[Albion] Was selling Sanchez the worst decision the club has made in years ? The Poll !

[Weststander]

19/20 Ranking: N/A

20/21 Ranking: 16th

Before the the 20/21 season, Sánchez had never played above the League One level. But in a little over a year as a starter, the Spaniard has been nothing short of exceptional. He has the best cross-claim percentage in the EPL and ranks among the leaders for number of sweeper actions per 90 minutes.

RDZ based his footballing decisions on the real time data in front of him, not nostalgia. Sanchez’s distribution was bottom drawer and he was no longer the PL leader at crosses.

 

[Seagull58]

RDZ based his footballing decisions on the real time data in front of him, not nostalgia. Sanchez’s distribution was bottom drawer and he was no longer the PL leader at crosses.

I agree. His performances deteriorated under de Zerbi.

 

[Zeberdi]

I agree. His performances deteriorated under de Zerbi.

Wasn’t it more the case that Sanchez had a steep learning curve when De Zerbi arrived? - they all did but especially in the role of the GK? - no longer a traditional GK role of being a stopper and launcher but much more footballing to do, playing the centre man for the possession triangle play out from the back - I always thought Sanchez wasn’t so much getting worse under De Zerbi but rather his natural style of play was having to adapt to De Zerbi’s style which he was struggling to do. Verbruggen and Steele were much more adaptable it seemed or at least more suited to De Zerbi ball.

 

[Weststander]

I agree. His performances deteriorated under de Zerbi.

RDZ came in and (sink or swim) overnight changed training methods, demands on players, tactics. Italian coaches can be hard taskmasters, perfectionists. I think Dunk talked about it after a few months, he thrived. That pressure isn’t going to work for everyone. I’ve a feeling that Conte and others before him parted ways with players they almost clinically fell out with.

 

[Seagull58]

Wasn’t it more the case that Sanchez had a steep learning curve when De Zerbi arrived? - they all did but especially in the role of the GK? - no longer a traditional GK role of being a stopper and launcher but much more footballing to do, playing the centre man for the possession triangle play out from the back - I always thought Sanchez wasn’t so much getting worse under De Zerbi but rather his natural style of play was having to adapt to De Zerbi’s style which he was struggling to do. Verbruggen and Steele were much more adaptable it seemed or at least more suited to De Zerbi ball.

That may be true but statistically it appears he got worse. That may have been, at least partly, a consequence of the team playing a different style.