Arsenal: Alexis Sanchez Experiment Still Not Complete

Arsenal are a club known for a bit of experiments, and Alexis Sanchez is no exception. It’s surprising that the experiment is still ongoing.

Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil seemed to be two players far beyond ever being considered ‘experiments’ at Arsenal. Arsene Wenger may be able to play around with Alex Iwobi or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain but two established superstars? No way.

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That has proven to be incorrect. Mesut Ozil is becoming more of a goal scorer. In his time here, he has gradually learned to take his chances more and you can bet that comes from the tutelage he has received under Wenger’s watch.

Alexis Sanchez is the same way. He is an attacking midfielder through and through. Chile won the Copa America with him holding down the No. 10 spot and Arsenal has benefited from him playing a wide attacking role.

Now he is suddenly a striker and it is working pretty well. The only reason I say pretty well is because there is still one major flaw and Wenger has highlighted it yet again, begging the question of what the plan is going forward.

“In my taste, he still comes too much to the ball, because Alexis likes to have the ball. We have enough playmakers in our team and we would want him a bit more… we do not want to forbid him to come to the ball, but to get in a bit more with off-the-ball runs,” he said, via Arsenal.com.

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Perfectly stated, Le Prof. We saw it first hand against Middlesbrough. Alexis, instead of trying to move off the ball and find space, opted to drop further back into the formation to receive the ball and then attempt to penetrate the nine-man Boro wall.

That was never going to work and it left the Gunners flat-footed and goalless. It wasn’t a whole lot of fun. Drawing with Boro at the Emirates rarely ever is.

Wenger is right, this is the risk you take putting him up front. Clearly the Alexis experiment is still ongoing. It is nothing near a finished product. When it’s working, it looks unstoppable, but slow it down for a bit and it comes to a screeching halt.

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This has to be amended. Thankfully, though, with Olivier Giroud back, there is an alternative. There will be no more painful stalemates where we are crying out for someone – anyone – to step up and pretend like they are a striker.