Arsenal: Does Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain really deserve a chance in central midfield?

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain put on a stellar performance for Arsenal last weekend in central midfield. Does the winger now finally deserve a starting run in central midfield?

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has never truly got his career up and running at Arsenal. After joining the club as a 17-year-old, Oxlade-Chamberlain was expected to go on and become an important member of the Arsenal starting XI.

But five and a half years on, and the now 23-year-old remains a periphery figure in the Arsenal squad. Injuries have often been an obstacle. Not to mention a stacked Gunners squad that is loaded with talent in the wide areas and upfront.

Spurts come along. Oxlade-Chamberlain shines a little bit. And then, for one reason or another, that comes to an end and the winger ends up out of the first team picture once again. The potential remains, however.

When Oxlade-Chamberlain shines, he really shines. And that’s exactly what he did during Arsenal’s 5-0 mauling of Southampton in the FA Cup at the weekend. The difference this time, though, was that the position the Ox impressed in was central midfield.

The Englishman has played in that position before on numerous occasions – and impressed. But the performance of Oxlade-Chamberlain, given the status of his career at Arsenal right now, felt like more of a statement than previously.

So, should Arsene Wenger now give the Ox a run in the first team as a central midfielder? It’s a position where the team are still a little unbalanced. Granit Xhaka has had his problems since arriving in the summer. Aaron Ramsey can be a liability defensively at times.

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Santi Cazorla is getting older and lacks the legs and engine as a 32-year-old. Whilst Francis Coquelin performs okay for what he does, but does not offer the technical ability of the aforementioned. Mohamed Elneny is primarily a substitute option.

Meanwhile, Jack Wilshere remains out of the Arsenal mix on loan at Bournemouth, with his future unknown. So why not give Oxlade-Chamberlain a shot? Maybe he can be the answer for Wenger in the team’s engine room?

Oxlade-Chamberlain showed he has a little bit of everything in his game against the Saints. Everybody knows he can run all day, dribble at pace and drive the team forward with the ball. But he also showed his passing can be supreme, too, setting up his teammates for a plethora of goalscoring chances all game.

Not just creative passing, though, Oxlade-Chamberlain dictated the midfield with short passes from a deeper position also. It was an efficient display by the England international. One that surely has Wenger, at the very least, considering fielding him there more regularly.

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But the question is, should he? Or the more pertinent question might be, why not? What is there to lose?

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain deserves a chance to play in the center of Arsenal’s midfield.

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