3. Have Arsenal finally found their leader?
Not since the days of Patrick Vieira have Arsenal had a leader in the dressing room, some who commands respect for his performances on the pitch and is capable of taking his team across the finishing line. As good as Thomas Vermaelen and Robin Van Persie were as captains, they were never really the leaders on the pitch. In Alexis Sanchez, it looks as though they might have finally stumbled upon one.
Last week, after he scored the second goal against Sunderland, there was almost a sense of disgust in his celebration, almost as if to say, this is how it is done. Already this season, the Chilean has shown how integral he is to the Gunners line up. If it weren’t for him, Wenger’s side will be nowhere near the top four. Sanchez has shown that not only does he have the attributes, but also the attitude to lift his side up when it matters most. While there is no doubting the Chilean winger’s attacking attributes, what sets him apart from most others is his willingness to work for the team, chase lost causes and press and win the ball back at every opportunity. While Wenger wouldn’t want to burden his £31 million attacker with the burden of captaincy and jinx him, he will certainly be pleased that he at least has one player he can count on, when the chips are down, to fight for his side.