Although we understand that winning the Premier League is the main priority for this season, every Arsenal fan wanted Arsene Wenger to play his strongest possible starting line up for the visit of Bayern Munich last night. He did just that and boy did it pay off, but it may have been one game too many for our human dynamo Alexis Sanchez.
After his amazing exertions against Man United, the Chilean had some serious travelling and two full international games, very little time to rest before facing Watford and yet another quick turnaround for the Champions League clash. And as his all action game is based on energy and work rate, there is only so much his body can handle, as the boss stated in his post match comments on the Arsenal website.
Wenger said, “Alexis, you could see he was a bit jaded physically tonight and he still pushes himself so much but he finished exhausted. The two games with Chile, plus travelling, plus Watford, plus tonight, it is too much.”
With Alexis being a key player for Arsenal, we cannot risk him picking up an injury so Wenger will have to be very careful as he prepares the team to face Everton. The forward may well show his remarkable powers of recovery once more but if not then we need to find a way to cope without him and the injured Ramsey.
For me there is a clear option and that is to bring our super sub Olivier Giroud back to the centre forward position with Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain either side of him. The Frenchman´s form and confidence has returned and the two wide men would still provide us with great pace.
And if the game is not going as hoped against Everton, we could always use Alexis as another super sub. What do you think Gooners?