Well it was a nervy one in the end, but it’s 3 points all the same. That’s more than can be said of any other English team in the Champions League this week. Of course if you listen to the pundits you will hear all about how Arsenal gave away another easy goal.

Never mind that United gave up 3 of them, Chelsea gave away one of the dumbest penalties ever and Manchester City were played off the park in Munich. With that in mind I say well done to the lads and to pat Rice for getting Arsenal over the line.

Today we will look back at the contribution of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. In his first Champions League start, he netted a fine goal and should have had a second. More than one would expect from an 18 year old who is now the youngest English player to ever score in the Champions League.

Attack

For the first 30 minutes of the game Alex was easily the most dangerous player going forward for Arsenal. His well timed runs and direct running with the ball kept the Olympiakos defenders on their toes and also kept them from joining in attack too much as they feared giving up a third after Arsenal went 2 nil up.

One of the things I enjoyed most about watching Alex in this match, was that he didn’t seem to be afraid to take a gamble when the time was right. Whether it was taking on a defender, trying a through ball or having a shot, he did not seem phased by the occasion nor by the opponent.

The way he took his goal was that of a well seasoned professional and to be honest Walcott should be worried about his position. Should he not be moved to the middle which is his preferred position, he will have quite a battle to remain a lock in the starting XI.

The run Alex made in the 7th minute was exquisite. The diagonal movement off the shoulder of his defender took the entire defense out of the play. By continuing his run across he forces the defenders to make a split second decision to either follow him or stay with their men. Either way, he has opened up options for himself to play someone in or to take the shot on himself which he did without hesitation.

His intelligence going forward at his age is unmatched by anyone else in the squad and I am looking forward to seeing more and more of him as the season progresses. His direct running is something that Arsenal have lacked since the days or Robert Pires and Freddy Ljungberg.

Defending

This is one area I think Alex needs to focus on. While the attacking ability seems to come natural to him, the defensive side of the game is lacking at the moment.

Too often during the match he left Bacary Sagna with no support, forcing the defender to try and match up with 2 and sometimes three attackers. This in turn allowed Olympiakos to get a foothold in the match and grow in confidence. It would seem at the moment, the one category Theo is much better at is helping out in the defensive duties.

Seeing how the team has a few issues defensively, there is no player who can be a passenger on the pitch simply because Arsenal do not have possession. Alex will need to learn to pressure up the pitch as well as track back to protect the defense.

Mentality

A refreshing change I must admit. Alex doesn’t seem to have an ego that keeps him from realizing he needs to work hard at his game to become a complete player.

When we look at other young players we have had over the last few years we can see the difference in a player who knows he must improve and one who thinks he should be given chances without earning them. Simply compare him to Nicklas Bendtner and you will understand what I mean.

Any player who thinks he doesn’t need to improve him game will never be at the very top with some of the best in the world. In my opinion Alex has this potential and his attitude my just be the thing that pushes him to the level of some of the all time Arsenal greats. I very much look forward to seeing how he develops over the coming years.

As always, feel free to comment. Your thoughts and opinions are greatly appreciated.

Until next time … get the beers in!