Tag Archives: Alexis Sanchez

How much is a Premier League medal worth?

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£25 million.

That is how much Alexis Sanchez is willing to “sacrifice” by joining Manchester City in January rather than the summer, according to reports this morning.

Were Sanchez to move on a free transfer at the end of the season, as history dictates, he and his agent will demand a huge chunk of his transfer value.

Arsenal created the situation of players getting “paid” the transfer fee when Sol Campbell joined from Spurs in 2001.

Instead of paying a huge transfer fee, Arsenal put together a four year package worth £20 million – including signing on fee, bonuses and salary – which back then made one of the highest paid players in world football.

It was reported at the time that his “basic” wage was £60,000, and that Arsenal would pay an additional £30,000 a week over the 4 year period as a signing on fee. This was big money 17 years ago.

This kind of set a precedent in players leaving on a Bosman. They would be paid more due to a lack of transfer fee, with that extra money coming in signing on fees to avoid breaking squad wage structures.

Fast forward to Demba Ba. He left Newcastle for Chelsea when the London side activated his £7 million release clause. His agents estimated that his true value was closer to £20 million.

With Chelsea then getting him “on the cheap” the agents demanded an increased signing on fee from Chelsea.

Ba pocketed £3 million, his agents £2.5 million.

Just last week, we saw Ross Barkley move to Everton for a cut price £15 million. Today it was announced that his agents were paid £7 million for the transfer.

So there is massive precedent of players on a free transfer, or going for a lot less than their “value” pocketed a big chunk of cash as a signing on fee.

Reports are that Alexis Sanchez (or his people) was demanding £25 million to complete a free transfer in the summer. And that he is willing to “sacrifice” that £25 million to join city in January.

Now the story could be written that Sanchez is so desperate to get out of Arsenal that he is willing to sacrifice a big pay day in the summer. Whilst this does have some legs, we are talking about 5 months time. The reality is that it is unlikely that he will want to lose out on £25 million just because he is a bit unhappy.

The truth is that he wants to win a Premier League medal. And that by joining Manchester City in January, he is guaranteed winning one. So he is willing to sacrifice £25 million to win that medal.

A Premier League medal for Alexis Sanchez will be a hollow success.

Manchester City have the league already won. They are 15 points ahead of Manchester United in 2nd place after 22 games. They need just another 11 wins to secure the title. And that is if Manchester United win every game. City probably only actually need to win another 8 games to secure the title.

Sanchez joining now is a player coming late to the race. The hard work has been done. At the end of the season, even if he scores 10 goals and contributes to a couple of wins, City would have won the league regardless of his signing.

He might end up with a medal, but it will be a meaningless one.

Interestingly, in Sanchez’s 10 year career in Europe, he only has one league title to show for it. It probably shows why desperate he is to win medals, however hollow they are.

So Sanchez is desperate for a Premier League medal, despite it being hollow. And he is willing to sacrifice £25 million for what would be a hollow victory.

£25 million to win a Premier League medal.

As a final thought, if Sanchez does join Manchester City this week, he will still get a huge signing on fee. So he is not really sacrificing anything.

Keenos

Crystal Palace Win, Jack Wilshere Contract & Henry v Sanchez

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Crystal Palace Win

Good win. Played well. Can’t tell you much about the second half as I was drinking on the concourse.

Jack Wilshere

Great performance by Jack Wilshere. His talent has never been in question, just his fitness.

The club have taken it slowly with him this season, and have been criticised for doing so, but the fact he is now fully fit and starting for Arsenal shows they got it right.

Hopefully his career has rejuvenated and we secure his new contract.

Thierry Henry

So Thierry Henry on Sky picked up on the fact that two separate groups of players celebrated one of Alexis Sanchez’s goal.

Henry said: “You’re not here for Alexis Sanchez, you’re here for Arsenal. Arsenal scored. Go and celebrate. Whoever does it, we don’t care about that, go and celebrate with your team-mate.”

For a start, it is a complete non-story. It was a great assist that lead to the goal. The players near Jack Wilshere celebrated with him. The players near Alexis Sanchez celebrated with the Chilean.

It is not unusual for some players to celebrate with the assist maker and others the goal scorer.

Secondly, I have to laugh about Henry commenting about players wanting to leave and and the dressing room being split. His behaviour in 2006 when he wanted to be at Barcelona was equally poor.

I remember plenty of times in that year Henry demanding players celebrate with him. He thinks that he is King of the Hill but his behaviour was a disgrace.

Keenos

Arsenal to bring in 19 goal international

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If I said that Arsenal were to make a bid for an international who scored 19 goals last season, we would all probably all be getting excited.

If I said that this player was a wide man who has a proven track record in English football, averaging a goal every 3.5 games, everyone would see him as the solution to our goal shy problems.

If I said that man was Theo Walcott, you would all tell me to F off.

But that is what Walcott is. A 1 in 3.5 man who scored 19 goals last season.

Whilst his time at Arsenal is coming to an end, and he has been poor this season, Arsenal goal shy forward problem could be somewhat solved by playing the Englishman.

Walcott’s problem this season has come from the formation we have played. He does his best work out wide, coming from out to in. He is not a number 10 and is quite frankly useless when playing narrow, in behind the main striker.

Against West Ham, we had a slight formation tweak, going back to 4 a the back. Coming out of the ground, we were all talking about Arsenal’s lack of width. In Walcott we have a player who is happy to get chalk on his boots.

Whereas Danny Welbeck and Alexandre Lacazette failed to get play a single cross in 30 minutes of football, I am sure Walcott would have had more of an effect on the game. Out wide where Welbeck came on is his natural position.

Last season Theo Walcott (19) and Alexis Sanchez (30) scored 49 goals between them. This season it is 9 goals – Sanchez has 5; Walcott 4.

Sanchez has been horribly out of form, he is dropped off a cliff. And Walcott has suffered from a lack of playing time.

Even Walcott on his own, with the decision to drop him, 19 goals is a lot to find from other players. They certainly would not come from the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alex Iwobi.

Add in Sanchez’s drop in form, and it is clear why Arsenal’s goals have dried up.

By this time last year, the speedy pair had hit 24 goals. They have hit 15 less this season.

Alexandre Lacazette has picked up the slack a little bit, with 8 goals this season, but that is only 3 more than Olivier Giroud scored at this stage last season.

Against Manchester United, we had the chances but were unable to score. Against Southampton and West Ham we were toothless.

With Sanchez so out of form, maybe it is time to return to Theo Walcott – in the short term at least – a player who is a proven goal scorer.

As long as the formation suits him.

Keenos