The Frenchman has deployed the Chilean as a striker in recent games
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has likened Alexis Sanchez to former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, who since gone on to enjoy a successful goal-scoring partnership with Lionel Messi and Neymar at Barcelona.
Wenger is currently without natural strikers, Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck – through injury – and has decided to overlook summer signing Lucas Perez, in favour of the Chilean, who naturally operates as a winger.
And despite the Arsenal boss admitting that in the club’s first couple of games this season, that he was not convinced by Sanchez’s ability to play as a striker, the Chile international has since gone on to prove he is more than capable in that position.
Suarez netted 82 goals in 133 games for Liverpool, with 69 of those strikes coming in the league, but Sanchez took some time to adapt to his new striker’s role, as evident when the Arsenal man came up against the Uruguayan’s former club on the opening day of the season in a 4-3 loss at the Emirates.
“First of all I had big competition up front. I thought Welbeck could play there, Giroud was playing there with different qualities and I reflected for a long time at the end of the season.” said Wenger.
“I decided to try Sanchez [up front]. He has similarities with Luis Suarez.
“At the start many people questioned that decision.”
However, Sanchez has gone on to score five goals in his last six games for Arsenal and has proven he has all the necessary quality to succeed in a more advanced role, after making a fine start to the campaign.
Wenger is now growing in belief that he made the right call to play Sanchez as a striker this season and believes the 27-year-old can continue to flourish in that position.
“I must say the few times I tried him before, he was not convincing in this position,” Wenger continued. “You start to think is that a wrong decision or do I have to give him more time?
“In the first two games I was not completely convinced but know, game after game, he’s growing into this position and getting better and better.
“Where he’s strong is that he can dribble, finish and he can also give a final ball.”
