Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, a player most defenders hate having to defend against. Usually when defenders come up against players blessed with pace, they believe they can stop them with their strength. However, when Premier League opposition or even Europe's finest (As showcased against Bayern Munich and A.C. Milan) defenders come up against Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the only way to stop him is:

1. Pray to God that he makes a mistake and loses the ball.

2. Foul him.

Unlike players such as Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale, Chamberlain doesn't just have pace and a good technique, he's unbelievably strong for his age, which always gives him an advantage over the defenders he takes on. Ironically, when Chamberlain runs at defenders and they try shoulder barging him off the ball, it's usually the defenders who end up on the floor due to his brilliant boxer-like physique, intelligent use of his body and wicked pace. Most importantly Chamberlain possesses the hunger and desire to succeed, as he constantly puts in 100% effort on the pitch. If you don't believe me, just look this video.

It's crystal clear that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is a very talented player and very versatile too. Often Arséne Wenger has used the 21-year-old on the wings, both left and right, however, the player himself and his father, Mark Chamberlain, believe he is best playing in a central role in the midfield. Back in January this year, Oxlade said:

"In the future if I do play in midfield that's an attribute that I won't want to lose, I will want to run with the ball and drive forward, attract defenders and draw then out of position," he said.

"I don't know whether I will end up there, that's for Arsene Wenger to decide, but it's definitely something I'm excited about the prospect of doing."

"I've always been a midfielder and have only recently gone out to the wing, but wherever I play on the pitch I've just got to make sure I give the best performance I can."

On the few occasions Chamberlain has played in the middle he hasn't really looked out of place, but that's not saying he was the perfect central midfielder. Against Crystal Palace at home last season, Oxlade-Chamberlain played as a central midfielder and he ended up scoring a brace and tearing Crystal Palace's midfield and defence into pieces. The Crystal Palace players couldn't stop him, he was too quick, too smart and too strong for them in a performance that surely would have delighted Wenger.

We all remember the Champions League game against Bayern where the North London outfit went to Munich needing to do the "impossible" again. Even though the club failed there was one positive, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain. Chamberlain was playing as a winger yet he kept drifting in central when in possession of the ball. Whilst doing this he caught the eye of thousands with his fantastic dribbling. If you don't understand what I'm talking about, take a look, this is just an example.

With Chamberlain wanting to play in a central role in Arsenal's illustrious midfield and Wenger seeing him as more of a winger, we must ask ourselves the question, are we getting the most out of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain? When thinking about this question, I can't help but use Gareth Bale as an example. Bale, like Chamberlain, was a left winger at Tottenham and he did a very good job there. We all remember what he did to Maicon, who was at that time one of the best right-backs in the world. However, it was in his last season playing for Spurs that Gareth Bale really exploded, winning the player of the year award. The secret behind Gareth Bale's success that season was that AVB played him in the number 10 role, a role behind the striker which gave Bale the space and freedom to roam about and most importantly run at defenders.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gareth Bale are two completely different players but they share similar qualities. The two players both have great pace and running power so who's to say the Arsenal youngster wouldn't prosper and shine in a more central role? Personally I believe that for now, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is best on the left wing for Arsenal, a position where they are quite stale. Lukas Podolski tends to be inconsistent when playing on the left side of the attack and Santi Cazorla always seems lost and drifts central, leaving Chamberlain as the Gunners' best option on the left hand side. An attack consisting of Chamberlain on the left, Sanchez in the middle and Walcott on the right is mouthwatering. Like Liverpool last season, they would be able to hit any team on the counter attack effectively with blistering pace up-front.

If Wenger is in search of a new left winger, then I would urge him to try Chamberlain in a more central role as he can only develop, mature and get better. However, Chamberlain would have to improve the defensive side of his game (e.g. tackling, marking, defensive positioning) if he really wants to be successful as a central midfielder, even though he already has the hunger and steel to be one of the best central midfielders in the league. With Ozil being at the club, I highly doubt he will be able to play in the number 10 role, unless in a cup game, but who knows, things change quickly in football.

The England international possess three qualities central midfielders dream of having, great strength, great speed and a great technique. Often he has shown he has good vision too with his long range passes, fancy flicks and turns but is that enough to guarantee him a starting place in the centre of midfield? There's no doubt that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain playing in the centre of the midfield would create space for the likes of Ozil, Sanchez and Walcott to move into dangerous positions and possibly goal-scoring positions, which would always be a pleasure to see.

With Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere currently occupying roles in the centre of their star studded midfield, Chamberlain might struggle to convince Wenger to start him over them. A double pivot consisting of Wilshere and Chamberlain may have worked against Coventry giving them a 4-0 victory but I doubt it would work against top opposition, due to both players being very attacking and not as good when defending, meaning the balance between attack and defence would be poor. The same could be said regarding a Ramsey-Chamberlain double pivot. However, if Arsenal sign a brilliant defensive midfielder, Chamberlain could well be converted to a box-to-box midfielder just like Aaron Ramsey.

Once again I bring up the question, are Arsenal getting the most out of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain? Should they leave him as a winger where he often gives defenders a torrid time? Should the FA Cup holders let him play in the centre of our midfield to mature and develop into a solid central midfielder? It's up to Wenger to decide.

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About the author
Seni  Oyewumi
Massive Arsenal fan who loves to share his thoughts on the Arsenal.