[Arka_BleedingRed]

Regardless of drop of form and loss of pace, most of his issues arises from the system we play. The Sanchez at Barcelona and Arsenal was not most explosive or the best dribbler or the best crosser. Yes, he lost the ball often, but was a good creator/ finisher in a dynamic attack. Hisrengths was combining with attacking players and was deadly in the box. This Alexis at United just stays wide most of the time, away from the box, trying to create and cross.

Look at his positioning when playing wide. A player like him, should cut in more, instead of providing crosses to Lukaku from far wide. The few times he comes in the middle, it is usually too congested with almost no midfield runners to drag away the markers or to play quick passes with to beat the block. Lukaku is not technical enough to do those things regularly/consistently. Or else, he will be subject to a long ball from deep.

Remove Lukaku, play Sanchez as the main striker, Martial as a LWF not LW, and Jesse/Mata/Rashford/ even Lukaku as a RWF(none of our RW options are good/consistent enough yet). Instead of relying on long balls from wide or deep, focus on short passing and quick interplay. Allow midfield runners to go forward ( the likes of Fred, Pogba, Pereira). You will be surprised to see the stagnant attack turn into an exhilarating one overnight.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

Regardless of drop of form and loss of pace, most of his issues arises from the system we play. Sanchez at Barcelona and Arsenal

Look at his positioning when playing wide. A player should cut in more, instead of providing crosses to Lukaku from far wide. The few times he comes in the middle, it is usually too congested with almost no midfield runners to drag away the markers or to play quick passes with to beat the block. Lukaku is not technical enough to do those things regularly/consistently. Or else, he will be subject to a long ball from deep.

Remove Lukaku, play Sanchez as the main striker, Martial as a LWF not LW, and Jesse/Mata/Rashford/ even Lukaku as a RWF(none of our RW options are good/consistent enough yet). Instead of relying on long balls from wide or deep, focus on short passing and quick interplay. Allow midfield runners to go forward ( the likes of Fred, Pogba, Pereira). You will be surprised to see the stagnant attack turn into an exhilarating one overnight.

Exactly - the position both Sanchez & Martial play are way too wide & to the touchline. Their roles at those positions to be a supplier rather than a forward when we play with a central target man striker like Lukaku. Sanchez was never that player.

Since we play Fellaini as a tertiary CB & we also had a good pre season playing 352 - we should go with 2 wide strikers with one false 9/Central striker that links up play which would suit Sanchez, Martial more with Lukaku, Rashford having the ability to play strikers at an angle on their strong foot. All 4 could rotate well.

 

[Cassidy]

Tons of excuses being made for a "world class" player who performances and productivity have been worse than the player he replaced in the side.

I get playing in our side isn't ideal, but you should be able to perform and produce more than an inexperienced player like Martial

 

[Greck]

Exactly - the position both Sanchez & Martial play are way too wide & to the touchline. Their roles at those positions to be a supplier rather than a forward when we play with a central target man striker like Lukaku. Sanchez was never that player.

Since we play Fellaini as a tertiary CB & we also had a good pre season playing 352 - we should go with 2 wide strikers with one false 9/Central striker that links up play which would suit Sanchez, Martial more with Lukaku, Rashford having the ability to play strikers at an angle on their strong foot. All 4 could rotate well.

Looks good but unfortunately if we remain static we'll actually end up looking worse without Lukaku. That frontline could work in a better attacking system

 

[Arka_BleedingRed]

Exactly - the position both Sanchez & Martial play are way too wide & to the touchline. Their roles at those positions to be a supplier rather than a forward when we play with a central target man striker like Lukaku. Sanchez was never that player.

Since we play Fellaini as a tertiary CB & we also had a good pre season playing 352 - we should go with 2 wide strikers with one false 9/Central striker that links up play which would suit Sanchez, Martial more with Lukaku, Rashford having the ability to play strikers at an angle on their strong foot. All 4 could rotate well.

