"El Niño Maravilla": Alexis Sanchez

Got that impression from Iniesta hugging Sanchez after the last goal, that he's not going at this point. Gotten that impression actually from a lot of places lately.

Also get this impression, worryingly.

Better player was Xavi easily. We won the campaign in the first half of the season and he was superb then. In my opinion probably our 2nd best player.

I think a big reason for our game suffering has been his fatigue.

There are rumors of us offering Pedro + cash for Thiago Silva, so maybe the board is ready to offload both of them. I dont think Iniesta hugging Sanchez means much. I'm pretty sure the board sees our issues up front and Sanchez's work rate shouldnt save him to prove himself yet another season. This isn't a social club, players can be buddies over the phone

I'm with Alfred. Offload him, but only for the right offer...

To disrespectfully call Sánchez 'malexis' is insulting considering your hero is Pedro.

The Chilean has not been what Barcelona wanted him to be, but no one can deny he's given his all and has improved over the past few weeks. Mierdro on the other hand has been the same pinball bumper over the past two years. I was actually surprised he took that shot against PSG, don't remember the last time he grew some cojones and took a shot.

I also don't agree that he's been found out by opposition defenders. He simply doesn't run into space any more because he doesn't want to. I also don't buy the 'he's instructed to' stay back crap, how come Alexis and Tello are instructed to make runs forward but not Mierdro?

Both sucked when it matted, the last few weeks on an already won league doesn't change my opinion on any senior player.
I don't care how much Alexis gave, if it's not productive it doesn't matter.
Pedro hasn't done much either other then shine for Spain.

alexis will improve. he is talented and hard working.. his last games have been encouraging

danyjr wrote:To disrespectfully call Sánchez 'malexis' is insulting considering your hero is Pedro.

The Chilean has not been what Barcelona wanted him to be, but no one can deny he's given his all and has improved over the past few weeks. Mierdro on the other hand has been the same pinball bumper over the past two years. I was actually surprised he took that shot against PSG, don't remember the last time he grew some cojones and took a shot.

I also don't agree that he's been found out by opposition defenders. He simply doesn't run into space any more because he doesn't want to. I also don't buy the 'he's instructed to' stay back crap, how come Alexis and Tello are instructed to make runs forward but not Mierdro?

So.... you complain that Free calls hims Badlexis and proceed to then call Pedro Shitdro? Right, this is going to go well..

I copyright the term "pinball bumpers" guys

My greatest nickname yet

BarrileteCosmico wrote:

danyjr wrote:To disrespectfully call Sánchez 'malexis' is insulting considering your hero is Pedro.

The Chilean has not been what Barcelona wanted him to be, but no one can deny he's given his all and has improved over the past few weeks. Mierdro on the other hand has been the same pinball bumper over the past two years. I was actually surprised he took that shot against PSG, don't remember the last time he grew some cojones and took a shot.

I also don't agree that he's been found out by opposition defenders. He simply doesn't run into space any more because he doesn't want to. I also don't buy the 'he's instructed to' stay back crap, how come Alexis and Tello are instructed to make runs forward but not Mierdro?

So.... you complain that Free calls hims Badlexis and proceed to then call Pedro Shitdro? Right, this is going to go well..

I actually loled with the Mierdro/Shitdro nickname, although I think Malexis/Badlexis is much better.

However, food for though: while Shitdro shows he's still a good player with Spain, Badlexis hasn't scored in like 1 or 2 years with Chile playing as a second striker, and even in their country they say he is useless. Even with Chile he is el Niño Pesadilla (the nightmare kid) while with Spain Shitdro is Pedrazo.

Free you haven't seen Alexis play for Chile then because he has been quite good for them.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Free you haven't seen Alexis play for Chile then because he has been quite good for them.

Chileans disagree.

only from the first half

That's Messiesque right there.

Before the last game, our third most effective, attacking minded player this season.

