Eyebrows were raised before kick off last night when Alexis Sanchez was named on the bench for Arsenal’s 0-0 draw with Chelsea in the Carabao Cup.
The Chilean had been the subject of a £20m bid from Man City, despite the fact they can sign him for free in the summer. It increased speculation over his future, but afterwards Arsene Wenger denied that his decision was made with a potential transfer in mind.
Nor was the Frenchman particularly forthcoming when asked to explain why he left his joint-leading scorer out of the team.
“The team selection had nothing to do with the transfer market,” he said.
“I have not to justify every decision I make, I made over 1,000 games and I made over 1,000 teams and got it wrong every time. I have to make a decision.
“You have to accept as well when you play so many games, and Sanchez plays every game, that sometimes a breather in the middle of the season helps them a little bit.”
It was then put to him that Sanchez could start negotiating with clubs abroad, because he’s in the final 6 months of his contract, as if this was somehow a revelation to him.
“Are you aware?,” he asked. “I am not. You just gave me the rule. He doesn’t need to tell me that he speaks to anybody else, because that’s the rule. He doesn’t need to alert the club, he can do it on his own.”
He then defended his player and his character from accusations that his commitment to the club would be less now that he’s heading towards the end of his current deal.
“People don’t know Alexis well,” he said. “This is a guy who is completely focused to play football. Have you seen how he came on today, how he warmed up?
“Like a player who wants to play football. He can make a difference between what’s going on outside and what’s going on on the football pitch, with facts, not psychological theories.
“The fact is when you turn up on the pitch, you play football and you give 100 per cent. That’s what he does.
“I have no problem if he signs now [for another club] or in June. What is important for me is the next game and that you can rely on him.
“The only thing I want to say is the performance of Alexis and the commitment does not depend on the duration of his contract, it just depends on the fact that when he’s on the pitch he wants to play.
“You say basically that the commitment of a player is linked with the length of his contract. I don’t believe that at all.”
For more on last night’s game, check out today’s Arseblog: A decent draw, but injury worries mount as Wilshere limps off
Fair enough on a game-by-game basis. But why not start him then?
Plus, managing 1,000 games doesn’t give you immunity from getting it wrong occasionally Arsene.
We went out to avoid losing so iwobi and welbeck were probably more secure options
How dare you question Almighty Wenger. He has been in the game since the book of Exodus. Just because Moses was about to lead the children of Israel to the promised land, it didn’t stop him from putting in every effort for Bulrush FC in the final months of his contract. THou shalt not question Almighty Wenger, even if thou workest for the Times.
Did you actually read the whole phrase with the 1000 games or you couldn’t wait to beat him with it?
Well, what I do know is that if Wenger was here for another 1000 games, we’d still be losing to Watford in the Premiership with a brand new set of expensive international stars making complete and utter idiots of themselves, due to the instructions they’ve been given by the coach. Yes, I do read Wenger’s comments and they fluctuate between an arrogant dictator and a feeble brow-beaten sulk with a persecution complex. And, like most of us, I’m getting just a tad bored with his rhetoric and seeing the football club that I love stagnate – season in, season out.
All he wants is to win – Arsenal are not winning, so he wants to leave. Simple as that.
Benching him in a semi-final against Chelsea defies the point of keeping him.
He is comfortably our most productive player in the way of goals.
He doesn’t give a fuck this season but he’s still score more then Hazard.
Wenger kept Arshavin on the bench at Wembley in the FA Cup Semi with Chelsea in 2009. Of course, we lost.
This Alexis stuff is getting a bit boring. Is he having his best season? No. Would I rather see him playing for us than against us? Yes. Do I think he will stay and sign a new contract? No.
And there it ends. Enjoy him whilst we have him.
Cheer up, mate. Someday we will have a new manager, a new regime and some shiny new world class players to idolise. Happy days.
$20m is the equilavent of a goldfish’s testicle to city. I say keep him and maybe he helps us win the Europa league or something.
I think this was always Arsene’s plan
Sell him. 20m is better than zero. Come the summer we will have to work on BOTH Ozil and Alexis not to mention a host of other positions. It is also a world cup year which will delay sales on players and mean yet again impact to start of season. Take the 20m (maybe push it to 25m) Replace Alexis now. Some of the targets on hand (Mahrez, an underused Draxler) available now will be more difficult to get in the summer when there is a major reshuffle on hand an the excitement of the world cup (false quality show)… Read more »
His abilities to generate revenue far greater than 20 million with victories exceed your valuation of him. 20 Million panic selling for a summer landscape, that is not yet determinable because it depends on a World Cup tournament and the final standings of all the leagues. It’s more important to build each victory solidly, and that will set us up business-wise for the summer. Keeping Sanchez is a much more closer decision to make than you think.
