Why Arsenal could have two Gerrard type players in their ranks

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Against Aston Villa, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain made his long-awaited return from injury. His cameo may have been just four minutes long, but Oxlade-Chamberlain will have relished every moment. The young midfielder has been on the sidelines for five months with a knee ligament problem. After such a long lay-off, simply having the chance to play again will fill the England international with delight.

His return comes just in time for Arsenal, too. Oxlade-Chamberlain’s comeback has coincided with the loss of Theo Walcott to another devastating knee ligament injury. On the one hand, Arsenal will be cursing their fortune for losing two players to such similar injuries in the same season. On the other hand, they’ll bless the timing: at least the two absences have not coincided.

Oxlade-Chamberlain seems ideally suited to replace Walcott in the Arsenal XI. However, Arsene Wenger has been quick to point out the differences between the pair.

“He scored that goal against Brazil and had a big impact in that game, especially in central midfield. His future will be there in central midfield, in a deeper role, because he has a good long ball and penetration from deep.

He has good quality to distribute and penetrate ­individually – very similar to Steven Gerrard.

At the moment he is still in development. It is good for his education to play on the left, right or centrally, but after the age of 23 or 24 he will settle into a position. He will be an Aaron Ramsey type.”

Most of The Ox’s senior appearances have come on the right wing, despite fleeting cameos on the left or through the centre. However, it’s worth remembering that before excelling in the middle, Aaron Ramsey also endured long spells on the flank.

Steven Gerrard heat map

The comparison with Steven Gerrard is an intriguing one. At first glance, it appears tenuous. Oxlade-Chamberlain is a vibrant, creative attacking force. On the other hand, Gerrard has evolve in to a deep-lying holding midfielder, as shown by his Heat Map from Liverpool’s win over Stoke:

http://youtu.be/nzqm6zsawlc

However, those with longer memories will know precisely what Wenger means. In years gone by, Gerrard was a true box-to-box midfielder, capable of scoring 20 goals or more in a single season. Aaron Ramsey’s performances this season has been reminiscent of the Gerrard of old, and Oxlade-Chamberlain certainly has the shooting ability to replicate those feats.

However, if he is truly to emulate Gerrard’s achievements, he will have to add balance to his game. Currently, Gerrard makes an average of four defensive actions per game. Although Oxlade-Chamberlain is tenacious, he is no tackler. If he is to become a central midfielder in the Gerrard mould, he will have to work hard on his defensive attributes.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Duels Won This Season

An Arsenal midfield containing Ramsey and Oxlade-Chamberlain could effectively have two Steven Gerrards in their ranks. It’s a mouthwatering prospect.