Former Las Palmas forward Jorge Contreras believes that the Chilean national team should build their attack around playing Inter’s Alexis Sanchez in a Number Ten role.
Speaking to Chilean newspaper El Mercurio in an interview published in today’s print edition, the 61-year-old spoke about the qualities that the Nerazzurri forward has which could make him well-suited to the role.
Chile have struggled to gain points in their CONMEBOL qualifying campaign, with a number of frustrating results leaving them in serious peril of missing out on the World Cup for the second time in a row despite the undeniable quality in their squad.
Contreras believes that this must prompt a re-think in the tactical approach, and that Sanchez must be given an important role as an attacking midfielder so that his technical and creative qualities as well as vision can be best made use of to make the team work in the final third.
“I have been saying this for some time,” Contreras explained. “The National team lacks that player who plays between the lines, capable of seeing different spaces and also effective in his passing. Vidal is used a lot in that role, but he is not an attacking midfielder and technically he is unable to have that awareness.”
He went on, “I am convinced that Sanchez must be the Number Ten for Chile, he has all the qualities. He always looks at where the next pass must go to before he gets the ball, he is gaining that skill. It surprises me that they still see him as a striker. It’s not easy to play as a Ten, but it’s a vital role.”
