The Southampton academy product Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain arrived at Arsenal with big comparisons to another graduate Theo Walcott and seemed to live up to his starlet status when he scored on his Carling Cup and Champions League debuts.
But post the Olympiakos game, his appearances have been restricted to just Carling Cup games and the youngster hasn’t been on the bench in any of lastest games.
This is what the 18-year-old feels about limited appearances:
‘I knew that when I signed here it would be hard for me and that maybe in my first season I wouldn’t get a lot of game time.’
Chamberlain has taken it in the right spirit and admits that he’s only learnt very few things and more is to come. At the same, he is ready to trust Arsene Wenger, as the Frenchman is excellent at picking up kids and making them into great players.
‘It is a work in progress and I don’t think there’s any need to rush into things. I trust the boss (Wenger) and he is going to develop me. But I’m learning so much in training from the likes of Robin van Persie and the rest of the boys – and the manager as well.’
He has made a total of 4 appearances for Arsenal so far, but has managedto score 2 goals in those games, both of which were very vital at the time. Everyone knows how Walcott was exposed so early in his career and he’s still got scars from that period. When he was named in the World Cup 2006 squad before playing a single league game, it meant that people expected him to be world-class at the tender age of 16. Wenger will be keen to ensure that Alex doesn’t follow the same path.
Chamberlain is prepared to work hard and try to squeeze his way into the Arsenal line-up this season:
‘I think there’s a lot more to come from me so I am just going to keep working hard, keep learning in training. It is down to me, I have got to put pressure on the boss to select me. I can only do that by training well and, when I do get my chance, impress him.’
Wenger is known to be a very astute teacher and a person who makes things very clear. Alex went on to say:
The boss has said it is up to me, he is going to work with me the same way I have to with him.’
Oxlade has been in scintillating form for the England Under-21’s in the European Championship 2013 qualifiers. He managed to score a hat-trick against Iceland last month and had an equally good game against Norway too. He will be playing against Iceland later today and should be again 2 days later against Belgium.
The moment Oxlade-Chamberlain landed at Arsenal everyone compared him to Walcott and assumed that he would have follow in Theo’s footsteps. But Alex shrugged off these comparisons in one of his previous interviews. Few sections of the fans also feel that the England Under-21 international should not be rushed into first-team action, as early exposure might mean a rise in expectations which might result in disappointment.
Like what you read? Then follow me on Twitter – http://twitter.com/vj_gooner
Visit and Join our Facebook page, click HERE to do so.
Gunnersphere is currently looking for new writers to join the squad. Contact via twitter or at Gunnersphere@snack-media.com for further details.
