Arsenal star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain learning how to star as a wing-back… by watching Brazilian legend Dani Alves
Gunners midfielder hoping to thrive in a 3-4-3 formation next season as he bounces back from a string of injuries this term
ARSENAL star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain says he's learning how to star in a wing-back role... by watching Brazil legend Dani Alves.
The Gunners ace, 23, has been in and out of the team in recent weeks through injury and has often found himself filling in at wing-back due to the club's defensive crisis.
Oxlade-Chamberlain is not disgruntled at the position switch though, throwing himself into it by studying from some of the game's best.
He said: "When I've watched teams that play with five at the back and wing-backs, I've looked at their starting positions and positions out of possession.
"That comes a little bit more unnaturally to me.
"There's a lot of teams who have played with that formation, so I watch all the full backs, the left back, the right back.
"When I've watched Dani Alves recently, he might not play the five at the back, but the way he plays, he marches on and he adds a lot in an attacking sense as well as defensively.
"Players like that, you watch and you learn from them."
Oxlade-Chamberlain also added he is hoping to make up for time lost through injury next season.
He said: "It's obviously not ideal to pick up injuries close to the end of the season, but it's what we deal with week in, week out
“You go to the bottom of the pile for a bit and you have to work your way back up.
“When I got this injury, I tried to hit the ground running and attack it as quick as I could, and set out a plan which gave me the best opportunity to put myself in contention for the final."
