Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain believes he’s made steady progress this season but admits he’s looking to go to the next level next year.
The 19-year-old has made 21 appearances in the Premier League this term and been consistently called up for England by Roy Hodgson, however, with less goals to his name and the fact he’s no longer the new kid on the block there’s been an underlying tone of disappointment in the media that he’s not yet kicked on to become the ‘next Pele.’
Tackling the issue head on, the Ox made clear that he’s been slightly baffled as to why people assumed a short break in the summer would suddenly see him turn into superstar.
“The hype machine was created after my first season with Arsenal,” he told the Daily Mail.
“You’re expected to be a world beater the following campaign and really push on, but between seasons there is only one month. In that time, people expect you to go from one level completely to the next.
“If you look at it, everyone has been saying that I have been in and out of the team, but in fact I have played more games this year than I did last year.
“People forget that I am still 19, and I forget that because I put a lot of demands on myself. I will be 19 at the start of next season as well so I am still a young lad and I have got a lot of learning to do. For a 19-year-old to be in my position makes me happy and to be able to play for England is an honour.”
Looking ahead to next season and the chance to further consolidate his credentials as a regular starter for the Gunners, Chamberlain continued to speak with a level head.
“I want to be able to do more and play more; if you didn’t then you wouldn’t be in it for the right reasons, but I have got a long way to go and a lot of learning to do.
“This season there have been good parts, but there have also been frustrating parts for me which I have learnt a lot from and will continue to do so.
“I have to accept that there are a lot of quality players around me at Arsenal who are also fighting for a place in the team and the most important thing is for the team to do well and finish where we want to finish.
“I am relatively happy with this season as long as we finish where we want to finish and from a personal level I want to push on next season.”
Chamberlain certainly isn’t the first young English player to be placed on a ridiculously high pedestal and to then have said pedestal shaken vigorously by the tabloids. It’s sad, but these days it appears charting a course through the hyperbole, both positive and negative, tends to be as big a challenge for young footballers as trying to prove to the manager they’re worth a start. Luckily the Ox appears to have not just the technical quality but also the intelligence to avoid the pitfalls which have prevented others making it to the top.
Let’s hope he does indeed kick on next season…although if he’s in a hurry nobody will mind a hattrick this weekend.
He does need to kick on next season. But I still prefer him and Cazorla in the wide positions for 75% he games. Theo and Pod’s directness only works on specific teams and games.
if Walcott keeps his head down and learn to add some tricks to his game on the wing, he’ll become not only a top winger (not whinger), but also a decent second striker.
Daryl. You have spoken the truth.
Ox and Cazorla are the top dogg’s when it comes to wing play, Gerv and Podolski can fit inup front IMO.
Oxlade took some stick at the start of the season but I think he always had this impact in him. Kudos to ze boss for sticking with him, I believe that in a couple of years the OX can be spectacularly superbly excellently dynamite.
I’ve always blamed arsene for sticking cazorla on the wing but seems you guys are fickle as well. Cazorlas best position is behind the striker. Period. No wing play no nothing. Geez!
Very simplistic but I would love to see the Bergkamp (Cazorla), Pires (?) & Ljungberg (Pod/Feo) dynamic return. I know we dont’t play 4-4-2 anymore and we don’t have an Henry but…..seems I just wanted to dream about the boys, off to youtoob
He’s not like tgstel or vela, he works hard, knows how to speak in public and handles pressure well. Hes going to become a great player in my oppinion.
Make that ‘our’ opinion mate. Ox has everything in his locker, well built for the modern game, add alittle skill in there, terrific speed, and tops it with a good attititude (wants to learn). He will be world class mates, world class!
I forgot he was just 19. The way he’s playing, he will be 10x better than Walcott imo.
True and not to mention Gervinho
Why the feck did you have to mention him?
I know right? If the point of the phrase “Not to mention…” is really about not mentioning him. Then why bring up his name in the first place? The world may never know….
Ah, I see, it’s okay to criticise Lord Theo, who is predominantly a winger, but not Gervinho who has a similar role in the squad.
People need to stop being so sensitive; if people want to criticise a player, they will, and singling out players who are ‘allowed’ to be criticised and singling out players who aren’t is only unfair on the team and players in it.
Arsene you have some trophy issue you need to address, get to it.
So we can mention Theo but not Gervinho?If anything theyre both lacking the footbal brain, Theo has pace Gerv has skill… but they just dont know what theyre doing out there
While I agree with your comment ( I think Chamberlain seems exceptionally clever for a football player, which makes me confident that he’ll fulfill his potential), it’s still somehow exactly what this article is criticizing, isn’t it?
The boy sure has the quality to really shine and become one of our superstars in the next few years. Based on his past few cameo appearances and how he really turned the games in our favour, I’m rather baffled as to why AW hasn’t given him more game time, especially with a certain Theodore playing the ‘Invisible Man’ game in matches of late. I’d hope AW will unleash the Ox on Sunday and leave Walcott on the bench instead.