Great goal by Alexis, but man I love the flick by Villa. Old school Italian style, definitely something you need when playing narrow and through the middle as it catches the defenders off guard. Underrated skill that's slowly fading away.

free_cat wrote:

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Free you haven't seen Alexis play for Chile then because he has been quite good for them.

Chileans disagree.

I am Chilean and I dont disagree.

Alexis used to be our best player, along with Mati, and at the WC he was the best player for us. It's true that Alexis had been playing pretty bad with Chile the last few months(infact around the same time he was awful with Barça), but the last couple of games with Chile he has once again started playing great. And that video against Peru is a great example of that..

Wow, this guy is really lucky to be alive. Thanks to the good safety features of his audi.

Damn thankfully he's OK but apparently he could just as easily have died in that car crash.

How are the people he crashed into?

Sanchez car crash

Barcelona’s Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez miraculously escaped unhurt after wrecking his Audi R8 in the early hours of Thursday.

Sanchez, who was driving back home after Barca’s penalty shootout win against Espanyol, lost control of his supercar and crashed it into the road divider barriers. It is not known how Sanchez lost control of the car.

Such was the impact of the crash that the Audi’s front got smashed, writing it off completely.

Sanchez managed to get out of the car, which he then abandoned on the road and later on went off to his house after a friend came and picked him up.

It is reported that leaving the scene of the crash could see Sanchez incur a penalty fee.

May be he wants a new car

Alexis Sánchez gave a revealing interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais in Chile, speaking about his childhood in poverty in Tocopilla and his life at Barça. A translation is offered below.

Q: Do you think you have to understand Tocopilla to understand your achievements?

A: My achievement is that I had an opportunity and I took advantage of it. You have to have luck in life, and I’ve had it. Now I’ve gone from here to over there (Europe), but it’s true that it was not easy to get money to live in Tocopilla. As a kid I washed cars to earn a little money. I was not a great student, I skipped school and went to go play football, alone or with my friends – so if it weren’t for football, I would still be washing cars and pushing carts….

They used to call you “ardilla” (squirrel)?

Yes, because I used to climb up trees and the roofs of houses, jumping patios and going up walls in order to retrieve the balls we lost. And from “ardilla” they gave me “Dilla,” “El Dilla de Tocopilla.” The whole city knew me for football. Football opened doors in my life and has allowed me to help my family, and for that I am very proud.

Who gave you your first boots?

One afternoon Mr. Courtois brought them to me, who was the mayor of Tocopilla and who liked Arauco, my team. I didn’t have shoes because my mother could not afford them. When the mayor gave them to me, I couldn’t wait more than two hours. I took off those Reeboks and went out into the street to play on the cement, with boots made for grass. I was as happy as a dog with two tails.

When did it become clear you would be a footballer?

Since I was little, practically a baby, it was clear to me. I would say to my mother: “Relax, I’m going to become a footballer and it will all turn out okay, we’ll have money.” And she would laugh. I would also say to my friends: “I’m going to give a car to you, a house to you…” I dreamed of cleaning up all of Tocopilla… I have not given my friend the car, he needs to earn it, but I am searching for a way to help Tocopilla however I can – I will find a way. I have made reality the dreams of that boy that played in the street against adults – and they gave me some kicks! But I came back to play against them every time. My football is that of the street.

Is it difficult to play in Barcelona?

Yes, I think so. I’ve had to learn to play football all over again. What I did in Italy I could not do here. Before taking a player on one-on-one I should open up the field, look for space. Before I would always wait for the ball at my feet, try to beat three players, and I was the one that passed the ball into space, because other players opened the field for me.

Villa said that at Barça he focused most on Pedro to understand his movements. And you?

I watch everyone, because they all have something I can learn from. From Iniesta his acceleration, from Xavi how he moves, from Leo how he thinks before receiving the ball, from Pedro how to work. The confidence Guardiola gave me helped me greatly in learning Barça’s play.

