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It seems all is not well within the Gunners camp. The fact that two of their best players have halted contract talks does not put the North London club in good condition for next season.

Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez want promises from Arsenal or might not sign new contracts

Both Ozil and Alexis Sanchez have been marquee signings for the club with the German arriving in 2013 and the Chilean in 2014. However, with around two years left on their contract, it seems both are not inclined to commit to the club for long term.

The clubs wants both the players to sign a contract of around five years with the players receiving around £160 k in wages. However, the star midfielders have demanded assurances from the club about investing heavily and strengthening other departments in the summer.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger failed to sign a single outfield player last summer with the Gunner's only signing being Petr Cech. In the January transfer window, Egyptian midfielder Elneny was brought into the team but it failed to give a push to their title race.

Few days back, Wenger stated that it would be difficult to strengthen this Arsenal side, in spite of the fact that the North London club is struggling to finish fourth yet again in the league.

Such statements from the manager obviously would not bode well with both Ozil and Sanchez, with the former particularly unhappy with the way the team fell out of the title race in the last few games. It seems it is going to be a long summer for both the management and the Arsenal fans.

The managerial situation at Chelsea at the end of this season would certainly keep throwing reports stating many options.

Chelsea To Use Sampaoli To Tempt Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez

There are recent reports suggesting that Chelsea are interested in signing Chile's Copa America winning manager Jorge Sampaoli as their next manager.

One of the major motivations for the club to go after the Argentine boss is the influence he may have in luring Arsenal's star forward Alexis Sanchez to the west London club.  The 55 year old who was named in the FIFA manager of the year shortlist has been interesting Abramovich. It seems the signing of his former Chile manager may help bringing Sanchez to the club.

The Argentine manager recently quit the post of Chile manager due to a row with the Football Federation of Chile only six months after that famous Copa America victory against Argentina in the finals. Another Argentine Diego Simeone was considered as first choice for the Blues but it seems the Atletico Madrid manager may not be tempted to London.

It is still unlikely that Arsene Wenger would let his star player to join a Premier league rival let alone Chelsea. The signing of Cech from Chelsea has been a masterstroke and Wenger would certainly look to avoid a similar mistake in the opposite direction.

Alexis Sanchez rescues a fan from security after trying to meet him! Class from the player.

Alexis Sanchez

Some guys are just too good to hate them, on the pitch and also off the pitch!

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

Arsenal team celebrating after scoring a goal [Image from Flickr by: Ronnie Macdonald]

With the much awaited return of Theo Walcott finally over, will Arsenal face a new dilemma regarding the teams first team attackers?

Alexis Sanchez has recently played his heart out since moving to the Emirates and the Chilean would be an obvious starter for Arsenal. Although with the Alexis having predominantly played the right wing for Arsenal the return of England International Theo Walcott may push him elsewhere amongst the Arsenal attack. He has already displayed his ability across the Arsenal attack with manager Arsene Wenger already expressing that he “likes him to play through the middle as he makes good runs”. This may potentially see him fulfill the role until the return of Mesut Ozil from injury.
But with the return of the German expected shortly after Christmas this may yet again push Alexis elsewhere in the Arsenal attack. An obvious choice would be over to the left wing with him having displayed his ability to cut inside on to his preferred right foot throughout the Burnley match, whilst Walcott plays along the right side with Ozil back into the centre role. This would leave Welbeck as the lone striker option until the return of Olivier Giroud, who may then battle for starting XI status between them.

Having depth in the squad is often a good aspect, but with so man players eager to showcase their talent, being able to fulfill their wishes whilst maintaining a high level of football will be a struggle.
Arsenal currently have Podolski and Cazorla fighting for a place in the squad, alongside Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who has recently stepped up his performances showing why he should be a first choice player. Joel Campell is yet another attacker who looks to have a bright career, although with such experienced players also fighting for the same positions within the team it’ll be difficult for him to gain the match experience to further his career.

The January transfer window may just see one of these go. Whilst Arsenal fans look to Wenger to also sign a defensive midfielder and more defenders. Arsenal have been recently linked with more attacking players, although this may not be the wisest way to spend in January given their current defensive problems.

The addition of a defensive midfielder may push further players out of the squad. With Arteta and Flamini currently filling a central midfield/defensive midfield role as well as Wilshere and Ramsey giving a turn there will be high competition for the two spaces left within the midfield. But with the potential signing of another defensive midfielder, this may just push yet another out of the squad as only one position would be available to the current players.

Wenger will have to make some wise decisions in order to keep the squad satisfied. His formation choice will be key to both the success and morale of the team, being able to squeeze the very best out of every player in order to put the Gunners season back on track.

Alexis Sánchez, Jack Wilshere and Danny Welbeck [Photo Credit: Arsenal.com]

Arsenal haven't had the start to the season they have been wishing for and this month may just make or break Arsenal's season. But with recent victories at both Anderlecht and Sunderland will this be the morale boost to put them back on track for title contention?