Yes, I think that front three could be very dynamic. We need more overloads and movement in the final third. Instead of relying on inaccurate long balls and crosses, quick, short passing coupled with intelligent movement would work wonders. But knowing Jose, I don't think we will see such tactics applied here. Most of the modern play and players are ill-suited to Mourinho's tactics, which are best seen nowadays in only mid table teams.

 

[groovyalbert]

Not saying this as an excuse for his bad form, but Sanchez and Lukaku is a horrible mix. At Arsenal, Giroud was able to hold up the ball and support deep lying attackers. That's not Lukaku's game. Although Sanchez got lots of assists at Arsenal, he wasn't primarily a provider - that seems to be his role for us.

That said, he also looks spent in our side.

 

[BrianMcClair'sBarnet]

And yet had Sanchez signed for City we'll all be saying how great he is,likely playing as a forward which was Pep's original position for him.
Unfortunately Pep knows how to produce a successful offensive unit while Jose clearly doesn't, if we're going by his time at United.

Its got to the point where I wouldn't rely on Jose getting the best out of any technical player,let alone ones in offence.

 

[sunama]

I get playing in our side isn't ideal, but you should be able to perform and produce more than an inexperienced player like Martial

I do agree with this.
A player of Sanchez's callibre should by rights be given game time over Martial, however, I do expect him to deliver the results.
When Ibra joined and was given gametime over everybody else, it was expected, acceptable and justified.

I honestly don't know what is up with Sanchez. Is he getting really unlucky?

 

[Che Guevara]

A solution to the Lukaku and Sanchez problem won't be easy, and at this rate a season from now Sanchez will most likely be a bench-warmer at best. Imo Lukaku will be completely wasted out wide. Rashford and Martial deserve a fair run as starters even if it means benching Sanchez and/or Lukaku. But what club will accept two hugely expensive and costly players sitting on the bench? And that's the main reason they are both having to be accommodated in the starting line-up.

 

[sunama]

Its got to the point where I wouldn't rely on Jose getting the best out of any technical player,let alone ones in offence.

You are making out as if Jose is some noob. Some chump who Woodward plucked from the lower division of an obscure league.
The guy has managed top clubs and won the biggest trophies in World football. To achieve this, he has to know how to manage/coach the best players in the World.

 

[Stacks]

And yet had Sanchez signed for City we'll all be saying how great he is,likely playing as a forward which was Pep's original position for him.
Unfortunately Pep knows how to produce a successful offensive unit while Jose clearly doesn't, if we're going by his time at United.

Its got to the point where I wouldn't rely on Jose getting the best out of any technical player,let alone ones in offence.

he was performing the same for Arsenal aswell

 

[BrianMcClair'sBarnet]

he was performing the same for Arsenal aswell

Well if that's the case why did we move for him ?

 

[ThatsGreat]

he was performing the same for Arsenal aswell

He was great for us in his final half season, even though he was injured for a month and started late because of the copa america. Here's some highlights to jog your memory. His poor form is more because of Utds style of play rather than any stark decrease in his ability.

 

[whatwha]

Well if that's the case why did we move for him ?

Because we are suckers? Suckers who will sign a player (or manager!) based on name and former accomplishments rather than current and predicted future performance. Woodward is well known to be a moron in football matters. While Mourinho has made several huge feckups in the transfer market. E.g. he signed Falcao for Chelsea after he had completely failed for us.

 

[Infra-red]

Well if that's the case why did we move for him ?

If this continues for the remainder of the season, he'll go down as among the worst signings we've ever made. Half a million quid a week for a player who has given the ball away 390 times in 17 games and who averages a goal every 773 minutes of football.

 

[BrianMcClair'sBarnet]

Because we are suckers? Suckers who will sign a player (or manager!) based on name and former accomplishments rather than current and predicted future performance. Woodward is well known to be a moron in football matters. While Mourinho has made several huge feckups in the transfer market. E.g. he signed Falcao for Chelsea after he had completely failed for us.

