Just like with Jack Wilshere, the Arsenal and England international star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be set for a new lease of life in a new position with the three lions. And if it works out it could be good news for the Ox and for Arsenal as well.
The new position is the central midfield role that was taken by the England and Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney on Saturday and although England did beat Malta at Wembley and should have scored a lot more than two, Rooney’s performance has been heavily criticised.
In an Evening Standard report the young Arsenal midfielder, who normally plays in a wider or more advanced role for the Gunners, revealed that he has been training in that central role for England and the feeling is that the new manager Gareth Southgate is ready to drop Rooney and give Chamberlain a try.
The 23-year old said, “Given the opportunity, I do enjoy playing in central midfield and last week in training with England I was playing more centrally. I really enjoyed that.
“At the moment, the general dynamic at Arsenal is that we have got a lot of central midfielders who are more specialists in that position and out of that group of players, if you were going to put me in there, I’d be the one who stood out as someone who could play on the wing.
“I see myself more as a winger for Arsenal as a result. Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla, Francis Coquelin, Granit Xhaka, who has just come in, Jack Wilshere, when he’s back, Mohamed Elneny and Aaron Ramsey, when he’s fit. They are all big players for us and out-and-out central midfielders, so I am more focused on playing wide and adding what I can out there for now.”
I do hope he does get a start there for England though, even though it is unlikely that Arsene Wenger would repeat the experiment with Arsenal. Young Alex has often performed better at international level and any playing time and confidence he can get will only help him and be good for the Gunners.
Do you think he could do a job in the middle for England?
Bob.
With both Dier and Drinkwater waiting in he wings, he’s no chance of starting in central midfield.