Alexis Sanchez is certainly Arsenal’s main man in form so far this season, having found himself excelling in a new role for the team. With Olivier Giroud unfit at the start of the season, Arsene Wenger decided to take a punt on trying Alexis up front and it’s certainly a move that’s paid off. Now some individuals in the game have begun to suggest that Alexis could prove to be as vital to the team as Thierry Henry was back in the day.
Thierry Henry is not only the club’s record goalscorer but also most probably the number one Gunner in the club’s history. Henry was more than a special player that really lit up the pitch for the Gunners and although it’s been almost ten years since the Frenchman left the club for Barcelona, Arsenal have largely struggled to found a striker quite so prolific since. Many strikers have come and gone throughout the years, but it’s the converted winger Alexis who has proven to be probably most prolific in front of goal.
Some of the comparisons made in recent weeks have probably pushed the boundaries, because of course Alexis is still only in his first season of playing for Arsenal as a striker, as well as the fact Sanchez is very much in a prime stage of his career, compared to Henry who joined in his younger years. But I think the comparison in terms of how both players work on the pitch is very fair and it’s led to Alexis himself stating just how great it would’ve been to link up with the Arsenal legend, had he still been playing.
Alexis said: “He had a huge repertoire and great vision. I like playing with players with such a panoramic vision. I think we would do great together. We would be constantly moving, going up and down, coming and going. I would have loved playing with Henry.”
“He was more of a scorer than I am. I think I would assist him for every goal he would score! I’m more into passing and he is a great goalscorer.”
Can you imagine a side that would feature both Alexis and Henry, it would terrify defences in both the league and Europe! Alexis has been notching up both goals and assists, with the Chilean already proving vital to the Arsenal’s success in the all competitions so far this season. Having scored 14 goals and assisted on 8 occasions in 22 appearances so far this season, Alexis is showing exactly what a talent he is in his newfound position up front.
I must admit I had my reservations about Alexis playing up front at the start of the season, but now I’m certainly glad Wenger stuck to his guns and gave the Chilean a run in the team as a striker. Alexis has shown pace, power, strength and fight to be a very tough player for defenders to face, and let’s hope that continues for the rest of the season.
By AH
He must stay, one of the top 4/5 in the world … Pay him what he wants … And get another Sanchez ….
Not if he continuously get linked to China
If he doesn’t accept the generous contract offer that we offer him, which will make him a very rich man, and just signs for someone else for more money then he obviously doesn’t want to play for us and will be thought of as just another mercenary player like RVP, Nasri, Hleb etc.I’m sure that what we offer him will be very good and the stalling to sign is just his agent angling for the highest offer so that his cut will be more. If Sanchez really wants to carry on playing for Arsenal all he has to do is accept the very good offer we are giving him. I wouldn’t pay any amount of silly money. I’m sure a lot of people will not agree with this but no one player is bigger than the club….not even Sanchez.
@marty – why should he accept less than he is worth? Because Arsenal prefer not to pay it? To me, it is normal that he compares himself to his peers and wants to be paid accordingly.
The difference between 250/week and less than 200/week is massive. It is also about being recognized for where you rank amongst your peers.
What a player is worth is surely subjective as everybody will put a different figure on it. What I am saying is that if Sanchez really wants to play for Arsenal then I’m sure our offer to him will make him very rich over the next few years. It will certainly make him Arsenals highest ever paid player.
If he were to accept an offer from China for silly money what would his legacy be, just another money grabbing player ?
Or why don’t we just offer him a million a week and see where that takes us !!
Yes.. pay him 250.. sell sa^ogo etc
He will never be a legend like Henry. He is not Arsenal through and through he is more like a mercenary.
Agreed, or a legend like Adams & O’Leary, I’m sure they had offers to sign for other clubs for more money than Arsenal paid them but they wanted to play for Arsenal and were Arsenal men through and through. Not like today’s mercenary players ( who although very well paid )use clubs as stepping stones just to grab as much as they can.
I can see more thumbs down coming !!
Don’t forget that Henry was surrounded with world class players,that’s what made him great,they also won titles. But in Sanchez,there’s only two or three other players that we can claim to be World class,if Sanchez isn’t don’t have enough good players around him,he won’t be anyway near Henry,but if the players we have improve or we get in more quality players in every position,then with Sanchez staying and wining at least the EPL,then he can start getting compared to Henry
He already has a world class partner in Giroud but Wenger won’t play them together!