Nat Sauteed
A year and a half ago, Alexis Sanchez was considered one of the finest forwards in English football. The Chilean star formed the heart and soul of Arsenal FC. Arsenal fans were left heartbroken when he decided to leave Arsenal and join Manchester United. On the other hand, fans of the Red Devils were overjoyed. A star had been signed.
When the Chilean decided to join Manchester United, he wasn’t in the best of forms. His last six months with Arsenal had been disappointing. Many thought he would come out all guns blazing the moment he joins Manchester United, but the move backfired. He was no longer the Sanchez he used to be. In 32 matches for the Gunners since 2018, he found the net just three times. Arsenal had banked heavily upon him but he had failed to deliver. Consequently, he was loaned out to Italian giants Inter Milan.
His performances in recent times have not been up to the mark. Many believe he got bogged down by the price tag pressure accompanying the deal with Manchester United, but those who follow him closely know that Alexis Sanchez is al ‘player’, and a very good one at that. Just when you write him off, he tends to strike back. Form is something that’s transient. You can score a hattrick of goals in one game and return goalless in the next game. But class is permanent. Just one bad season cannot decide the fate of a player of Alexis Sanchez’s stature.
How can he regain his form?
Play his natural game:
More often than not, players tend to lose form because they fail to get accustomed to a particular set up and culture. At Arsenal, he played as a centre forward, and returned with impressive numbers because of his exceptional work rate and stamina. The moment he was roped in by Manchester United as a forward, he lost his form because he wasn’t ready to play as a forward.
Also, it has to be said that Sanchez didn’t get too many chances to prove himself under Jose Mourinho’s leadership. No matter how good a player you are, you need a good amount of opportunities to prove yourself. Looking at the current scenario, it can be said that the tensions brewing within Manchester United (during Mourinho’s tenure as manager) seem to have had a drastic impact on Alexis Sanchez’s performance.
Creating opportunities for others to score
Football is not just about scoring goals, it is also about creating opportunities for others to score. No matter how good a player you are, there will be times when you won’t be able to go past the opposition’s defence lines. When something of this sort happens, you need to provide others with an opportunity to score. One man cannot replace an entire forward line. Pass the ball around and get some pressure off your back. Alexis is someone who tends to bounce back just when you write him off. If you wish to catch him in action, then get your tickets booked using Tic Flip.
Don’t get bogged down by pressure
Pressure can derail the best amongst us and Sanchez happens to be no exception. He needs to play his natural game while keeping all of the pressure and criticism at bay. Pressure is bound to be there, but as a player, you need to keep your head down and perform. Well, that is the best thing you can do. You need to keep your head down and go through the grind thinking that all of it is a part of a much bigger scheme of things.
Let us wait for the striker to strike back…
