Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes youngster Yaya Sanogo could become his new Nicolas Anelka.
Wenger shocked many Arsenal fans by choosing Sanogo for the important clash against Liverpool in the FA Fifth Round, and after impressing during their 2-1 victory, he was then picked to start against European champions Bayern Munich in the last-16 of the Champions League.
Sanogo, who signed for the club last Summer, put in two impressive performances in the two massive games, and with some people suggesting he could become the next Emmanuel Adebayor, Wenger believes he is more like Anelka.
“When I started to play Anelka, everybody said: ‘Why are you starting with Anelka, why not buy a striker?'” claims Wenger.
“We won a championship with him. If we feel they are ready, then they play.
“There’s a potential there. Sanogo is world champion of the Under-20s, if he was an English centre-forward and was world champion of the Under-20s, you would not ask me these questions. It’s as simple as that.
“We look at the quality of the performance of the player, not at the number of minutes he’s played.
“If you only looked at that, nobody would ever get a chance. And up front, it’s not the experience that decides.
“I have to make my decisions with my conscience and I base it on who can help us win the next game. He did not look out of place in the two games he played.”
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles
