Wenger praises Oxlade-Chamberlain work ethic
After seeing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's double fire Arsenal into the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup, Arsene Wenger praised his hard work.
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wCFsKu445Uo9uKVD7sgFki.jpg)
Arsene Wenger believes Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's hard work on the training pitch is paying off after his brace fired Arsenal past Reading in the EFL Cup.
The England winger grabbed both goals in a 2-0 home win at the Emirates Stadium to move the Gunners into the quarter-finals of a competition Wenger has never won.
And speaking after Oxlade-Chamberlain's inspired performance, the Arsenal boss hailed his player's attitude.
"His concentration is sharper, he is more determined and he has worked very hard in training," he said. "That is now showing on the pitch."
Wenger also had praise for the other stars of an experimental side, with Carl Jenkinson - returning to the team after two years out on loan - among them.
"It's fantastic to see Carl back," he said. "He did well and had no fitness problems at all, which shows that he prepared well.
"I felt Rob [Holding] did well, Ainsley [Maitland-Niles] played some nice passes and Jeff [Reine-Adelaide] had a good game, too."
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
![LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 5: Arne Slot Manager of Liverpool congratulates Mohamed Salah of Liverpool after the 4-0 victory during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD4 match between Liverpool FC and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Anfield on November 5, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/q3ie7X2vDDiU7X6C9HVRK7-840-80.jpg)
‘The pure simplicity of the way Slot has managed the squad is probably the biggest thing I could say about him. It’s not broken, so let’s get on with it’: Liverpool legend full of admiration for Jurgen Klopp's successor at Anfield
![CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 02: Wales captain Ryan Giggs shakes the hand of manager John Toshack after being substituted on his last International appearance for his country during the Euro 2008 Group D Qualifying Match between Wales and Czech Republic at the Millennium Stadium on June 2, 2007 in Cardiff, Wales. Photo by (Stu Forster/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ooQ9oNmgvfUUG8TBUhn6BK-840-80.jpg)
‘I trained at Spurs and thought they’d give me a chance. But I received a letter thanking me but saying they didn’t think I was good enough – I was gutted’: How Tottenham missed out on signing Wales legend John Toshack