Should Arsenal move this England international into a central role?

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It’s safe to say that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has not had the greatest of seasons so far. The English international has lacked confidence and has spent most of the matches starting from the bench. His lack of confidence came to light earlier in the year when Wenger revealed that Chamberlain “lacks self-belief and is very critical of himself”. So what does Wenger need to do to get Chamberlain back to his best? At the moment, he is not guaranteed any solid game time as a winger which has led some to claim that he should be moved into the midfield.

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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is undoubtedly a very talented footballer. This season, however has seen him suffer new found criticism. Many have argued that he has not developed since he made his move to Arsenal from Southampton, and it’s hard to disagree with them. A move into a central position may cure his poor form and give him game time. This would not be the first time Wenger has played Chamberlain in the middle of the park. Wenger has played Chamberlain a few times in the central role, and thinks he will eventually play there, “I don’t think he is ready to play in this role [central role] personally but he will certainly develop into it in the future”.

Firstly, Chamberlain has the pace, energy and close ball control to be a very dangerous player in the central midfield position. There aren’t many central midfielders that have the burst to beat defenders from the midfield in world football- Chamberlain could be one. Chamberlain’s problem is that he doesn’t seem to put this all together. By trade he is a winger, but hasn’t progressed as much as some would’ve expected. In the final third of the pitch, his final ball and finishing all need to improve. As does his consistency. At this current point in time, Theo Walcott and Joel Campbell are arguably more developed and consistent than Chamberlain. So if Chamberlain has three players ahead of him in the pecking order, is a move to centre midfield a wise option for Arsenal?

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Arsenal’s most abundant and talented position, is arguably the centre of midfield. Francis Coquelin’s steel is essential, Santi Cazorla is a magician and Mesut Özil is one of the best players in the league at the moment. That’s the starting three in midfield for Arsenal, but you can also include Wilshere, Ramsey, Arteta, Chambers, Flamini and hopefully Elneny- if that ever happens- to the list of contenders for a centre midfield spot. From a numerical standpoint, it doesn’t seem good, but Arsenal always have injuries, so he still has a strong chance.

Aside from his unique skill set which he possesses, there are two other attributes he doesn’t have right now- quality passing, and defensive ability.  We’ve seen in the past, that Wenger has tried to play Chamberlain in a partnership of holding midfielders. The England international definitely has the legs to get up and down the field. What he doesn’t have though, is the defensive awareness. In a midfield two, defensive concentration is key. Moreover, Chamberlain lacks the ability to make incisive passes in the final third. Playing in the central areas, he will often face multiple defenders against him, rather than just driving at the fullback when he plays as a winger.

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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is facing a crucial point in his career, he needs to play well and over a long period of time. In terms of skill, he is very talented. This talent, however, has not translated to many strong performances on the pitch. He has the natural ability to be a winger, but faces stiff competition from Sanchez, Campbell and Walcott. As a central midfielder, Chamberlain could be prodigious, there again he is entering an age where he needs to have a set position and develop at that, rather than be tried elsewhere. Yes, he should be tried as a central midfielder, but there are only so many times you can try him, and with the class Arsenal have in those positions, I doubt he will succeed there.

Featured Image: all rights reserved by Ronnie Macdonald