Arsenal Fan View: Farewell Alexis, hello Mkhitaryan

‘So fickle is the heart’. Arsenal fans have long been associated with the saying and rightfully so. They have been through a lot and this time around they’re only looking to heal wounds of the past.

Alexis Sanchez’ departure was long foreseen and had been virtually accepted by the fan base back in August. His non-committal nature showed where he stood and that there was no more the club could offer him to change his mind.

The more optimistic of the lot were still hopeful he would consider his options and surprisingly, he did. It just so happened that his option was a club where the Gunners would probably have never thought of seeing him. Or just were tired of seeing their best forwards leave for.

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The Van Persie transfer happened before the season started and it left the side in disarray for the first few weeks. Instead, the team this season was already in disarray before Alexis’ departure. The entire squad was playing like it was fractured and it showed way too many times on the pitch.

Losing a talisman in January was something new, but needed, for Arsene Wenger; according to whom there is no “real quality” in the market. And this might be the real reason why this transfer dragged on for so long.

Arsenal were always reluctant to let Sanchez go without a replacement secured. City found that out in the summer, and it meant that United had to give the club something more than just cash.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan arrived in return, and that was probably the only thing Mourinho was going to sanction. While the Arsenal fans wanted Martial or maybe even Rashford, the Armenian was the logical choice for both parties.

And so, the questions about “who got the better deal” ensued and no one really saw the full picture. In Alexis, Arsenal had a player who could change the game on his own. He was a menace on the pitch and a true winner. But he was also holding them back.

When Cesc Fabregas left Arsenal, a similar reaction was seen in the media. The side had become too dependent on the Spanish wizard and no one could see them coping without him. Luckily this time, Wenger got a player immediately of a similar mold.

Mkhitaryan brings creativity to an Arsenal side who are too dependent on Ozil and Cazorla. He brings another outlet for the defence to look for on the counter. He allows Ozil to breathe a little in a match where he is marked across the pitch.

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If not for any other reason but this, the Gunners have a right to feel good about letting the Chilean go. It still stings, surely, but there has to be acceptance where there is pain. Because only with acceptance that the club is bigger than any player, will come the feeling of recovery.

With the reaction of the players evident in their recent victories without Sanchez, proof of the mental sanative is conspicuous. It is the example set which the fans must follow and give their heart out to welcome their new number 7.