Arsenal has bought a world class player. And with the money spent, Arsenal might just play a big role in financing the departure of the EPL's best player for the second season running.
First, Sanchez is a great addition to the team. His speed, strength, and dribbling ability helps him create his own chances. He has a good eye for a pass and can create chances for others.
According to WhoScored.com, Sanchez was Barcelona's second-best player last season, behind only Messi. The best Barcelona player not named Messi. Think about that.
Sanchez scored 19 goals in just 27 starts, the second-most on the team, despite being the 3rd or 4th attacking option behind Messi, Neymar, and sometimes Pedro.
Sanchez should compliment Giroud very nicely. Having trained at Barcelona for three years, Sanchez possesses the intelligence and movement to find Giroud for 1-2s and break open defenses even in tight spaces. But Sanchez also thrives in space. The prospect of Ozil finding passes for the Chilean to start a break is mouth-watering.
Make no mistake, Sanchez joins Arsenal and instantly becomes the team's #1 attacking option. Ozil will provide the supply. Giroud will provide the link up play and occupy the center backs. Walcott will provide spacing by threatening to get in behind the defense. Ramsey will make late runs in to the penalty area. And Sanchez will be the fulcrum of the attack.
Sanchez was forced to play the Walcott role at Barcelona. The team didn't run through him, it ran through Messi. A reduced role in a less direct style of play didn't suit Sanchez's qualities as a player. His adaptation to a very unique style of play was delayed by injuries in his first season at the Camp Nou. He was good, but not great in his lone season with Pep Guardiola.
Guardiola left and Tito Vilanova tried to keep the team playing the same way in 2012. Sanchez struggled to fit in and he began to feel the wrath of the Barcelona fans. Read this excerpt from BarcaBlaugranes.com's 2012/13 Season in Review.
"Expectations were fairly low for Alexis Sanchez going into the 2012-13 season as just about everybody expected him to fail. And at first all those critics appeared to be right as Alexis struggled to find the back of the net. It took him 15 La Liga appearances to find the back of the net for the first time - week 23 (April 10th) against Getafe. It wasn't for lack of trying though as Alexis consistently found himself in dangerous scoring positions, but just couldn't find a way past opposing goalkeepers..."
"But it was like that goal against Getafe was all that Alexis needed to break the slump he was in. Over the last three months of the season the forward made 12 league appearances, nine starts, during which he scored 7 goals and added 6 assists..."
"Alexis didn't change his game to get better production - he played the same way he did before, but once he started bagging goals the confidence returned and Alexis started playing without the constant pressure."Remind you of anyone? You could substitute 'Alexis Sanchez' for 'Aaron Ramsey' and use the above language to describe each players' 2012/13 campaigns.
Both struggled with confidence as they were put under pressure by the fans. Both continued to work hard and never gave up. Both kept finding dangerous positions. And both worked through the tough times to come out world class players on the other side.
It's no surprise Sanchez improved further under the coaching of Gerardo Martino, who started the transition away from Guardiola's tiki-taka to a faster, more direct attack.
Sanchez had shined in this style as the main attacking option with Chile and with Udinese--where he was so good that Barcelona shelled out serious money (roughly the same transfer fee that Arsenal paid today) for the 22-year-old in 2011.
Sanchez thrives in space, and tiki-taka built up the play too slowly for Sanchez to truly showcase his ability. When Martino encouraged the team to attack more quickly, Sanchez was able to take the momentum from the spring of 2012 and keep it for an entire season.
Sanchez scored some magnificent goals for Barcelona this year, and perhaps most impressively, he saved his best work for against the biggest opponents.
His Classico goal in October was spectacular. In February, he put Barcelona ahead in the 6th minute with a chip from an impossible angle against Valencia. And in Barcelona's final match of the season, Sanchez's near-post rocket flew by Thibaut Courtois to put his team, albeit briefly, in position to win the Spanish title.
Arsenal's struggles against the big teams last season is well documented. The Gunners won just once in 8 Premier League matches against the Manchester clubs, Liverpool, and Chelsea. In Sanchez, Arsenal has secured a player who shines in the big moments. Sanchez has technical qualities that will improve the team. But I believe his mental strength, which will strengthen the team psychologically, is the best aspect of this transfer.
Arsenal needed a world class forward, and got one in Sanchez. He is a great signing for the club, just like Mesut Ozil was last September. And the parallels continue.
The purchase of Mesut Ozil helped Real Madrid raise the funds needed to purchase Gareth Bale last summer. Arsenal bought a world class midfielder with funds that were used to steal away the Premier League's best player from our biggest rival.
It seems very likely that Arsenal's transfer payment for Sanchez will be directly reinvested by Barcelona to poach Luis Suarez from Liverpool, again removing one of the world's best players from the Premier League from a club that has reasserted top-4 credentials.
Arsenal's money could now be spent luring away Liverpool's most intimidating player (in more ways than one). Just adding Sanchez would likely have been enough for Arsenal to leapfrog the Reds next season. And just losing Suarez would have likely knocked Liverpool down a few pegs. Arsenal's money just might make both happen.
THAT is money well spent!
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