Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain says he has been studying the game of Juventus right-back Dani Alves after recently switching to playing at wing-back for Arsenal.
The England international has shone in his new role, and has clearly put a lot of effort into understanding the nuisances of the position by keeping an eye on several others who play there.
Speaking ahead of the FA Cup final this weekend, Oxlade-Chamberlain admits he’s watched a lot of both Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso at Chelsea, as well as rivals Tottenham.
But most of all, the 23-year-old is impressed with how Alves manages to balance defending and attacking, even though he doesn’t technically play as a wing-back for Juventus.
‘When I’ve watched teams that play with five at the back and wing-backs, I’ve looked at their starting positions and positions out of possession because that comes a little bit more unnaturally to me,’ Oxlade-Chamberlain explained.
‘I take note of anyone when they play. Tottenham play with that formation, Chelsea play with that formation. There’s a lot of teams who have played with that formation, so I watch all the full-backs, the left-back, the right-back.
‘When I’ve watched Dani Alves recently, he might not play the five at the back, but the way he plays, he marches on and he adds a lot in an attacking sense as well as defensively. Players like that, you watch and you learn from them.’
The former Barcelona man has shown himself to be one of the finest full-backs of the modern era and was recently linked with a move to the Premier League after his superb form this season.
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