Arsenal FC – What the future holds for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Given how he started his Arsenal career off, it was crazy to even imagine sending Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain out on loan. He was electric, fearless and seemed to have all the tools to be Arsenal and England’s new star. Fast forward to 2016 and his progress has stalled since, such that a loan move might just be the best thing for the former Southampton man. What exactly happened?
From a promising, young attacker slowly climbing his way up the pecking order, Oxlade-Chamberlain has now become virtually ineffective in the final third while he has also proven to be a defensive liability when Arsenal don’t have the ball. He has been so underwhelming this season in fact, that Joel Campbell - who supposedly had no future at the club - is now above him in the pecking order and is consolidating his place as well.
It’s a shame because after Oxlade-Chamberlain’s stunning winner against Chelsea in the Community Shield back in August, many earmarked him to have a breakout year, but it’s been anything but that. A damning statistic tells the tale very clearly for the youngster - Oxlade-Chamberlain has just 11 goals and 14 assists in all competitions since joining Arsenal before the start of the 2011-2012 season.
There’s a sense of irony when you come to consider thethe youngster’s situation too. When Theo Walcott refused to sign a new contract in 2012, a certain section of Arsenal fans turned on him. Here was a player who, despite showing flashes of brilliance, didn’t really do much at the time to vindicate playing up front nor a shiny new £100k plus per week contract. However, most Arsenal fans still didn’t want to lose Walcott, a player that the Gunners had invested in since he was 16-year-old. A song was subsequently made called “Sign Da Ting” and uploaded on YouTube, becoming viral. Notable lyrics in the song were: “Apart from your pace what else are you offering? Now we got Oxlade-Chamberlain. In your spot, technique he brings, that’s why the fans his name we sing. Should be you but it’s not, it’s him. We ain’t playing you until you sign da ting.”
The tables have now turned. Walcott is an undisputed starter while Oxlade-Chamberlain has a lot of work to do to even challenge him for his spot. Oxlade-Chamberlain is also pretty much in the same boat. Aside from pace, right now, he’s offering nothing - not even the technique he was supposed to be bringing. He still displays the odd bit of brilliance especially when it comes to dribbling past the opponent. However, it’s his end product that consistently lets him down. Whether it’s over-hitting the ball or shooting when he should be passing, Oxlade-Chamberlain has been the master of his own downfall with his decision making skills.
Take the picture above in the recent 2-0 win over Aston Villa for example. Oxlade-Chamberlain is in possession on the break, while Olivier Giroud makes a run into the middle, dragging the defender with him. Mesut Ozil is now free for a shot on goal but Oxlade-Chamberlain instead, decides to run into traffic and go on his own, which ultimately led to nothing. Of course, this is only one example, but as most Arsenal fans would have observed, it is also one of many examples that have been on show this season.
Some may feel the criticism is harsh, and it’s true. He has been quite injury prone, having suffered from an injury hell for over two years. Oxlade-Chamberlain himself stated that some of his injuries had changed his body slightly, notably the way his muscles and body reacted to playing as many games as Arsenal play. Because of these injuries, he has never really had a consistent run in the starting eleven either. He has only started six of Arsenal’s 20 league games this season, completing the 90 minutes just once. The most league games he has ever started in a row for the Gunners is just five games - it’s hard to make an impact with irregular football.
That shouldn’t excuse some of his underwhelming performances, but it’s clear that a kid with so much potential early on hasn’t just forgotten how to play football. After all, he’s still only 22 years old and has 141 Arsenal appearances under his belt. He’s just going through a phase where nothing is going right and it seems to be affecting his confidence, similar to Aaron Ramsey back in the 2011/2012 season.
What’s the solution? A loan move seems beneficial. Despite it seeming insulting, Oxlade-Chamberlain could really benefit in a team where he is the standout player, playing week in, week out. Not only will he get more game time and be handed more importance, but he could get his confidence back as well and push on at the Emirates the season after.
At Arsenal right now, with Alexis Sanchez scheduled to be back soon, it’s hard to see the Englishman getting a chance to prove himself this season anyway. But where could he go? Crystal Palace and Swansea could be ideal destinations, however, his former club Southampton stands out, especially with the rumours of Sadio Mane departing the Saints. In the end, it’s all up to Arsene Wenger who is unlikely to give up on the youngster.
It’s important to remain patient nonetheless - Oxlade-Chamberlain is still only 22 and can go a long, long way. Maybe a loan move is the first step in that process.
