Alexis Sanchez Injury a Chance for Arsenal to Prove Champions League Credentials
With the news that Alexis Sanchezโs hamstring problem persists, Arsenal know they must enter the tumult of the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur without their talisman. If they can emerge unscathed, it will demonstrate their ability to both finish in the top four and push on into the final stages of the Champions League.
Delivering an injury bulletin to the club's official website, managerย Arsene Wenger revealed: "The latest is that Alexis is not ready. He is not far away, the Leicester [City] game is a possibility. He is of course very difficult to keep quiet! He is training but it's light training."
The news doesnโt come as an enormous surprise. When the forward was ruled out of the Aston Villa game on Sunday, derby disappointment felt inevitable. Hamstring injuries rarely clear up that quickly.
It means Sanchez will not have made the XI for either of Arsenalโs derby matches this season. After he was surprisingly left on the bench for the match at Emirates Stadium, he will have been particularly keen to make an impact at White Hart Lane. Unfortunately, Sanchez must now wait for his first start against Spurs.
Back in September, Sanchez's absence from the teamsheet seemed to cost Arsenal. Only when the Chilean was introduced as a second-half substitute did the Gunners find their rhythm.
Not since the days of Thierry Henry have Arsenal had such an obvious focal point to their attacking play. Sanchez is a player of charisma and quality. He demands the ball and feeds off of the responsibility of being the main man. Throughout the campaign, Arsenalโs football has been refracted through the prism of Sanchezโs individual brilliance.
Without Sanchez, Wenger will hope his team can pull through on the strength of their collective game.ย
Arsenal coped admirably without their top goalscorer in last weekโs 5-0 victory over Aston Villa. There were five different goalscorers as Arsenal put Paul Lambertโs team to the sword; however, they were facing a side bereft of confidence and seemingly lacking motivation. Seeing off an in-form Spurs on derby day will be a far greater task.
In a frustrating turn of events for Wenger, the Arsenal boss will also be without the most obvious replacement for Sanchez. Thus far this season, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has produced a passable impression of the Chileanโs all-action style; however, he too will be absent with a minor injury. Wenger will have to hope others can produce a significant contribution.
Against Villa, Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil stepped up. Sanchez will need them to come to the fore again at White Hart Lane. Ozilโs creativity and Walcottโs speed could help cover for the all-round threat of Sanchez.
In recent weeks, forward Olivier Giroud has demonstrated a newfound propensity to score goals in the big games. Having struck against Liverpool and Manchester City, heโll be hoping to extend his prolific run against Tottenham. On the bench, the return of Danny Welbeck means Arsenal have someone who can replicate Sanchezโs work rate and versatility.
Sanchez's team-mates must seize upon his absence as a chance to prove they are not just a one-man team. If the Gunners can triumph without him, it will give them tremendous confidence for the second half of the Premier and the Champions League campaigns.
Jamesย McNicholasย is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout the 2014-15 season. Follow him on Twitterย here.
