Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger left star forward Alexis Sanchez out of the first team in his side’s goalless draw with Chelsea last night in the League Cup. The Chilean then came on to play the last 25 minutes, with Wenger adamant that his personnel decisions had “nothing to do with the transfer market.”
Just a week after the two London clubs played a draw that was one of the best games you’ll ever see, they came together and gave us one of the most dull. With Sanchez to Manchester City transfer rumors circulating worldwide, and gaining more traction every day, Wenger was rather defensive as he explained why Alexis got much less playing time than usual.
“I don’t have to justify every decision I make, you know. I made over 1,000 games and over 1,000 teams and I got it every time wrong, but I have to make a decision,” Wenger told his news conference.
When the Frenchman was asked if he still believes Sanchez will see his contract out with the club, he responded:
“Yes, that’s what I want. I want him to stay for longer because he’s a very important players for us. When he came on tonight, you could see that he created straight away danger.
“We have to accept as well when you play so many games and Sanchez plays every game that sometimes a breather in the middle of the season helps a little bit.”
Arsene Wenger then took the media opportunity as a chance to praise Sanchez, for the way that he has maintained focus, and continued to show top level professionalism as speculation about his future continues to run rampant.
“People don’t know Alexis well,” Wenger continued.
“This is a guy who is completely focused to play football. Have you seen how he came on today, how he warmed up? Like a player who wants to play football. He can make a difference between what’s going on outside and what’s going on on the football pitch, with facts, not psychological theories.”
“The fact is when you turn up on the pitch, you play football and you give 100 percent. That’s what he does.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Sound Cloud, LinkedIn and YouTube.