would make a quick decision on replacing Wenger Alexis might decide to stay and I think a new coach with a new philosophy could be all the inspiration that all the players that are there need to reorganize themselves. Think about it for a minute. If you felt like you were stuck with somebody who was in a position of authority over you and all your teammates…who was making decisions that were detrimental to the progress of your team and you had no control over it you would feel stuck and be lost without inspiration and then in… Read more »

loose_cannon

Agree with that, somewhat reluctantly. But the best chance of us retaining Sanchez (and attracting top talent in general) would be Wenger’s departure in place of a top replacement by the looks of things. But that could still be scuppered if Sanchez has burned bridges with the rest of the squad, hopefully the situation isn’t that bad

kaius

Fully agree that the club needs to make a quick decision. Which manager got the best out of Alexis? Probably his former Chile coach. Sampaoli’s all-action football makes Klopp’s heavy metal look like elevator music. No wonder Alexis has ideas that don’t fit Wenger’s current philosophy. So Wenger and the club have a decision to make; either give Arsene a new deal and get rid of any players that can’t play his system, or find a new coach that can get the best out of the talent in the squad and convince our best players to stay. We’re a London… Read more »

kas

Good point, If a Simeone or someone of his ilk were the new manager, Sanchez may stay? But both he & his agent must have known the score when he signed ie. Van Persie, Fabregas, Nasri etc etc, anyone who’s ambitious goes.

ClockEndRider

I’m struggling to understand this fixation with former pkayers, especially when in Vieiras case he has attached the grand total of eff all in coaching or management.

Dusko

“but that’s the cost of putting him in with inadequate team mates, deserves better.” Well, he had some very adequate mates in Barcelona, should have stayed there 🙂

Kwame Ampadu Down

Isn’t it long overdue for one of our players to throw a strop ? Too many of our players are coasting: happy to be paid lots of money to play for Arsenal without enough desire to drive themselves to be better & win big trophies. Standards are not high enough. Arsene & a lot of posters here seem to think team spirit involves everyone getting on & being nice. Total bollocks.

Blaming Alexis is just shooting the messenger.

kaius

Guess you called this one earlier. I stand corrected.

Yeah it looks like a pretty bold attempt to take the heat off Wenger after the defeat. No reason for this debacle to leak to the press unless someone at the club wanted it to. Could have easily been a show of strength from Wenger to get in front of this and address it before the game, instead you have it coming it now which just makes everybody look bad.

loose_cannon

Exactly this, thank you

Buzzy Gurkha

So frigging true.If Arsenal play shit football and the only world class player we have dosent like it.Do we stop supporting them and accept mediocrity.

Mattias

Hes the most hardworking guy, you can not leave him on the bench inbthis kind of game. BIG mistake by wenger.

EDgooner4ever

Keep Sanchez and get rid of the rest! Seriously how do the rest of the squad argue with him when they have all been terrible?

Walcott, Ox, Coq, Monreal, Gabriel to name a few need to go! No fight, spirit or talent in any of them!

Michael

This is an obvious case of ego and obsolescence. Wenger can’t stand that his coaching style is no longer relevant in today’s game. He’s fortunate to have the talent he has at Arsenal. Unfortunately, it’s that, and not his coaching that’s kept them going. I saw his latest interview and though he seems genuinely sincere, nobody goes on forever. Now Arsenal, because ‘da coach is playing on his own ego, is on the verge of losing the highest scoring player in the EPL and it’s the PLAYER’S fault? This seems obvious to everyone except Wenger and his superiors.

Alexander Linde

I understand him completely, the lack off ambition almost the whole squad has showed this season. Alexis is a winner and he’s giving it his all for what top four? I’ll have no bad feelings for Alexis if he leaves. Put it in hi’s perspective he came here to win things, cl and pl and the team hasn’t come any close…

It will be a sad day when he leaves since he wont be replaceable,ironically when we finally got a top striker after the dutch…

Stewart Robson's therapist

Funny how there was no word of this before Wenger dropped Alexis or before the final result at Liverpool, yet it immediately appears the day after. This is just newspapers feasting on the clicks of depressed Arsenal fans. Sly and manipulative.

Michael

I’ve read plenty about this many times in the past. You must have missed it.

marje

It does make you wonder who leaked it. If it was a way to get the fanbase back behind Wenger, it worked a treat. So who could have been behind that, I wonder?

Ian Ure

Not surprising. He’s been off for weeks. After all it’s only a few seasons ago he was playing with Messi et al and now he lines up with Coquelin et al.

Viva la Prof

Wasn’t good enough to stay with Barcelona though was he?. He’s a good player but often all smoke and no chicken. Looks great when he pulls something off but most of the time he’s just selfish. I don’t recall him being all that special in the big games,and the strops aren’t what he’s being paid for. I await many thumbs down ?

Michael

I wish some of you what are either think or do some research before you just blurt statements out. If you know anything about Barcelona as a team you can tell it was a completely different situation. I think it’s unbelievably ridiculous that some of you find it easy to blame one player out of the entire team but have absolutely no problem with a coach who has shown consistent mediocrity with the enormous talent that is surrounding him. How is it that you have the highest scoring player in the league but you’re not even in the top four?… Read more »

Amusa

Should have kept him benched then.
The game was already lost.
If he wants to force a move, bench him for the remainder of the season.
We’re fucked anyway.

Paul

Do you fancy a go at management Amusa? We could do with someone like you imho. 🙂

Michael

Don’t ever give up!!! Fix what’s wrong and keep moving forward.
If you’ve learned anything from Alexis, it’s that.
Go ARSENAL!!

Paul

With those first two sentences you should additional post on LinkedIn!
Gnite 🙂

Alexander Partridge

He is one grumpy little sausage isn’t he.

Michael

Ha!! That was funny!!
Go Alexis..GO ARSENAL

Herewegoagain

Ah, the problem with Americanisms.
Do you mean Alexis should leave but get behind Arsenal? Or that we should get rid of both? Or that we should support both?

OlivijeŽiru

Fans are forgetting that this is his only first world class season and not the third with us. He was below par last year and nothing special in the first season. He is not bigger than the club. He had a row with Guardiola also.

Kwame Ampadu Down

Nothing special in his first season? Oh come on, get a grip on yourself.

efnenjrnjr

He scored 25 goals in his first season for us from wide positions. He scored against man city, Liverpool, Dortmund, twice in the cup semi final and the cup final. His goal in the cup final was amazing.

I know people on here are laying the groundwork for him leaving but really ordinary in his first season.

Arsenal is my life

Players, wenger,bullshit! We r arsenal! Are we not! ?

catbiscuits

He’s been playing for himself the past few months, often poorly (masked by good stats including handball goals, crap penalties, etc.), and with a sulky attitude.

I don’t mind him having been dropped. That said, I do mind the broader clusterf*ck around the club and think it’s time for a change.

Michael Okeje

Alexis is a winner no doubt but he is not bigger than the club. I also want to believe he is a better player since he arrives Arsenal than he ever was at Barcelona or Udinese.

Michael Okeje

since he arrived* Arsenal.

Tom

I don’t care who you are, if you’re not pulling in the same direction as the team you’ve got to go…. no one should be storming off in front of team mates. Crap attitude.
Cash in

LEFT08

It’s not just the storming off too. He goes mental when he’s subbed in the 80th minute and wants to play when he’s injured. He behaves like an amateur.

John C

With all due respect but the rest of the team aren’t pulling in the direction Sanchez is going in not vice versa, he deserves better

Michael

The problem is that he was pulling and everyone else just let go leaving him flat on his arse. So if he’s so crappy…? What does that say about everyone else? Yeah…those stats are just crap . . . right? It’s the players with crappy stats or none at all that are really pulling the team, right? Right? HELLO!?! Wake up… You don’t have anything to stand on if your trying to insinuate the highest scoring player in the league isn’t worth anything.

walenaija

How about stat about him with turn overs and stray passes? dribbling to no end?just asking

GoonBill

I’d probably throw a strop if I was him, he wants to win more than anything in the world, and the club don’t. simple.

bring on the down votes

LEFT08

World class player. Too bad he is also a world class clown.

