Arsenal: Alexis Quietly Becoming The Underperformer

Alexis Sanchez was widely rated as Arsenal’s key player prior to 2015-16. Has Mesut Ozil’s prolific vein of form overshadowed Sanchez’s poor form in 2016?

Back when Arsenal fans were talking about their team’s title chances in the summer of 2015, fans were hoping Mesut Ozil would cut out the laziness and make the step up to becoming Arsenal’s main man.

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Alexis Sanchez was far from the first concern. All were convinced that he had quickly assimilated into Premier League football, and despite his run with Chile in the 2015 Copa America he was touted as another player to watch for 2015-16.

After a slow start, the Chilean started to bang them in in the Premier League, and ended up with six goals in three games, seven goals in four games including a goal in the Champions League against Olympiakos.

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The causes for what happened in the ensuing weeks are unclear. It could be the rest Sanchez took in the December-January period, it could be his fitness, it could be something in his personal life that’s affecting his confidence in game. One thing is for sure: he’s only scored four times – only one time in the Premier League – since the middle of October, 2015.

Yes, every player goes through ruts. There’s no reason to single Sanchez out as the only Arsenal player who is under performing, because he’s not.

Olivier Giroud has not scored in the Premier League since January, and he’s the first-choice striker at the club. The reason Alexis being singled out is not because of some poor form for a few games, or some bad misses in the most recent fixtures.

It’s because he is supposed to be the man at Arsenal, and right now he’s far, far from that point.

The most likely reason for whatever curse hangs over the Chilean’s head is that spell he had on the sidelines in the turn of 2016, starting on December 5th. Since then, his only goals have come against Burnley in the F.A. Cup, and against Spurs in the most recent Prem edition of the North London derby.

Prior to his injury-type thing in December 2015, Sanchez was accurate with 55 percent of his shots through 14 PL appearances. Since his return to the first team in the English top flight, he’s only put 35 percent of his shots on target.

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Squawka statistics gives out ‘player awards’ to the best attacker, defender, and passer from each team after matches in the top five leagues. In those fourteen games Sanchez had at the beginning of the season that he was so good in, he earned fifteen “best _____” awards for Arsenal. Since then, only two awards to his name: ‘worst man in team’ against Manchester United, and ‘worst in possession’ against lowly Bournemouth.

Perhaps it’s not as bad as it’s being made out to be right now. After all, the Chilean has only been back from injury for eight games, and the pressure should never be riding all on him.

Questions have to be asked, however. Mesut Ozil, a player who everybody knew was inconsistent in 2014-15, has been producing the goods for the Gunners and winning them matches in dire situations. Since the beginning of this season, Alexis has not.

Next: Mesut's Call To Arms Must Be Heeded

Perhaps if Sanchez had picked it up when he was called upon once again, things would look very different at the top of the table. When your star man doesn’t perform, the team will struggle.