Midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain loves playing in such an attacking Arsenal team – but accepts they will always have to work at keeping it tight at the back.
Arsenal recovered from going behind in the north London derby to a breakaway Tottenham goal for Nacer Chadli as Oxlade-Chamberlain’s close-range strike secured a 1-1 draw.
Arsene Wenger’s side, however, had enjoyed plenty of possession and should have been ahead before a lapse in concentration from defensive midfielder Matheiu Flamini allowed Christian Eriksen to snatch the ball and set-up a swift counter.
Oxlade-Chamberlain accepts it is a part of Arsenal’s game which can hurt them, but is worth it for what the Gunners offer going forwards.
“That is the risk you take when you play the way we play football,” said England international Oxlade-Chamberlain. “We try to take control of games, we like to set the tempo.
“We send a lot of bodies forward in a positive and attacking fashion and you do leave yourself at times a little bit vulnerable to the counterattack.
“It is just important that when we do, we have got people in the team that are willing to take the responsibility of holding back and being there to stop counter-attacks.
“But, yeah, I do love playing in this team and the style of play that we do, as I think all the players could say. We do, though, need to obviously be careful and make sure we are defending at the same time as when we are attacking.”
