“Alexis is someone who has massive self belief and shows that every week”.
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‘He’s someone I love having in the team, ‘ he added. That comes out in training.
Wenger says the sky is the limit for Oxlade-Chamberlain as a player and, in the longer term, believes he will be more of a central midfielder rather than playing on the wing, as he will against Olympiakos.
‘When I think about Arsenal I think he’s a massive vocal part of our team, and he proves that week after week and in training as well. For someone who doesn’t have awesome English, he manages to communicate with all of us. It is not just in the business of seeking out goals on matchday that his impact is felt, as it was with a dazzling hat-trick at Leicester last weekend.
As Arsenal prepare for an important Champions League clash against Olympiacos at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, Oxlade-Chamberlain admitted that he had mixed feelings about the same fixture from four years ago – a game in which he scored on his European debut, becoming the youngest English player to score in the Champions League.
“He will always push himself to do as well as he can”.
Self-confidence is clearly something that Oxlade Chamberlain believes he needs to improve, and his manager Wenger also thinks the same. “It seems like a lot has happened in between that but at the same time, in my opinion, I would have wanted more to have happened in that time, so it gives me motivation and hunger to do more”. It’s a valid point. “It’s definitely something for me to take on board and look to improve on”. You can work on it, knowing where to be at the right moment.
Wenger takes up the theme: “We spoke about it. I see him train every day, he is dedicated, focused, hungry”.
Speaking last week, the Gunners boss said that he felt the winger’s development was being undermined by his lack of self-belief, labeling this season as a vital one for him, according to the Guardian.
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It is time for him to stop working on it and go out and perform, starting tonight in what should be an easyish game against Olympiakos.
