Wenger's Code: Sanchez Stays. Cups Are Greater Than Money.
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Who are all these crazy people crying out for Wenger to cash in on Sanchez? Gunners legend Alan Smith said it, ex-gunner Charlie Nicholas said it, not to mention Chas Newkey-Burden and an army of other bloggers obsessed with Arsenal.
Where is your pride Arsenal fans? Wenger is saying Arsenal is no longer a team that has to sell their stars!
These people are nonsensical! Self-contradictory!
When top players were sold to rivals to fund the new stadium in the past, fans went out of their minds in frustration that they were losing the talent they needed to win the league again. Now Arsenal has the war chest to retain the talent they need to win the league again and what do fans do? Go into hysterics--convinced that they need to sell their best players for money! Are you people fucking serious!?
At least The Guardian's David Hytner gets it.
Some people say that Sanchez isn't on the level of Ronaldo or Messi.
You know what? Maybe not quite.
But he is 99% there. He's Chile's all-time leading scorer, a Copa America Golden Ball winner and champion, the EPL's 2nd most prolific attacker, and as Arsenal fans know, he's the engine of the team and its most potent goal-creating force.
Sanchez is absolutely world class. His work rate and quality raises the entire team's game. So in some ways, he's even better than Ronaldo or Messi. That's nothing to scoff at nor jettison in a desperate, grasping lunge for money.
Wenger refuses to sell Sanchez for very pragmatic reasons. Wenger wants a squad with enough depth and quality to win the EPL, and then some.
Wenger has only signed a 2-year deal, he has 2 years to vindicate the financial restraint and responsibility he's shown since moving to the new stadium--and it's not a lot of time.
If Sanchez leaves, Arsenal's attack will go back to something resembling a rebuilding phase. That kind of regression doesn't make winning cups impossible, but it certainly isn't ideal.
Arsenal can afford "spending" the 45 million they'll "lose" on Sanchez, but you have to weigh that against the loss of not being in the Champions league. You also have to weigh that against Wenger preferring a legacy in which he wins the EPL again. Doing so with an attack led by Lacazette, Ozil and Sanchez--which could be absolutely unstoppable--would make winning the EPL easier than going with a formation--any formation--that lacks Alexis. Even if they do get a Lemar or a Mahrez to replace him.
If Arsenal win the EPL, they'll be back in the winner's circle. They'll have proven their case as serious, champion contenders, and be back in the Champions League. Attracting and affording the next Sanchez, Mbappe, Asensio or what have you will be much, much easier then.
So let's not hobble ourselves now and fret about money Arsenal fans. Now is the time to dig in and see what the strongest Arsenal squad in a decade can do. Sanchez--Lacazette--Ozil could be a total killing machine, a goal-scoring monster on the par with top forward lines at Barca, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Isn't that what Arsenal fans are paying to see?
The 45 million isn't your money, so why worry if it's spent entertaining you? Just enjoy it!