And there ya go,we've hit the jackpot !

And that's why I have little to no confidence in the clubs transfer work nowadays.

 

[Renegade]

Does Sanchez’s transfer prove that Woodward was possibly right to be reluctant in over spending on Jose’s 30 year old targets?

 

[andycolegangstainnit]

He was great for us in his final half season, even though he was injured for a month and started late because of the copa america. Here's some highlights to jog your memory. His poor form is more because of Utds style of play rather than any stark decrease in his ability.

Let's summarise this reel. Nearly 8 mins over 1/2 a season. 3 goals (2 great strikes, 1 tap-in) and 3 assists. Plenty of crossfield passes, plenty of close control turning in tight circles often ending up with the attack going nowhere. There is no evidence here to suggest he's a world-class player - the only difference I can see between a similar reel since he's been at United is the two goals he got in minutes 2 & 3 which were great strikes (and he also hit the bar from a free kick). That is absolutely nothing to do with style of play. If he played so well for Arsenal how come they were so bad? He's not as skilful as MickyT but a harder worker. We probably got the best of the deal but the guy is completely overpaid. He probably warrants his place in the first team but only just. He wouldn't get near City or Liverpool at the moment. I would personally get rid in Jan if we could get a good fee. That's a big if.

 

[andycolegangstainnit]

Because we are suckers? Suckers who will sign a player (or manager!) based on name and former accomplishments rather than current and predicted future performance. Woodward is well known to be a moron in football matters. While Mourinho has made several huge feckups in the transfer market. E.g. he signed Falcao for Chelsea after he had completely failed for us.

It's all very well being wise after the event but most United fans were delighted when we signed him.

 

[friedeggden]

If this continues for the remainder of the season, he'll go down as among the worst signings we've ever made. Half a million quid a week for a player who has given the ball away 390 times in 17 games and who averages a goal every 773 minutes of football.

Wow, are they genuine stats?! That's mind boggling. How is he still starting? He's giving the ball away an average of 22 times a game.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

He was great for us in his final half season, even though he was injured for a month and started late because of the copa america. Here's some highlights to jog your memory. His poor form is more because of Utds style of play rather than any stark decrease in his ability.

If I'm honest, what he's doing here isn't so different to what he's doing for us right now. He's just not scoring.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

From Arsenal Mania:

He's given the ball away more times than anyone else in the team since he's been there. It was no different when he was here and for some strange reason, the media thought he was actually carrying this Arsenal team.

This is the same Alexis of January 2017 onward. For the last 12 months of his time here he was so inconsistent yet the media and a lot of pundits were still adamant he was carrying the team when a lot of the time he was more of a hindrance to the way we wanted to play. No wonder City weren't terribly upset when they missed out, they didn't even bother putting up a fight vs United for his services once they came in.

Redcafe is a great read nowadays, they don’t know what to do with Alexis. Haha, and they were so smug before when they signed him from us. But we knew what would happen with him in the United team.

Alexis is finished, as we saw with Torres once those types of players lose that burst and acceleration they're nowhere near as effective.

Guess its the first time Alexis has not played with freedom. Always had it through either being the best attacker by a distance or with a very dominant team at Barce.

It looks like we did sold Sanchez just on time, he cannot cope with the pressure at United it looks like, dont know what is happening to him he looks lost should have stayed at Arsenal he just doenst fit the system at United.

Alexis does the same things at United, maybe he has been a bit slower, but the actual difference is this: At Arsenal he had players ahead of him, he got his head up and he could pass, defenders had to cut his passing routes and he thrived at taking advantage of that. He doesn't get any of that for United, he should be the one making the runs and he can't play that role anymore.

I pointed out Alexis' ball giving away habit long ago but take away the goals he scored for us and we WERE out of the top four years ago...

 

[andycolegangstainnit]

If I'm honest, what he's doing here isn't so different to what he's doing for us right now. He's just not scoring.