Jonah

If it’s a discipline issue he shouldn’t have been in the 18, never mind the bench! However, if I was training with people who put in effort like we saw yesterday then I too would engage full strop mode. Bye Alexis, I wish you well in your future footballing endeavours, as long as they’re never against Arsenal.

Adam

The only potential positive i could take from it is that finally we shall stop hearing that Arsene must stay as otherwise our key players may leave.

Goldencannon16

I think we are well and truly fucked.

Conchetumadre

Here we go again….excuses and more excuses.
Blame it on Alexis. Are you f@&$ kidding me???
The guy is obviously mad cause he’s a winner. Just look at the attitude he brought in to the pitch when he entered.
Did he look like he didn’t wanna play??
No! He was instantly energetic.
We need his passion!
All this chaos, if true, it’s because Wenger can NO longer direct this team.
Thanks AW, but the affair is OVER.
No player needs to leave.
AS7 must stay to build with him and around him, as he is proven success.
Wenger please go.

Michael

This is an obvious case of ego and obsolescence. Wenger can’t stand that his coaching style is no longer relevant in today’s game. He’s fortunate to have the talent he has at Arsenal. Unfortunately, it’s that, and not his coaching that’s kept them going. I saw his latest interview and though he seems genuinely sincere, nobody goes on forever. Now Arsenal, because ‘da coach is playing on his own ego, is on the verge of losing the highest scoring player in the EPL and it’s the PLAYER’S fault? This seems obvious to everyone except Wenger and his superiors. Can you… Read more »

Steakfordinner

One way to stop all of of this. Stop going and spending money. I have heard it is unfair to expect people to stop doing what they love, and yes it sucks. However, it is the only way to change things. The ONLY way. a few half heartened banners and boos will fall on deaf ears as long as you are still giving the club money. Hit them where it hurts, and watch them react. Watch on tv if you must (streams so filthy sky and bt don’t get your cash)

Dazzler

It’s all just so sad, all of it. It’s like Arsene is self harming and I’m forced to watch.
I’m scared that when he goes – which I think he will this year – only then will we discover that the club we love is basically fucked, and he’s protecting us from the awful truth.

kaius

This is some pretty shameful sh*t.

It was always the danger when Wenger started adding truly world-class players like Alexis and Ozil to the banter-era squad. Was he going to upgrade all the elements in the squad and give those guys the best support to get a title win? Or would they last for just a few seasons before reality sets in and they realised that the club is not willing to do whatever it takes to win?

Conchetumadre

This story is obviously made up and false.
I don’t believe it.

Paul

Is that you Victor?

Paul

Victor fucking Meldrew folks! 🙂

efnenjrnjr

We are currently in a situation where the club are briefing against our best player and the fans are lapping it up. The club’s pr really do take us for fools. First it was the £30m a season offer from a mythical club for Wenger. Then there’s stories about Bellerin questioning his future. In the past there’s been a bucket load of transfer war chest stories in Spring.

Sanchez is a brilliant player who most teams in the world would want. Juve and PSG would love him. But sure Arsenal are better off without him.

marje

Genau. It’s abundantly clear the club is behind this leak to get the fanbase back onside.

FREDDO

I would have thought that Man City will make Arsenal an offer it can’t refuse and Sanchez will line up with Pep

Lee Meade

If a clueless Wenger can get Arsenal into CL every year. Imagine what a manager with better ideas (they’re out there) could do with this club? Alexis is not the problem, people. Just think back on how many times Wenger has changed the topic and started to talk about his job offers from big clubs, BIG CLUBS. Or the endless streams he sends forth about the big signings he almost, almost brought to the Emirates. This guy went shopping at Leicester last year, and thought Vardy, instead of Kante. Clueless. The thing I’m most sick of hearing about from Wenger,… Read more »

DanishGooner

Too many here insist on believing this story……true story or not….sad!