November is set to be an action packed month with 6 Club fixtures and an international break.

Arsenal kick off the November fixtures by hosting Burnley at the Emirates. This (on paper) should be a straightforward match for Arsenal and it will be crucial to grab three points to ensure they are within touching distance of the current top four, especially Chelsea.  A return for Theo Walcott will be much welcomed by the Arsenal fans even if it is not the full match.

The next match on the cards is sees Anderlecht visit the Emirates. Yet again this should not be a struggle for Arsenal, especially on home territory as they look to forget their last minute win in Brussels. Wenger admitted in his post match interview in Brussels that there were flaws in the defence saying that he would need "everybody to put a bit more effort into the defensive work". A win against Anderlecht will give Arsenal some hope of topping their Champions League group.

On the 9th November Arsenal will travel to Wales where they will face Swansea City who are currently on level terms with the Gunners in the Premier League. Swansea are punching above their weight at the moment in the league and it will be vital to come away with three points. Although Swansea are not to be to be underestimated having already cause upset at United. Arsenal also may be without key man Alexis Sanchez due to Chile's international match against Venezuela on the 10th.

Following the Internationals the Gunners will play host to Manchester United. This may be the most critical match of the month. Louis van Gaal's side have also been through a similar struggle as Arsenal, although having signed world class players such as Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao. Having recently grabbed a draw against Chelsea with the return of Fergie time United may just be on the turn around that Arsenal are also searching for. A win against the Red Devils will make a strong statement to the rest of the league, either way it should be a close match, but strong performances all around may see Arsenal prevail.

Perhaps Arsenal's most significant match of November will see Borussia Dortmund who are top of Arsenal's Champions League group visit the Emirates. This match will most likely be the decider of who tops Group D, providing Arsenal don't slip up afterwards at Galatasaray or beforehand against Andelecht.

The final fixture of November will take place at The Hawthorns. West Brom have only had one home victory so far this season so this should be an easy match up for Arsenal. This may be a match that will top off a good month for the Gunners or one where Arsenal will be desperate to grab any points from it.

Wenger believes "You see your true players in November" and lets hope he's correct. Having already been struggling fielding a full starting XI due to so many injuries, with the return some players including Walcott this could be the month that changes Arsenal's season for the better. Alternatively it could be the month that chews Arsenal up and spits them back out. With International matches as well as 6 club matches this will be where players have the biggest potential of picking up injuries or knocks that could leave them out for future key matches. Especially with star man Alexis Sanchez who will in all likelihood be the strong point of the team and the man to spur them on to victory, playing a necessary role in both the United and Dortmund match.

Alexis Sanchez [Photo Credit: Getty Images]

With only 3 wins in 9 Premier League matches Arsenal have had a poor start to the season. This may be due to the current injury problems scattered amongst the squad. But amid the injury woes there has been one star shining, which at no surprise is Alexis Sanchez...

Securing 5 goals and 2 assists already in the Premier League, he has already been involved in 54.5% of Arsenal’s Premier League goals this season. Sanchez may prove vital in keeping Arsenal afloat until the January transfer window.  Although his goal scoring capabilities are not the only factor that he has brought to Arsenal so far this season.

The Chilean international has been the most determined and hardworking player of the Arsenal team so far and an influential one at that. He has featured at the heart of the majority of Arsenal’s attacks with his link up play with Danny Welbeck and the currently  injured Mesut Ozil being remarkable. Sanchez will run until the end of the world taking on opponents whenever he gets the chance to, he is persistent in attack and if either him or a teammate lose the ball he is not afraid to track back to help the fullbacks in retrieving the ball and correcting his mistakes. This exemplary determination has started to rub off on other players such as Danny Welbeck who may not have been slotting away as many goals as he wants but is willing to get back and help in defence to kick start the attacks. Alexis’ versatility is also a major factor that may play a big help during Arsenal’s current injury crisis, being able to roam around anywhere in the attack with no trouble. His hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed with captain Mikel Arteta already praising him alongside Mathieu Flamini who is already claiming that Sanchez is “right up there” with the likes of Thierry Henry.

Arsenal are currently struggling to keep up with the top teams, such as Chelsea who are currently running away with the title. Although come the Christmas break Arsenal should have a team that is capable of battling for the top spot, if it is not all too late by then. With the Chilean master out on the wing and Theo Walcott on the opposite, Arsenal will welcome the return of Mesut Ozil who should in theory be playing back in the preferred centre. Along with the option of both Danny Welbeck and Olivier Giroud as a lone striker the ability to rotate the two strikers may prove vital in keeping them as fit as possible.

