Arsenal: Lorenzo Insigne Closest Thing To Alexis Sanchez Replacement

Arsenal won’t be able to replace Alexis Sanchez with just one person, but if the game is finding the closest possible option, the Lorenzo Insigne wins.

Arsenal may be facing the sad reality of a future without Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean has become the beating heart of this team, but seeing as how he doesn’t have to much else to rely on other than let-downs and half-hearted attempts (welcome to the life of a Gooner…) at success, an exit would not be that shocking.

The key for Arsenal then becomes damage mitigation. How do you replace the most important player on the team?

Well, the short answer is you don’t. Not with one person at least. Even if the Gunners landed Griezmann, Aubameyang or Aguero, it still would not fully compensate for the loss of Alexis Sanchez. He just has too much versatility and too much heart.

As I have said before, there is no one out there that can do it all by themselves. But there is someone that comes closer than most, and that someone is Lorenzo Insigne.

The difference between Insigne and those other guys is the diverse array of skills and positions that he has in his tool chest. He is a master dribbler who can create for himself. He plays out wide primarily (as Alexis does) but has been slipped into the No. 9 as well (as Alexis has been).

As far as his skill set, he is nearly impossible to get off the ball. That comes from his low center of gravity, but it also comes from his quick, near-flawless feet. He has blazing pace that might well stand up to Hector Bellerin.

Oh, and did he say he can create for himself?

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That is the thing about Alexis that we would miss the most. So few of our attackers can create for themselves. One on one situations just aren’t their forte. Alexis has the ability to create and so does Insigne. Whether that means infiltrating the defense or picking out the perfect pass.

But don’t just take my word for it, look at the numbers and remember that numbers don’t lie. Ever.

Lorenzo Insigne last year scored 12 and assisted on 10 in 2600 minutes of play. Alexis Sanchez scored 13 and assisted on four in 2400 minutes of play. What you get there is a 118 to 141 minutes per goal contribution in favor of the Italian.

This year, even with Alexis on a tear, Insigne is still on pace for a similar output, contributing every 130 minutes.

And I can’t help but think that having a supporting cast of Arsenal players, which will hopefully be beefed up come next year, Insigne will find even more ways to contribute.

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It’s an impossible situation to fix easily. But the best thing we can do is look for something somewhat close. And Insigne fits that billing. The problem, of course, is his recurring claims of being a Neapolitan for life. Even with his recent contract stand-off, it’s hard to imagine a future where Insigne isn’t at Napoli.

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