Don

Very difficult to make a definitive judgment until the full story is known which given the sensitivity of it I doubt it will be. Whilst many in this comment section will be quick to point out that no player is bigger than the team, and rightly so, one would have to question what caused Sanchez to walk out on the training, before castigating him for a lack of professionalism. What we do know is that Sanchez is Arsenal’s best player, both skill wise, and productive wise, as he has scored and assisted far more than any other player at the… Read more »

rosa

Yes and people criticise him for ‘doing his own thing’ on the pitch. But I suggest he maybe does that when things aren’t working in an attempt to make something happen. I could understand him being criticised for it if he was playing for Chelsea where tactics are clearly working but surely great players and leaders are the ones who will intervene when things need shaking up and didn’t we used to have players like that?

Hi-brid

If it’s true, then I understand his frustrations, but also feel that he gave Wenger little choice but to bench him, even though I also feel that Wenger needs to go. As a wise man above said, what a mess.

Begeegs

I have my doubts about the timing of this. Usually two newspapers with ‘scoops’ around the same time are leaks from the Arsenal PR Department…

Let’s face it. Wenger has either signed for 2 more years or is signing….

Dave

Off track a bit I know but what does Steve bould do at Arsenal as a coach ,can’t ever in 35 years or when he was playing remember Arsenal playing zonal marking when defending set pieces giving the opposition a free run at the ball certainly didn’t play that way with Tony Adams and co

loose_cannon

Can see both sides of the argument here. Yes the strops have been unprofessional but then again, getting smacked up in every away game is unprofessional too…

Tommy Caton

Imagine you’re Alexis, and find yourself having to play with the likes of the Iwobi, Ox, Ramsey, Walcott, Coquelin etc. I’d be upset too.

gbenga

How come whenever we r losing games or going thru a bad patch, every other football fan crucifies our club? Making matters worse, we help to implode our club from within. When United was struggling, nobody said anything about any player leaving or assisting other football fans 2 implode d club from within. Arsenal loses a match & everything goes 2 hell. Why? The fans too have negatively contributed (in a huge way) 2 d loss of confidence of d players. Never seen a club that kills d morale of its players after losing a match. Guess d invincible has… Read more »

renry

At times Alexis has got away with poor presfrmances just because he provides abs assist orba goal. He has added little to the team other then disruption Imoa. It’s easy to gloss over poor performances if you grab a goal Too much baggage. Sell him him, change the manager and get the rest of the team playing as a unit not a set of individuals. If that means Mesut either plays part of a system and not a number 10 then so be it or he can go aswell. I look around our squad and we have the best squad… Read more »

bubs

He can’t leave, the doggie banner just went up…

David Arsenal

I have been on the waiting list for a season ticket for 8-9 years. I got “the call” on Friday. It was meant to be the ahhpiedt day in my life. I told em to defer my option if possible. I think night shall lose opportunity, but I am not forking out over a grand to watch someone make me unhappy.

Greg

As I am 100% behind the fact that nobody is bigger than the club, Arsen should have stood behind ALexis based on who was he having a go at, because some players really deserve a kick in their arses, under achieving. Yes I also agree with Wenger because standing behind Alexis could have made things worse with other players, so far we don’t know jack about what happened in traning, so let’s wait and see and then we can decide who is to blame.

Runzac

Difficult times and no real excuses for the team to play badly. Hull, the U-23 team Southampton put up in the FA cup and Burnley games – we were lucky. Real performance against Swansea. But I think that after the losses against Everton an Man City the team hasn´t been really up for it. The solution for me is to cut down on the attacking strides – discipline is needed and fewer storming up pitch and leaving Kos and Mustafi to deal with the counter attack. Defensive duties are almost like hemorraghe -no one wants it. 13 goals conceded in… Read more »

Heihaci

Sounds like B.S the squad didnt exactly do themselves any favour from their tame performance without Sanchez

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