His display against Sunderland this weekend showed just why he is the best at Arsenal currently. Barely giving the Sunderland defenders an inch breathing space proved to work with Wes Brown making an error in his pass back attempt, whilst Alexis used his unmatchable pace to pull away and then dink it over Vito Mannone. His second came from a similar defensive mistake with Mannone gifting the ball to Sanchez to finish it. But as mentioned earlier it is not only his goal scoring ability that makes him world class, with him racking up an 86% pass accuracy rate as well as winning 83% of his tackles. If Alexis can keep up high quality performances throughout the season whilst maintaining stats like that means he will undoubtedly be Arsenal’s player of the season.

Alexis Sanchez [Image from Flickr by: Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht]

Having spent approximately £83m in the summer with a Net spend of £70m, Arsenal spent one of the highest net spends over the summer transfer window with only Manchester United recording a bigger net spend. I will be taking a look at the five key first team signings, how well they have fitted in and performed so far this season for the Gunners.

Alexis Sánchez: Signing for £32m Alexis was Arsenal’s second biggest signing in history. He was welcomed into open arms and has made an immediate impact into Arsenal’s first team already. Sánchez has fit perfectly straight into the first team and has become a major factor in Arsenal’s attack. Alexis never gives up, he has given his all so far in every match he has played. Out on the flanks Sánchez has not only been a key part of the attack, but his desire to retain the ball has seen him back in midfield and challenging within the defence on multiple occasions. But Alexis is not one of the world’s finest talents for just his creative play he’s also a proven goalscorer having already picked up 5 goals this season in Arsenal colours. Although fans were begging for a center-back through the summer he is £32 million well spent in my eyes. Wenger does need to ensure the Chilean does not get burnt out. With so many injuries amongst the Arsenal squad, Alexis is a key player in the squad although he will need to be need to be rotated, giving maximum effort every match he plays has potential for him to either see injury or his quality slowly deteriorate.

Mathieu Debuchy: Arsenal’s second signing through the summer window saw Debuchy fill the defensive gap left by Bacary Sagna. He had shown promise within his first 7 appearances and much like the other summer signings fitted in well to the squad. Although an early injury has already ended his start at Arsenal as it was just beginning. After suffering ligament damage in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City, the French defender underwent surgery on his ankle and was confirmed out for 3 months. This is an obvious blow to Arsenal and Debuchy alike but there are players who have the ability to replace him in the short term. The major hope is he returns to the first team as positively as he began.

David Ospina: With Lukasz Fabianski leaving for Swansea when his contract ended, David Ospina a somewhat World Cup superstar was that man to replace the Polish goalkeeper. With Wociech Szczesny still the first choice goalkeeper, Ospina has only made one appearance so far for the Gunners. His first match did show signs of nervousness especially with the ball at his feet. He did make a few promising saves throughout the match although a rocket shot from Nathaniel Clyne from 25 yards flew right above the Colombian into the top of the net. His positioning was perfect to make the save, but obviously something happened to (I’m still unsure what) that caused him to miss the save. He may have a future at Arsenal, but with increasing reports of Iker Casillas moving away from the Bernabeu, Ospina will need to up his future performances as well as training without becoming injured again to try and push Arsenal away from signing the Real Madrid keeper which will push him further down the pecking order.

Calum Chambers: Chambers was Arsenal’s fourth addition to the squad over the summer. He has featured a fair few times since signing. With Mathieu Debuchy out injured the 19 year old has filled in the right-back role on four occasions whilst starting in the central defence role. Although his discipline has been appalling, there’s no hiding it. He’s already picked up 5 cards and will miss the next match for suspension for picking up too many cards. Elsewhere his performances have varied. His holding of the ball has been weak, although he does like to travel up the field. His ability to play in various positions has helped Wenger a great deal, as he is able to provide cover is several positions. He has provided a great presence aerially and his passing ability is great. The only worry currently for Chambers is his disciplinary, having picked up a yellow card in every Premier League match he has started. There is a very bright future at Arsenal for Chambers and he has shown his ability already, but he needs to ensure he does not collect quite so many cards during the rest of the season

Danny Welbeck: Welbeck was highly criticized by many on his signing at Arsenal, but boy has he proved  many wrong. Although only grabbing 4 goals this season, Welbeck has proved he fits in well with the current Arsenal squad.  Welbeck will need to provide the necessary goals for Arsenal, but has been key in helping the team in attack as well as defense so far this season. Welbeck’s link up play with many of the Arsenal attacking players has been outstanding, similar to that of his determination. Welbeck has found himself contributing towards the defence, winning the ball in places he has no right to be in and kick-starting the attacks himself. Wenger needs to ensure the England international is rested well, he will play a vital role in Arsenal’s season and with Yaya Sanogo as Arsenal’s only true backup striker who isn't know for his goalscoring ability, overplaying Welbeck unnecessarily will be a risk any fans won’t want to see being taken.

Article contributed by: Sporting Antics

Twitter: @FootyAntics