I thought exactly the same thing (see my reply above). The quality of his shooting has been poor with us that's the only difference. You can't blame Jose for that.

 

[Raw]

From Arsenal Mania:

Can't believe Arsenal actually mugged us off for once.

 

[ThatsGreat]

If I'm honest, what he's doing here isn't so different to what he's doing for us right now. He's just not scoring.

His go to move was to cut inside to find space to operate. Usually these areas are occupied by Pogba in your setup. But ultimately the blame rests with Mourinho, he should be able to devise a system which brings out the best in all the players.

 

[Greck]

Can't believe Arsenal actually mugged us off for once.

To be fair, our opinion would have been different if we knew he was being bought to play left wing. United fans thought he was going to be an upgrade on Mata for the right. If he was giving us these exact performances from the right wing we wouldn't even talk of him as a hindrance.

 

[Infra-red]

Wow, are they genuine stats?! That's mind boggling. How is he still starting? He's giving the ball away an average of 22 times a game.

Yep. Once every 4 minutes since he joined the club.

On Saturday he played 63 minutes, took 1 shot, gave the ball away 16 times, didn't win it back even once and got subbed off. He's a complete disaster.

 

[Raw]

To be fair, our opinion would have been different if we knew he was being bought to play left wing. United fans thought he was going to be an upgrade on Mata for the right. If he was giving us these exact performances from the right wing we wouldn't even talk of him as a hindrance.

Yeah that's true, the biggest reason why I wanted him at United. Clearly it's not working for him on the left so if he has to play him every game, why not try him on the right for once?!

 

[andycolegangstainnit]

Can't believe Arsenal actually mugged us off for once.

Arsenal didn't mug us off. Wenger painted himself into a corner and had to swap him for Micky T to save face rather than lose him in the summer for nothing. We probably ended up with the better of the deal (they are of similar age) as we could use the media to develop a narrative of him being a world-class player stifled by Jose and then mug him off to PSG. We are mugs though in paying him those astronomical wages.

 

[whatwha]

It's all very well being wise after the event but most United fans were delighted when we signed him.

I was wise before the event, and received plenty of stick for being negative.

 

[Stacks]

Wow, are they genuine stats?! That's mind boggling. How is he still starting? He's giving the ball away an average of 22 times a game.

with zero end product. Its like if a semi pro footballer who was overconfident in his abilities played for Man Utd and was trying all these audacious balls that he didn't have the technique for.

 

[KW2006]

His cutting inside from the left was lethal because the opponents know he could instead run to the byline as well.

But now he has lost the necessary pace, so every defenders in the League know he could only cut inside, thus his largest weapon not lethal anymore.

 

[Irwin99]

Does Sanchez’s transfer prove that Woodward was possibly right to be reluctant in over spending on Jose’s 30 year old targets?

Was Sanchez really a Jose signing though? I think certain things just fell into place with that transfer rather than something that Jose would have planned for; wanting to get rid of Mkhitaryan, getting one over City (yes, I think making a statement was part of the appeal for Woodwood) and getting a wide player. I wonder if Jose would have been happier with Ozil if he had been available instead.

 

[andycolegangstainnit]

I was wise before the event, and received plenty of stick for being negative.

Fair enough if you were. The vast majority of fans (both City and United) were all drooling over him. I didn't have strong opinions as I hadn't seen much of him. He scored a good goal against us at the Emirates a few years ago but never did anything at OT

 

[RedSky]

Wow, are they genuine stats?! That's mind boggling. How is he still starting? He's giving the ball away an average of 22 times a game.

Sanchez 2018 (PL Games Only)

Dispossessed = 44
Unsuccessful Touches = 37
Inaccurate Passes = 180
Inaccurate Crosses = 47
Inaccurate Long Balls = 18
Inaccurate Through Balls = 9

Games: 23
Minutes: 1374
Total: 335
Loss of Possession = 4mins

Repeated the above for the below players.