“You say basically that the commitment of a player is linked with the length of his contract. I don’t believe that at all.”
Unless the player is called Oxlade-Chamberlain
The Ox he could have forced him to put pen to paper when Gnabry was pushing for a more permanent role in first team. In the end with all the sentimental molly coddlying of the Ox, Wenger succeeded in losing BOTH. The writing is one the wall for Ozil and Alexis. Particularly the latter (where the former we may still have a low percentage chance of extending) The worse thing Wenger could do is continue to rely/delay on Alexis and wait the summer. It will not change outcome, we will lose 20m and it will coplicate rebuild further. Sell. He… Read more »
If we don’t have a proper replacement in mind.. selling Alexis for 20 odd million now would be an absolute joke.. when we wouldn’t sell him for 50-60 million in the summer. It would be an absolute clown show if Arsene doesn’t already have another ace up his sleeve.
We all wanted to get rid of him in the summer.
Well according to Wenger last August, it was an ‘ideal situation’…..
Sell him for 20m bc you don’t want to lose 20m. Every amount counts. Wenger should have sold him in the summer but it is more palatable now considering City is the destination of choice and we are not in rivalry with them this season. You forfeit 20m and Wenger will penny pinch further in the summer bc the prices for certain players who can replace Alexis now will only go up in the summer. Plus there will be complications to us fixing in other positions. Its ridiculous to say we will be worse without Alexis. Only if we don’t… Read more »
Anyone else pick up on the “I have no problem if he signs now [for another club] or in June. What is important for me is the next game and that you can rely on him”, or was it just me?
He relied on him so much that he benched him despite laca puking up all day before the game.
Go or stat I really couldn’t give monkey’s because until Wenger goes it doesn’t matter who we sell or buy the teams attitude and set up will be the same.
You are absolutely spot on. Would be great to have Alexis at arsenal next year but that’s not going to happen. The bigger change needs to be at manager level
A couple of observations from the game.
Full marks to the Chambers/Holding performance, I thought they really played well……..I am seriously delighted for them.
I know several refs who would be awarding a peno for the “perfect” Wellbeck tackle at the end. Pointing triumphantly to the spot. Fuck off.
Agree about our CBs. Nice way to rebuild some confidence after some bad to inconsistent performances.
it depends what mood he is in, if he performs or not
United are in with a bid of 25m or Henrikh Mkhitaryan and cash.
I would take the player 4 years of Mkhitaryan > 4 months of Sanchez
Jose hasn’t really given him a fair crack of the whip and he really is a marquee player..
Think of all the scorpion goals him and Giroud would score.
Thumb down away..
but i don’t think it strengthens united…
Mourinho won’t be happy with the “sanchez tax” and will sell him next year – or Alexis will kill him
> means “greater than”.
Wengers decisions are showing that old age is catching up with him. From him i see a father figure to the players not a coach. You sell coq and say Niles is a DM. Niles who have not yet played the position for us there. Ox was sold but not replaced, carzola have been injured for a long time but nothing done with the replacement. Now sanchez’s future is not settled but for sure i know he will say Nelson or adeleide will replace him. No one have challenged wenger now his powers are killing the team. The old man… Read more »
I think the decision was simple. We like to keep him wrapped up for a sale but we are in no position to not be totally without his services. It is an indictment of the depth in quality (or lack thereof) in the squad at present. Particularly it is an indictment in the lack of technical/skill/creative players in the squad too heavily weighted on youth and Little Britain development plans. Even with Alexis in the squad, it feels like we are at least one player short in the attacking set up in having proper balance in threat from both flanks.… Read more »
If we can get city to part with 25m for him, we should sell. In the end he is replaceable. Alexis is 29yrs now and whilst he adds that unpredictable element, he has also been wanton with the ball this season. We can do better but we should invest in the right player who can deliver for the now with good upside potential. There was talk about Christian Pavon for 27m from Boca. He is an exciting player and potentially a like-forlike replacement for Alexis. There is also young Lemar (still being touted at an exorbitant 92m) Pavon seems an… Read more »