FourFourTwo op-ed says Alexis isn’t world class

FourFourTwo has published an op-ed in which writer Chas Newkey-Burden calls out Arsenal’s star striker and noted dog lover Alexis Sánchez as not being “world class.”

First of all, what the heck does world class even mean? I, a professional(ish) soccer writer have no idea. It’s one of those words sports writers love because it is so vague you can build whatever narrative you want around it and it won’t technically be wrong.

Moving on, writer Newkey-Burden says, “Yet his committed, fiery style, and his tendency to play to the gallery meant that from the start his weaknesses were widely overlooked and his strengths exaggerated. It could be argued Alexis is very much a footballer for the era of Brexit and Trump.”

Yes, an immigrant from South America is the perfect star for the Trump era.

Yet even Newkey-Burden must admit, “Up front in that new role approximating a false nine, he has weaved his team’s attackers into an exciting unit.”

Anyways, I don’t care what Newkey-Burden calls Alexis, first choice striker for the second place team in the league sounds good enough to me.