The Sanchez saga has been dragging on for so long and the earlier Arsenal get it sorted out, the better. No player is bigger than a club; no player can hold a club to ransom. No matter how big a star you think you are, always remember that if the football had not given you a platform to express your skills, you would never have become a star player! Sanchez needs to be settled now before our season explodes further.
When Arsenal started new contract negotiations with Sanchez and Ozil, it was seen to be a good move in the right direction. This is what shows seriousness on the side of a club. No club wants to lose its star player and that is why when the contract of its star player is about winding down, it starts negotiations for a new contract as soon as possible. Arsenal showed ambition in re-negotiating but what did the players do? They held the club to ransom.
Although Ozil has not signed a new contract, his own situation is not as delicate as that of Sanchez. I strongly believe Ozil will remain an Arsenal player at the start of next season. But as far as I am concerned, Sanchez is no longer an Arsenal player. It may sound stupid seeing Wenger starting Sanchez from the bench against Liverpool but then, he was only showing Sanchez who the boss was. Sanchez has caused a lot of distractions in the club, even the team captain Mertesacker, made mention of such. Sanchez’s case should have done and dusted with a long time ago! If Alex Ferguson was our coach, I am sure we would have settled this case a long time ago.
In a game against Real Madrid in the Champion’s league some four years ago, Ferguson kept Rooney on the bench and the world did not end. Rooney had contractual issues with Man united then and Ferguson was definitely not pleased with the distractions it was causing the team. He had to make decisions for the benefit of the team and he did. So, why the fury over Wenger benching Sanchez? I know the fans are not impressed with Wenger but then, we need to reason along with him. Before the game, there were rumours of a training bust-up between Sanchez and his team mates. No coach wants to supervise a divided team and Wenger had to take actions.
Is it not better we start showing him we can play without him? He has become and unwanted distraction to the team and I feel this problem should be nipped in the bud before other players are tempted to revolt, (It was obvious Gabriel was not in the mood to joke with him when Sanchez tried joking with him in the game against Liverpool). He has allowed his sulking and complaints to get to the team and I am against it. I know I wrote an open letter to him some weeks ago asking him not to leave Arsenal, but now I am forced to ask him to either take a final decision now or leave us in peace! Arsenal won’t stop being Arsenal if he decides to go, or will it? Is Sanchez not becoming a pain in our necks?
Sylvester