Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has had his say on the club’s top-four hopes, believing that they’ve left it too late to secure qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League while making a really weird statement about Alexis.
Alexis Sánchez and Olivier Giroud’s second-half strikes were enough to seal all three points against a tricky opponent in Southampton. However when speaking on talkSPORT during Alan Brazil’s sports breakfast show on Thursday morning, Keown said that Liverpool are favourites to get over the line.
On the victory he said, “Huge win for Arsenal, [but] I can’t see them finishing in the top four. Liverpool have two games left, West Ham away for Liverpool is tough but if they win there then I expect them to limp over the line.
“Arsene Wenger has shown a good reaction to the terrible form they were in and is heading into the [Emirates FA] Cup Final. I can’t see them doing it, but every year they get back on track at the last minute.
Interestingly, the 50-year-old also made a bizarre statement about Wednesday’s match-winner. Sánchez joined an elite group of strikers to score 20 league goals in a season with his well-taken strike against Southampton but Keown had insisted that he’s hit a run of form at the wrong time this season.
“Alexis Sanchez has turned up too late this season, but he could be playing for a move.”
With 25 goals and a further 18 assists in all competitions, it’s easy to forget that he hasn’t been at his world-class best for a number of months now. As a result, Keown’s criticism is surprising considering just how good Alexis was playing at the start of the season – his levels have dropped since the start of the year like other team-mates.
His goal against Southampton on this occasion was his first league strike since the free-kick which helped sink a plucky Middlesbrough away from home in mid-April.
Alexis’ goal contribution stats since 3-1 defeat to Chelsea on February 4 (all competitions):
– Eight goals, two assists in 16 appearances
– Four Man of the Match awards, including one against non-league Lincoln
– Average WhoScored rating of 7.2
Alexis’ stats from start of season up until Chelsea defeat (all competitions):
– 17 goals, 13 assists in 30 appearances
– Eight Man of the Match awards
– Average WhoScored rating of 7.7
As you can see from the goal contribution statistics above, it’s clear that Alexis is not constantly performing at his best – so for Keown to say that he’s playing for a move just suggests he’s following the general consensus that the Chilean is essentially out of the door and Arsenal should look for a suitable replacement sooner rather than later.
It’s these types of interviews which give supporters less confidence in player ability, instead critiquing performances when they should be appreciating the likes of Alexis.