Arsene Wenger insists that he’s not worried about Alexis Sanchez’s goal drought at all but that the player is ‘a bit frustrated’.
Alexis has scored twice this season and only one of these goals has come in the Premier League. However, Wenger claims he’s not worried and while the Chilean is frustrated with his apparent inability to find the back of the net at the moment, the Frenchman’s adamant that it’ll come back.
“He runs after a goal at the moment so he’s a bit frustrated when he doesn’t score, like all goalscorers,” Wenger said.
“I’m not worried about it. He works hard and it will come back quickly. You can never try too hard.
“At the moment he’s marked well, they double up on him, but he still creates many dangerous situations and the goal – he just has not to worry too much.
“I know you always say that to strikers and they still worry but over a longer period he has always scored and that will come back.”
Before Alexis’ stoppage time goal at Everton last weekend, the 28-year-old had failed to score in five Premiership games. The longest he went without netting one last season was three.
It’s hard to not presume that Alexis’ lack of goals and general enthusiasm on the pitch isn’t connected to his failed move to Manchester City at the end of the transfer window. Whether it’s conscious or not.
However, Wenger is right when he says that Alexis is helping the team in other ways.
Last term, Alexis provided 11 assists in the Premier League alone – 19 overall. He also created 78 chances during his 38 appearances.
So far this season, he’s managed two assists in seven, which is consistent with his previous stats as he tends to provide an assist in just under 29% of the games he features in.
In terms of chances created, he’s actually doing better than last season. On average, Alexis created around two chances per appearance during the 2016/17 campaign. So far this season, he’s managing around 2.5.
Alexis’ goal drought could just be one of those things that every striker suffers once in a while. However, if it is connected to him not wanting to be at Arsenal any more, he needs to get his head in the game.