When Arsene Wenger surprised the football world on Monday night by fielding a 3-4-2-1 formation, perhaps another surprise was his choice at right wing-back. Despite having the highly-rated Hector Bellerin fit, the Frenchman opted to go for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Now while the change may have been due to Hector’s recent dip in form rather than anything else, it must be said that Oxlade-Chamberlain grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
Despite having a rather edgy start to the game, the Englishman was effective at the back and even better going forward, constantly making marauding runs down Arsenal’s right channel, offering width in attack and extra cover in defence. In fact, I feel he was rather unlucky not to get a couple of assists in the game against Boro. Compared to recent years, his final ball also seems to have improved. With some better finishing, he could have even notched up a goal or two.
So with that being said, I really think the former Southampton man should be rewarded for his performance at the Riverside and not be dropped in place of Bellerin for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final clash against Manchester City. The player is growing in confidence and despite his history in high-profile matches, I feel he can be afforded another opportunity to make his mark on this Arsenal side. Considering that he is in peak fitness and raring to go, I don’t see any reason to drop him for Bellerin who has struggled recently.
With Alex’s future still uncertain at the Emirates, giving him regular games at the tail end of the season makes sense as it provides the player an opportunity to show the manager that he is indeed worthy of a new deal and a place in the starting XI. Considering that he’s been around for so long, it is easy to forget that he’s still only 23 years old and he still has time to live up to the hype around him when he arrived as an 18-year-old.
Anurag
Why Arsenal must start Ox against city……arrrggghh shawty oir opponents must be quaking in their boots
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Why City must start de bruyne / Barbosa against arsenal…Huh
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Which one gives you goose bumbs?
Btw, Barbosa plays for inter de Milan and not for Man City . Dude , U are so negative . Chill out. I know it’s s cup game and I know in such games form doesn’t matter . It’s a different competition. We saw Ac Milan struggling for years in the league but winning the champions league .
I just want everyone to support our team . I I want Wenger to go as well . But we shouldn’t hope our team lose a game just to prove a point .
Am going Wembley tomorrow n would sing my lungs out .
Play bellerin as rwb and put ox higher up the pitch.
—————–Cech—————–
—-Gabriel—Koscielny—holding
—————– Xhaka —————
Bellerin–Ramsey—–Ox——-Monreal
—————- Sanchez– Ozil ———–
Am going with 3 5 2 cause we need more numbers in midfield to nullify KDB Siva n Sane. Xhaka and Ramsey alone would get eaten alive .
I know ozil always play as a second striker anyways so it’s not new . But we need numbers in midfield to beat city . We shall hv loads of counter attacking opportunities
there is no way we can beat city
they have 11 world class players on the field and another 7 on the bench
We only have 1 Sanchez and an ageing Cech and Kos
I didn’t know winning football games had to do with just having world class players . If so city would have won the league already . Football is played by 11 men after all . If we fight , we have a chance .
It’s a semi final , a one off game. Let’s go out there n play for the shirt. If they are just better , we tell them congratulations.
We might sign Turan according to the latest rumours. How on earth can you go for a player who said he went to barca instead of us because he was too good.
If it’s true I have to admit I like it, same with the LB.
Arsenal usually go into the summer looking to see who goes where and can we pick up pieces, or worse, go into it with the idea that we’re strong enough as is. This would be two important players/positions wrapped up before anyone else has begun, also it leaves us with a large transfer kitty still to use.
Turan is thirty, yeah, but he’s still a very decent player, he contributed twenty goals for Barca in only 28 games. He still has two to three seasons before he gets to that age.
“Remember him under Simeone, he has that desire to win the ball back, also he’s not one of those short and slightly physical players we’ve been targeting, after Xhaka it looks like a change from types, this lads a man, and he has winning experience, which allot of our players don’t.
I think we’ve only got three or four that have that experience.
“I would have to be happy if these reports are true, more height, more winning experience, extra stamina, and with the money still left plus some players sold, if we can pull off a couple of big big big signings, we might have a very slim chance of keeping Alexis as our highest paid player. If the Southampton lad VVVD came along with these two ..I would be one ecstatic fan.
I would leave ozil on the bench for iobe or welbeck