The obvious choice, and I’m sure most people’s favourite choice, would be Alexis Sanchez. There’s little I need to say about how good he is and the form he’s on, you’re all very aware of that.
My pick for the player to watch when Arsenal go to the Liberty Stadium on Sunday is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. For a long time now we as Arsenal fans have mostly made educated guesses about his ability and potential.
We’ve seen glimpses of what he can do during his bit-part roles over the last couple of seasons, but recently, because of injuries, he’s had a better chance to prove himself.
In our previous two games against Burnley and Anderlecht, Chamberlain has really stepped up to the mark and put in the performances that show the type of player he can be.
Against Anderlecht, his frightening turn of pace led to a chance on goal, which he finished clinically. Unfortunately his efforts went unrewarded, as the team then gave up a three-goal lead, resulting in a disappointing night for the club.
Nevertheless, his form has shown no signs of dropping recently and the energy he offers the team is rivalled only by Alexis Sanchez. The two, incidentally, have formed a great understanding on the pitch.
It seems that, as the two hardest workers, they share a wavelength that the rest of the team have yet to join them on. The pace that they offer as a duo can cause all manner of problems for any defence in the world.
Should the rest of the team manage to reach full-flow at the weekend, and create chances for Alexis and Chamberlain to run on to, the pair will guide us to all three points.
It’s easy to spot when a player is growing in confidence and the way that Chamberlain looks to beat players and drive towards the opposition goal is a sign that he is ready to make a real difference to the team.
His biggest drawback has been the amount of goals he scores. He isn’t, at this point, prolific, but if he is given the chance to keep playing his tally will soon be on the rise.
His goal against Anderlecht seemed to show a level of composure that had previously been missing and, should he get the chance on Sunday, I suspect he will get on the score sheet again.