Why is that?

He gave me special attention and trusted me. Sometimes he would tell the other players: “pass the ball to Alexis, pass it to his back, he knows how to protect the ball.” That made me feel great, like a Ferrari.

Do you think that you’re now a better player than when you arrived?

I believe that I’ve adapted and that is very important when we talk about the best team in the world. But I’m still not what I can be, I am sure that I can be better, and that I am not playing entirely freely. I have shown that I can beat players here and give an assist, like I did in Italy – but I also have a sense of what I have not yet demonstrated. It’s that at times I want to take a defender on one-on-one but I can’t shoot, because the team is behind me and I know I should pass the ball back to start play over. Ours is a special type of play and I know I have to adapt.

In Chile, do you play differently?

Of course. To begin with, in Chile I feel more free, because it’s a different style. I get less tired with Barça, for [with] the national team I lead the front three, all over the field all game. Barça is unique, there is no other team that plays like this, in history there will not be another team with so much talent, that plays so well.

(On the Chile game): You will probably face Valdés. Will scoring a goal be a big challenge for you?

It’s f**ked. Victor is very good, but I have to score because if I don’t, and Chile lose the match, they’ll never shut up at Barça. It’s nine against one, I’ll have to put up with the jokes all year if we don’t win. If I score a goal at least I could defend myself.

You spoke of how you don’t feel as free at Barça, is it the pressure?

No, in that sense I’ve come to terms with it, it’s only the play. The people pressure me waiting for goals, a pass, and it’s that which I take most seriously. The confidence of a player is everything.

And what was it like living in the circumstances of last season, with Tito in New York?

Last season’s Liga title was an enormous achievement, and it can only be explained by the greatness of our dressing room, the players and technical staff. Tito and Abidal were the pillars which supported the team without being there, because they gave us strength. When you see them fight and you ask yourself why you’re not fighting like they are, and you consider that there are people that live their life without feet, without hands… And why are we here, to live or for what? You have to fight for those who cannot, as well.



Read more: http://www.totalbarca.com/2013/interviews/alexis-if-it-werent-for-football-i-would-still-be-washing-cars/#ixzz2efvPJP1R

I believe that I’ve adapted and that is very important when we talk about the best team in the world. But I’m still not what I can be, I am sure that I can be better, and that I am not playing entirely freely. I have shown that I can beat players here and give an assist, like I did in Italy – but I also have a sense of what I have not yet demonstrated. It’s that at times I want to take a defender on one-on-one but I can’t shoot, because the team is behind me and I know I should pass the ball back to start play over. Ours is a special type of play and I know I have to adapt.

That really summed up Alexis for me since I first watched him play that clásico supercup at the Bernabéu. This is a big issue for forwards who have to adapt to the style Barcelona play. In most teams when the winger receives the ball wide, you'll have 2-3 strikers in the opposition's box (football 101 if you ask me). With Barcelona, you beat your man on the wing and there's only Messi in the box to be passed to.

I also think this has made Barcelona quite predictable at times.

Well, while I agree you should flood the box when the ball is in a wide position (not because you have to cross the ball, you could even dribble) simply because the distraction it gives to the center defenders and prevents them just waiting for you to come.

However, we cant control the midfield by outnumbering the opponant and then at the same time having numbers in the box, its one or the other. The players who control the play and possession are the same players who ideally could get into the box, a deep midfield runner. However, Iniesta really isnt this player and Xavi most of the times isnt either. Occasionally he gets in there, but its a rarity.

I do think though we need to do a better job when the winger or fullback has actually beat the marker on the outside. Because when this happens, there is no excuse for the other winger, Messi and a midfielder to get in there. But often, they arent, they all wait for a pullback to shoot.

But in normal play, when the ball is passed out to Alexis, people will just never be in there for that, they are behind, waiting for the circulation. And really, asking an Iniesta or Xavi to do differently makes no sense.