Arsenal: Alexis Sanchez Tantrums Don’t ‘Hinder’, They Help

 Niall Quin has stated that Alexis Sanchez’s tantrums hinder Arsenal’s progression. The desperation to win that the Chilean shows, helps, rather than hinders.

The aftermath of the devastating loss at Liverpool has centred on the increasingly untenable position of Arsene Wenger and the apparent training ground bust-up between him, some of the other Arsenal players and one Alexis Sanchez.

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The Chilean is known for his fiery temperament and a desperate will to win, but throughout his North London career thus far, there haven’t been musings that he has tried to upset the camp. Perhaps he is a little prickly to deal with given his unrelenting attitude but there has never been any suggestion that he has failed to work for the good of the team.

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Nonetheless, after the weekend’s reports, some in the media have suggested that his touchline antics when subbed off, his visible displeasure at some of his teammates and his tempestuous tantrums come at the detriment of the team. Sky Sports’ pundit Niall Quinn, in his regular column, claimed that Sanchez’ attitude is not a help to his team, but a hindrance that Wenger must continually keep a handle of:

"“Tantrums like throwing his gloves away and coming off with a face like a slapped backside when he is substituted, won’t have endeared him either to the team or management. He is not helping an under-performing team and to many, it looks as if he is putting himself in the shop window with an eye to the summer.”"

If Arsenal themselves were a team showing a desire to win, a mental fortitude, resilience and persistence, then such a critique regarding Sanchez’s would be valid. However, that is far from the case. While Sanchez yearns for victory, the soft underbelly of his teammates continually shines through, leading to abject performances like the ones in the losses to Chelsea, Bayern Munich and now Liverpool, all in the last month.

Sanchez brings a fight and a fire that was desperately missing in the first half against Liverpool. With Sanchez on the sidelines, Wenger proceeded to watch a display of thorough insipidness. They were lacking in energy and intensity, they looked unmotivated, unwilling to try, unable to match the pressing of Jurgen Klopp’s side. It was an utter embarrassment.

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So, while Quinn’s overarching point about individual’s behaviour souring the rest of the dressing room is a fair one, when the dressing room is need of a little saltiness, Sanchez’s antics suddenly become a help and not a hindrance.