The signing of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from Southampton this summer was met acrimoniously by many sectors of the Emirates faithful. Over the international break, Chamberlain went some way to justifying the money that Arsene Wenger paid for the talented teen and giving Arsenal fans a taste of what is to come.
Our young winger started the fixture against Azerbaijan on the right wing and contributed 2 assists in the 6-0 win, a game in which another Arsenal youngster, Henri Lansbury, stole the headlines by plundering 2 goals and 2 assists from midfield and earning himself the Man of the Match award.
However, it was Oxlade-Chamberlain’s turn to shine against Israel on Monday evening at Oakwell. Coming from the bench, the young midfielder set up all four goals as England came from behind to beat Israel 4-1. Chamberlain showed pace, trickery, power and awareness in his second-half display and perhaps gave Arsenal fans an insight in to why the club reportedly parted with £15 million for the youngster.
In Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arsene has a young player with the pace of Theo Walcott, but with all of the awareness and determination that has been displayed by the likes of Jack Wilshere and Emmanuel Frimpong. He is so much more than a pacey winger, with the ability to play the ‘No. 10’ role behind a striker, or even a deeper centre midfield role, with the ability to spray passes long or short and the power to drive past defenders from deep. A frightening prospect.
As a former Southampton employee and avid Arsenal fan, I have watched Chamberlain’s rise with interest. It is safe to say that as a 17 year-old, contributing either a goal or an assist in every other game in his first full season, is an impressive stat to say the least. The comparisons with Theo Walcott are natural, but in truth, Chamberlain is a more complete player at a young age, who boasts fantastic decision-making for a youngster, a trait that Arsene Wenger really values in his young professionals.
Oxlade-Chamberlain is undoubtedly a fantastic prospect for both Arsenal and England. So much so, that I’ve got £20 riding on the bet that he will become a full international by this time next year. Arsenal fans should be looking forward to the Carling Cup tie with Shrewsbury, in which Alex is sure to feature among other fringe players. I implore those acrimonious Arsenal fans to delay verdict on our youngest summer signing; he will prove that he is worth more than Arsenal’s reported transfer fee. I understand fan’s discontent at not making other areas of the first team a priority, but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain falls under the category of players that the club really didn’t want to miss out on…and it’s not the kids fault he isn’t a 6’4” centre half.
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Written by Stephen Pyke
You’re talking cotelpme bullshit, I’m from Ukraine and immigrants are not at all the problem you describe, there’s gypsies everywhere including western Europe, and you’re generalizing over a diverse group of countries. For example, Ukraine has a rich history being as its capital, Kiev, was the first russian city. I don’t know where you’re from but I’m sure some people consider you’re culture and traditions fragmented and backwards..because they’re ignorant, kind of like your statements. Its not immigrants, its the fact that the population is very homogenous, we’re like 95% white/3% jews in Ukriane, there’s relatively little racism against jews because the general population is more familiar and has experience interacting with them. When you consider how few Ukrainians have any experience dealing with black people, its a huge difference. The small and laud racist minority are idiots, and then added to the general ignorance from not having to deal with black people on a regular basis, as I do now living in US, I think makes more sense then the invasion of immigrants who the natives resent, kind of like they do against Mexicans here in the States, as the reason for all the racism’. 4 1