With Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger mapping out his plans for this summer’s transfer window, one of the biggest factors that has to be on his mind is the development of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The 21-year-old midfielder is a big part of Wenger’s plans and the Gunners boss has made sure he keeps an open starting spot for him to continue his development. Oxlade-Chamberlain will be 22 at the start of the 2015-16 Premier League campaign and he looks like he’s finally ready to live up to his potential. Here is a look at four key areas where Oxlade-Chamberlain can get better next season and develop into the player everyone believes he can be.
Scoring
This will need to be the biggest area of improvement for Oxlade-Chamberlain after he was held to a single goal in 23 Premier League appearances last season. His technical ability has never been called in to question and he has all of the tools to deliver, but over the last two seasons, he has struggled to finish at times when given the opportunity. Oxlade-Chamberlain has a terrific shot and knows how to get in position to score so he will need to do a better job when it comes to finishing off his chances with goals next season.
Arsenal’s offense was quite potent with minimal contributions from Oxalde-Chamberlain as they still managed 71 goals on the season. That was good for third in the EPL. But we all know he can do better, which means Arsenal can do better. The bottom line for every single team is production on the pitch and until he starts to put up some decent scoring totals, the consensus will be that Oxlade-Chamberlain has yet to reach his immense potential.
Decision Making
Oxlade-Chamberlain is already regarded as a very creative winger and there is no denying his potential based on the flashes he has shown over the years when it comes to his overall vision and range of passing, but there is still a major sense that he could do more with the ball at his feet. The fact that he collected just a single assist in the Premier League last season is an obvious problem – especially when you consider how much is expected of him. The talent is certainly there but in order for Oxlade-Chamberlain to take the next step forward, he will have to make better decisions with the ball at his feet and use his incredible vision to his potential on a much more consistent basis.
Fitness
One of the biggest issues that has hindered Oxlade-Chamberlain’s development to this point is his struggles with injuries and a big part of that problem could be based on fitness. The math is pretty simple: he can’t deliver if he can’t play. So far in his time with Arsenal, he hasn’t made more than 25 appearances in a single season. He had a hamstring injury this season, a groin and a posterior cruciate injury in 2014 and the list goes on.
He needs to improve his physical fitness and build up his body in order to make sure he can withstand the rigors of a full Premier League season. He’s got a lot of believers but he’s got to stay on the pitch to develop.
Defensive Play
The Gunners system requires wide players to track all the way back and support the fullbacks and Oxlade-Chamberlain would do well to follow the example set for the team by Alexis Sanchez over the last couple of seasons. Oxlade-Chamberlain has done a good job of following in the footsteps of the Chilean national but there is still room for him to be better at the defensive end of the pitch. He won’t necessarily have to be a two-way player everywhere he goes but the nature of position and the system that he’s in requires him to get better in that regard.
