Alexis Sanchez admits that his form has suffered this season because he’s been fearful of picking up another injury.
After two summers without a rest, the Chilean striker found himself teetering on the cusp of the fabled ‘red zone’ when he finally succumbed to a hamstring problem that ruled him out between late November and the tail end of January.
Only now, after several weeks of indifferent form, is the 26-year-old again showing the quality that took English football by storm in his debut season.
Explaining the dip in his game, Sanchez told Premier League World: “Before my injury I was 100 per cent fit. I was feeling well. After the injury I wanted to get back but it was hard.
“I had a setback and when I played a match, I was scared I would get injured again because the thing I like most in the world is playing football and when I can’t play, I feel sad.”
In comments that echo those he made a few weeks ago, Sanchez also reflected on his ambitions for the future, targeting success with Arsenal both domestically and in Europe.
“I think I have adapted well to the club but I am never satisfied with what I do. I want to win the Premier League, the Champions League. I always want to win everything,” he continued.
“Football is my passion, my life and I always want to win. If I lose, I always go home sad, I can’t sleep and that upsets me. When I win, my team-mates are happy and enjoy their families the next day. Football is my life.”
While his form may not have reached the heights of last season, Alexis has still been directly involved in 21 goals this season, scoring 10 and assisting 11 in all competitions. Let’s hope he can add to that when we travel to West Ham on Saturday; on paper one of our toughest remaining fixtures.
Absolutely brilliant player. It shows how fickle some fans ate that he was criticised so much after coming back from injury having pretty much carried the club last season.
I don’t always agree with your comments but I’m with you all the way with this. Incredible that some were saying he should be dropped bla bla bla. Even when he is not on top form he is such a threat, always involved. Fickle is the word sir.
Alexis is very good but he’s no Neymar.
They still make you
I said it before, watch how when he plays closer to the goal, he is unstoppable. Got most of his goals and assists when he pushes up to go behind the defence. When he tries to play from deep, he always runs into so much traffic and loses the ball which affects his confidence.
*are
Is it possible to love this guy any more?!?!
What a fucking legend
Dennis Bergkamp is a legend. What has Sanchez done to deserve being named a legend? Not to mention he doesn’t have 10% of Bergkamp’s quality, or 10% of Pires’s quality for that matter.
It’s such an overused word.
Mate, you seriously are a joke aren’t you, slacking off our own players?
And I am seriously not of the opinion that he is better than any of the above mentioned players, just to make it clear!
We forgive you alexis…..just as long as next season you smash it again!!
Sanchez, Cazorla and Coquelin all lost at the same time, had to affect the season. And Sanchez wasn’t great when he did return though looking far better now.
“The thing I like most is playing football, and when I can’t play, I feel sad”
I tell thee, the ‘little boy’ inside alexis is much more agreeable then the one inside Van Persie.
I..love..him.
Could we somehow transpose Sanchez’ little boy into Jack wilshere, get him off the clubs.
It’s a risky procedure! We all know what the ‘little boy’ inside Jack Wilshere thinks of Tottenham, so i’d say leave him be.
In all seriousness though, I hope it all comes good for him (and us), he’s the closest thing we have at the club to ‘Mr.Arsenal’.
Alexis is like a human puppy. I love him.
Haha I thought this. When I see him with his two Labradors, I honestly believe if you threw a ball all three would run after it in excitement.
He’d even growl if you tried to take it off him.
*Or golden retrievers. Apologies dog lovers.
Even in an off period hampered by injury Sanchez remains one of our best players and our second scorer. That’s what being world class is all about.
Well, if needs to read between the line, he wants to win. All. Which lets face it, not exactly a thing that relates to Arsenal.
Doesnt strike me as someone who would leave because it might be easier somewhere else ala some cunts I won’t mention, mostly because I don’t feel like throwing up right now.
He wants its. He wants it so bad. And he wants it with us. Let’s get behind em all till we do.
I don’t get the downvotes. We’re not world beaters, we’re not even close to being that.. sad but true!
Credit to him for being so honest. It’s been evident at times this season that he’s been playing within himself, almost with a bit of nervousness which is so unlike him at his best. But his commitment and love of football are such that no one really doubts he’ll be back to his best (and he is on his way there). Something that gets overlooked is that his best football for Arsenal came not on the wing but in a central free role alongside/behind Welbeck while Giroud and Ozil were out injured in the early part of the 2014/15 season.… Read more »
“When I can’t play, I feel sad.”
Dat feel ;_;
Hopefully he tells PSG to fuck off.
Please dont go and play that crappy cup this summer with Chile and get some rest before next season
I think Alexis is what happens when you manage to grow up and not become a cynical asshole. This guy is so straight forward and simple (I mean in the sense of being not dubious, not calling him stupid) and honest and these are all traits that are very evident in the way he plays. He’s had a rough second season, but I genuinely think that’s mostly because he set the bar so high in his first season! Looking forward to seeing him lead this Arsenal team to great things.
Alexis won’t have a summer off until 2020…Copa America Centennial, Confederations Cup, World Cup, Copa America. Looks like he’ll be in the ‘redzone’ for a while yet to come
As long as we dont do the arsehole thing and play him for 10 games straight in August/Sep.
I get that he always wants to play but i get the impression Wenger hasnt really put his foot down.
What a player. Absolutely bossed it against watford Saturday Liverpool we’re so keen to sign him for replacing suarez but he joined the best team instead.
Fuck me. Never use the words ‘Sanchez’ and ‘injury’ in the same sentence. My heart dropped when I layed my eyes on the headline.
Excuses excuses he was playing rubbish beginning of the season apart from that Leicester game and i remember al of us worrying and many giving him a free ride because of who he is…. then he comes back plays worse and then went to the media before spurs calling us weak mentally not good enough etc not taking any responsibility no leadership and hes only playing well now like the rest of the team because the pressure is off…. he needs to be sold in the summer as far as im concerned… hes been an absolute disgrace!
I preferred you in the Argonauts film Jason!
This is the dumbest pile of shit I have read all day.
Alexis is a god, we are lucky to have him and there is so much more to come
He’s already provided me a memory I will take to my grave, his “screamer-exocet-missile” goal that basically shut down Villa as a club and Sherwood as a boss!
“…when I can’t play, I feel sad” bless him!!
just try not run yourself ragg’ed again please mate!! 😉
Have to love him no matter what
Don’t worry Alexis, when you’re handled by the medical staff at Arsenal, you have every reason to fear injury.
When he was back from a much longer injury, Özil was direct into the mood! Talk about his mental frailty, then and Sanchez’s strong spirit…
Btw, YES, Sanchez should have been benched for a while after some below par performances! His past season shouldn’t allow him to go on this season no matter what! Btw, i’m glad he seems to be back at his best. High time!