Arsenal FC host Liverpool FC in a crunch clash early in the Premier League season, and manager Arsene Wenger has tipped Alexis Sanchez to scale greater heights than he did in his first season with the club.
Sanchez scored an incredible 25 goals for the Gunners in all competition last term as he helped the North London outfit to successive FA Cup triumphs. Arsene Wenger believes that the Chilean has improved since making his switch from FC Barcelona last season and can prove pivotal in Arsenal FC’s challenge for top honours this season.
Sanchez is lightning quick over the first two yards
The 65-year-old feels it is Sanchez’s explosive attitude which provokes chaos in the opposition defences. Speaking in an interview, ahead of the clash against Liverpool FC, the Frenchman was quoted by the club’s official website as saying:
a He is already better than when he arrived. In his final finishing there is room for improvement, in his final ball he is already much better, his vision is quite good and incisive.
a He has that desire to go forward and provoke. He is a guy who provokes chaos in the defences because he has a go at you.
a He does not go across, he goes straight. His desire to go forward, to provoke opponents, to run at people, creates danger.
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a I have had players like that but he has the style. What Sanchez has is that in the first two yards he is lightning quick. He has that explosive attitude linked with his spirit. That makes him even more spectacular.a
Suarez and Sanchez are at the same level
Wenger also threw light on the similarities between Alexis and former Liverpool FC attacker Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan was close to signing for Arsenal FC when the Gunners had submitted the now infamous A?40,000,001 million bid for Suarez’s services. Suarez eventually signed up for FC Barcelona last term and was involved in a record breaking partnership with Lionel Messi and Neymar. Incidentally, it was Suarez’s transfer that allowed the Gunners to prize away Sanchez from the Camp Nou.
a They are at the same level. Suarez is a central striker and Sanchez is more a wide player who likes to go up and down and is involved in dribbling.
a But they have similarities. In South America they are richer in strikers than Europe.
a You look at Aguero, Messi, Suarez, Sanchez, I could name many of them. They produce more than us and we have to look at ourselves and see how we can correct that.a