Players with 500+ Mins:
Alexis Sánchez - 4mins
David De Gea - 4mins
Paul Pogba - 4mins
Ashley Young - 5mins
Anthony Martial - 6mins
Ander Herrera - 6mins
Juan Mata - 6mins
Marcus Rashford - 6mins
Antonio Valencia - 6mins
Luke Shaw - 7mins
Marouane Fellaini - 7mins
Jesse Lingard - 7mins
Nemanja Matic - 7mins
Romelu Lukaku - 8mins
Scott McTominay - 8mins
Victor Lindelöf - 11mins
Chris Smalling - 12mins
Phil Jones - 13mins

 

[ash_86]

I liked this from Pogba, to be honest, Alexis needs his teammates if he is to come good. Also in the last game, after that horrible first free kick didn't Pogba try and encourage him to take another or am I wrong? Someone with better memory maybe recalls the situation?

Yes i liked it too. Players view of players is quite different from fans perception of players and the former one is more important.

 

[ash_86]

Found this on reddevils reddit. Quite mind boggling

 

[Bobski]

Found this on reddevils reddit. Quite mind boggling

There might be some worth in all those numbers but this analytics style stat-ification of the sport does not fit an organic, free flowing sport like football as it does short form US sports where every possession or play is almost a separate event. Sometimes you just have to trust your eyes when watching a player.

Sanchez no longer has that spark in his game of his best years, is much more predictable and defenders fear him less. That cut back and chip through the middle from the left is not fooling many these days, they don't have to worry about him going on the outside of the full back, the RCB has not started to shuffle a few steps across worrying about Sanchez killing the RB one v one, the same with the DM, allows less space for others.

 

[MuFc_1992]

Firstly, I wouldn't use the word 'obscene', and I don't even object to players earning whatever they can. I'm just wondering why I'm funding it.

Particularly as many of them are completely immature, and have no appreciation of anything outside of their bubble, barely being able to pay an electricity bill on their own. Even someone like Mourinho expects us to feel sorry for him because he has to stay in an entire floor of a 5* hotel, earning £15 million per year, because he's not with his family. Don't f*cking do it then! No-one's holding a gun to your head. Plenty of shift workers, people who work on oil rigs, armed forces, etc, do this sort of thing all the time, and they do it due to financial necessity, and they're paid a relative pittance.

Secondly, I didn't make any distinction between £150K and £500K wages. Both are extremely high, obviously. But the median average wage in the north west will be little over £25K per annum (official figures suggest it is slightly higher than this, but I am sceptical of these figures). It literally takes the average person 20 years to earn what Sanchez earns in a week. And then the players and managers still want us to feel sorry for them. I cannot remember one occasion in the modern game in which a professional has expressed any empathy with the fact that people who go to games work hard all week in most cases, and invest a significant proportion of their often meagre disposable income to support their team, while the cost of going continue to inflate, and this money goes directly into the pockets of millionaires and billionaires. Do the likes of Pogba and Sanchez have any appreciation of this at all? They don't seem to.

Thirdly, I specifically mentioned owners. Obviously in many cases the owners are parasites, extremely wealthy parasites at that. This simply makes me less likely to want to invest my money in football, not more likely.

Finally, I don't really agree that Sanchez is robbing the fans blind, any more than any other player. He made contract demands, the club agreed to pay them, and I'm sure he's trying to play well. He just hasn't got it any more. It's the club's fault for committing themselves to such a stupid contract in the first place, and the fans' fault for continuing to offer up their money whatever happens. All of the players are paid too much. Even Lee Grant and Scott McTominay make over £1 million per annum, and they do literally nothing! They might as well not exist!

I'm just not willing to tolerate being used and being treated like an economic unit any more, by people who are multi-millionaires and billionaires. But obviously other people are. Good luck to them.

Sorry for the late reply but you're not funding the salaries of the players as some sort of charity. You buy tickets to the game and the subscriptions because it's a form of entertainment. Would your outlook of the situation be the same if we were playing like City?

 

[Noc-Z]

Big mistake.