Finding the next... Alexis Sanchez - A statistical analysis

When the teamsheets were announced as Arsenal prepared to face Liverpool on Saturday evening, there was one glaring omission from the starting line-up as far as the Gunners were concerned. Alexis Sanchez, who has carried a struggling squad for some time this season, was on the bench with no news of an injury.

Arsene Wenger instead claimed that he had wanted to go more direct in his approach, which would be a valid tactic against a Liverpool side that were always likely to press from the first whistle, and a believable explanation were it not for two painstakingly clear oversights. First of all it would be a tactic that is so anti-Wenger, an admittance that he felt his side needed to alter their approach due to the quality of the opposition, but also, and more pertinently, why would Alexis be the man sacrificed?

It proved, unsurprisingly, to be nonsense, with the Chilean instead dropped having stormed out of a training session following an apparent bust up with a teammate. Wenger’s half measures in terms of disciplining his prized asset have since been ridiculed, and were quite literal given that he introduced Sanchez at half-time following a predictably listless opening 45 minutes without him.

While the manager has since looked to dispel reports that he and the forward have fallen out, Alexis’ future at the club - which was already a talking point - has been cast into even more doubt. The timing is far from ideal, and ahead of a second leg against Bayern punters will no doubt be searching for the latest betting offers to back another humiliating defeat for Wenger's men. The South American has seemed disheartened with the failings of those around him for some time and the club and fans must surely be contemplating life without their star man in the not too distant future. 

As far as lining up replacements is concerned, few players in the world could match Sanchez’s output and influence this season, so a look to the future may well be the Gunners’ best course of action. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a shortlist of youngsters - aged 23 or under - that could help to fill the void in the years to come. As a result the following are understandably some way back on the Arsenal man in terms of development and therefore end product.

To do so we looked at the statistics - since his move to London - that make Sanchez the player that he is, identifying five players that have certain statistical similarities. The following chart shows Alexis’ figures since 2014/15 for shots, conversion rate, key passes from open play, dribbles, dribble success, pass accuracy and the number of times he wins possession in the final third.

To qualify players must have averaged 1.5 shots per 90 minutes, as well as 1.5 key passes, 2 dribbles and have won the ball in the final third 0.5 times per 90 this season.

Felipe Anderson

While he plays from the right for Lazio, Anderson has the versatility to play on either flank and indeed in a more central position as Alexis has for much of the current campaign. The Brazilian’s greatest strength is arguably his dribbling, where he ranks above Sanchez (3.4) in terms of per 90 figures (3.6) but dips below the Arsenal man when it comes to success.

Elsewhere the 23-year old’s figures for pass accuracy and importantly possession won in the attacking third all but match up to those of the Chilean here, while he is also closest of the quintet in terms of key passes from open play (2 per 90), with an impressive 8 assists this season. Where Anderson falls short along with the rest of the players analysed is in terms of end product in front of goal, and well short too, with a disappointing 4.1% conversion rate from 2.1 shots per 90 this season.

Bernardo Silva

The man closest to Sanchez as far as finishing this season is concerned is Monaco’s Bernardo Silva, who will no doubt be subject of widespread interest this summer. The Portuguese has enjoyed an excellent season with a hugely exciting young Monaco side and boasts a conversion rate of 13% this season, scoring 6 goals.

It’s Silva’s work rate that is most impressive in this analysis, winning possession in the final third an outstanding 1.2 times per 90, which is considerably in advance of the seemingly indefatigable Sanchez (0.9). Elsewhere his pass accuracy and dribble success are all but identical to the Chilean, though in terms of the frequency of said dribbles and indeed shots and key passes he is some way down on the Arsenal man.

Gelson Martins

Similarly to compatriot Silva, but to slightly less effect in most cases, Sporting winger Martins has achieved impressive numbers this season. Like the Monaco man his figures for both pass accuracy (82%) and possession won in the attacking third per 90 (0.95) are actually superior to Sanchez, while his conversion rate is also respectable (11.1%).

However, unlike Sanchez the youngster doesn’t find himself in goalscoring positions often (1.55 shots per 90), while his key passes per 90 of 1.5 is also the lowest here. While Martins is an out and out wide man as things stand, where Sanchez has developed into an extremely effective centre-forward, the Portuguese, at 21, certainly still has time to progress and learn new skills and in the meantime would carry a real threat from the right flank.

Nathan Redmond

The Premier League player of the week, Nathan Redmond will need to put in the sort of performance he managed at Watford - heralding a 9.27 rating - on a more consistent basis to be in line for such a move. That said, at 23 there’s still plenty of time for the Southampton man to develop and, given the license to attack in this current Saints side he should only improve, particularly learning from the likes of Manolo Gabbiadini.

Redmond’s statistics here are actually quite consistent, boasting a greater dribble success rate than Sanchez (64.1%) as well as a superior pass accuracy, with 84.1% the best in this analysis. His end product in front of goal is a concern though, with a modest 8.1% conversion rate, while of the five players under the microscope the Englishman’s work rate in the final third falls furthest from Sanchez’s statistics, winning possession just 0.6 times per 90.

Domenico Berardi

The final player to qualify here, Berardi is perhaps the odd one out to an extent given that he is more of a striker than a winger, despite playing from wide in a front three. The Italian was earmarked as a future star for the Azzurri but his season has been disrupted by injury this time out, allowing former U21 teammate Andrea Belotti to leapfrog him in terms of being touted as the next big thing in Serie A.

The Sassuolo forward has been restricted to just 11 league appearances this season but now back fit will hope to finish the campaign strongly. To suggest Berardi would be a like for like replacement for Sanchez is perhaps more of a stretch than the rest of those analysed here, though he does excel in terms of dribble success (74.1%). He, however, is nowhere near as creative as the Arsenal man, though his all round figures should improve with the increased fitness levels and sharpness that come with more regular playing time.

There’s no question that when it does come to finding a replacement for Sanchez it will be a thankless task. In reality Arsenal are unlikely to find a player of his ilk so a change in tack may be needed. There are, after all, a number of promising young wide forwards that would offer a great deal to the Londoners, not only in the future but also the here and now once the Gunners eventually accept that a sizeable revamp is required.