They may not have won anything yet, but Arsenal’s current squad is arguably the best of this generation.
Mikel Arteta has an embarrassing amount of wealth from front to back and, if he has a little luck with injuries this year, he could finally win the Premier League title in May.
That being said, while the team is the best of the Emirates era, there are some players who could have been better than they have been in the last decade or so, including the incredible Alexis Sanchez.
The Chilean international was a complete game-changer during his time at Arsenal, and the bright news is that it looks like Arteta could have his own version of the wizard in the coming years.
Why Sanchez is perfect for Arsenal’s squad
Now, Arsenal’s current squad is arguably the best in the entire Premier League, but there are several reasons why Sanchez would be the perfect addition from 2014 to 2018.
One of the most important things is that despite the vast talent that Arteta has at his disposal, it is no exaggeration to say that there is a lack of world-class talent on the left flank.
For example, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard can certainly do the job, but they leave a lot to be desired, as does Ebelesi Eze, who is an exception, but he is at his best in the central areas.
Sanchez’s versatility | |||
|---|---|---|---|
position | game | G | a |
left winger | 81 | 35 | 19 |
center forward | 37 | twenty one | 13 |
right wing | twenty four | 9 | 8 |
attacking midfield | 16 | 9 | 4 |
second striker | 8 | 6 | 0 |
All stats via Transfermarkt | |||
Meanwhile, the Chilean played in several positions at the Emirates, but more often on the left wing than anywhere else.
This leads to the second reason why he was selected for the team’s starting spot: his performance.
During his time in North London, the former Barcelona star racked up an impressive 80 goals and 44 assists in 166 games and 13,556 minutes.
In other words, he was involved in a goal on average every 1.33 games, or every 109.32 minutes, during his four and a half years at the club.
If managers had someone like him in their current squad, there would be far less discussion about the Gunners’ lack of open play threat, I’m sure.
That said, Sanchez is now 36 and far from the player he once was, but while Arsenal can’t bring Sanchez back to his best form, Hale End have just produced a potential new version of Sanchez.
Arsenal’s future Sanchez
Now, when we talk about players who could develop into Sanchez-type players at Arsenal in the future, some might think of Bukayo Saka because of his talismanic qualities, while others might think of Ethan Nwaneri because of his prolific goal threat last season.
But while the former is already a superstar at the club and the latter almost certainly will be, neither of the players in question are superstars.
Instead, it is the exceptionally talented Max Daumann who may one day begin to emulate the Chilean for Arteta and co.
Sure, it’s a bold statement to make about a player who’s only 15 years old, but based on what fans saw over the summer and throughout the season, it doesn’t seem too far off the mark.
In a pre-season game against Newcastle United, for example, he looked almost unplayable and, as respected analyst Ben Mattinson pointed out, “humiliated Premier League players” as if it was nothing.
It was the same a few weeks later in the Premier League against Leeds United at home, where he again won a penalty with incredible control.
Finally, with his recent performance against Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup, there is a strong argument that he was the best player on the pitch.
For example, in just 71 minutes of play, the teenage sensation attempted nine dribbles, which Sky Sports analysts said was “the most by an Arsenal player in any game this season”.
In other words, the incredible “Dirty Magnet” as Mattinson dubbed him is the one responsible for making things happen for the team, and it’s only a matter of time before he opens an account.
After all, even though Dauman’s career is still early, he already looks like one of the most dangerous players in this Arsenal team.
Moreover, thanks to his exceptional dribbling ability and direct style of play, there is a good chance he could become Arteta’s own Sanchez.
