Following the international break, we look at three Arsenal players who need to step up their game coming back into club football.
Arsenal have largely performed well in the opening stages of the season, with many of their first-team stars putting in excellent performances. However, there are several players that must step up if they are to be counted as valuable squad members as club football resumes after the international break.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is undoubtedly a player with bags and bags of potential. But both Arsenal and England fans have been saying this for far too long now. He is 23 years old. It is time for him to start delivering on that potential.
Having been overtaken by Alex Iwobi, a player three years younger and with nowhere near Chamberlain’s experience in the first team would have been hard for the England man to take.
However, he has been recalled to the England squad, having been cut for the Euros, and while Iwobi is in sparkling form, players of his age have a tendency to drift in and out of form – Chamberlain can attest to that personally.
If and when Iwobi cedes his place on the left wing, the Ox must be ready to seize his chance.
Lucas Perez
Lucas Perez has had limited opportunities since joining Arsenal. He has started just twice, against Southampton and Nottingham Forest. Against the latter, he looked dangerous, and scored twice. However, he was largely anonymous against the Saints.
At the moment, he is basically competing for the role of back-up striker with Olivier Giroud, although his pace makes him an option out wide.
When it comes right down to it, strikers are judged on their goal record. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has had more than one largely anonymous game for United, but his goal record has made up for that.
When Lucas gets his minutes off the bench or in rotation, he must get himself among the goals if he is to earn his manager’s trust.
Olivier Giroud
Giroud is in a similar position. He has had an up and down time of it with injury, and in his fleeting appearances so far, he has looked out of sorts. He was sent off against PSG (although he was extremely unlucky to receive the second yellow) and when brought on against Chelsea, he didn’t look as though he was in the same groove as his teammates.
The Frenchman is more than just a target man. He has to be. His goal record is solid but unspectacular, so his greatest contribution to the team is the link-up play he provides as the focal point up front. Without that, his value is severely diminished.
If he wants to nip ahead of Lucas and receive more game time, his end product and link-up play needs to improve.
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