I would pick the Ox over Theo as well, given their recent performances. But like Alex mentions himself, he is only 19. It’s easier to justify benching him over Walcott.
He’s been subbing magnificently. But then again, he has specific instructions from le Professeur when he comes on, and he’s had the chance to watch the opposition for a good hour. I don’t think he’s a better player than Walcott just yet, but he has incredible impact from the bench and it doesn’t hurt to have that option. We still don’t know how he would handle a start… the few times he did it felt like there could be improvement – and subbing with specific instructions and critical evaluation is probably the best way to do it.
Fewer goals not “less goals”.
Sorry, pet hate.
Is he 19 by any chance .
Oh pauly bear I want to suck you sideways,it’s ok I know him!
Blogs please remove him iv never meet this man in my life ! Hehehe
Apparently he’ll still be 19 in a few years, or something, which is nice.
Some sort of evolved Rosicky symptom?
Rosicky syndrome is staying the same age, I’m guessing evolved Rosicky syndrome is aging backwards?
I love that we bring through young players, but I worry that both us the fans and the club put too much pressure on them to succeed. I am sure he will be a great player in time, but to have so much placed on young shoulders can’t be good for him. One good game, he is a world beater, one quiet one, he was overated.
Im not so sure we bring through so many young players. We seem to buy ones that have come through from elsewhere and nurture them. Apart from Gibbs and Wilshere do we have anyone else in our first team squad that is from our academy?
This isn’t a dig at your comments at all. I would just like to see our academy produce more consistently….or am i being to wishful?
Here we go, Arsenal is written in as Europe’s 13th best producer of players in the ‘Top 5’ leagues. You can discuss sportingintelligence’s methodology (I haven’t reread but I don’t remember being dubious of the piece when I read it half a year ago) but I can’t really disagree with the conclusion that Arsenal has a decent academy system unless the stats used in the piece are proven wrong.
http://www.sportingintelligence.com/2012/12/13/revealed-barcelona-no1-for-producing-players-for-clubs-in-europes-elite-leagues-131201/
While having 13th best academy in the world may sound good enough, there is another angle to look at it from.
If we are not big spenders and concentrate more on building our own players, how on earth do we want to be champions of england or champions of europe with 12 other teams having better academy than us and some of them also spending big money.
On another note, measuring how good an academy is by how many players have gone on to break into that team’s first team isn’t exactly the best method to rate academies in my opinion.
Our academy churns out large numbers of professionals, look at team-sheets around the country and it is scary how many have products of our academy on them. The lack of academy graduates in the first team is due to the rarity of players with the quality we are looking for. If we can get one player that makes it to the Arsenal first team out of each class we are probably doing well. The ones that don’t quite make it have good careers elsewhere. The other thing is when can we take credit? I think jack has been with us… Read more »
People forget that he, Walcott, Gervinho and a number of other players play for ARSENAL.
For that reason they are all the best players in Europe, all deserve our support.
If you don’t think that, fuck off and be Man U fans.
I love his attitude, it’s going to bring him far.
this is gonna sound strange…… but i suddenly have a feeling that wenger might replace giroud with ox……. if u think about it…… ox has great technical qualities…… he can run, dribble, pass and shoot…….. and unlike walcott, he has strong chest and shoulders and thus doesn’t get pushed around easily……. if wenger tweaks the formation a little bit…… and uses ox as a false-9 instead of striker…… then he can have podolski and walcott running in from the wings as strikers…….
Whilst you make a good point, sort out your full stop key on your keyboard.
I don’t know, there was something almost Pinter-esque about that post
I would like to see the Americam system where young players develop in a College football league until they are at least 21. Jack, Theo and now Ox have been highly paid pros since they were 17 and all have been internationals by the time they were 18 I believe. Theo, seven years a pro is only now turning a profit. They all have long term multi million pound contracts based on perceived potential when they could get injured or fail to develop. Surely a pay as you perform system is more logical. Other wise the deadwood just keeps piling… Read more »
Do you think the players will want that? Teams are competitive. Once someone tries out this system, that guy knows better and will pick another club to earn his living with rather than much more possibly earn less in that same amount of time. I’m not the most expert on American league sports but as far as I know they are much better regulated because they are in the whole only in one place, and in one league. You try and put this in England, and everyone will move to other places. Doubt it would be realistic for UEFA, FIFA… Read more »
I get excited every time the Ox plays. In my opinion he needs to play in center mid. He is OK as a winger and his crossing is OK.
But give him the ball and tell him to run and the defence and he causes all sorts of chaos. He is fast, has the skill to take people on, has an absolute beast of a shot so he can take pot-shots from outside the area if needed and is good at getting a penalty.
Plus he is never scared.
Been thinking about this lately, but do you guys think that Akpom might have a role to play against Manure? Do you think he is ready? Or would it be straight forward fight between Poldi, Walcott and Gerv?
A bit of a risk.
Him and Serge Gnabry might make the bench though?
Yeah, a bit too soon probably. quite impressed with him this season.
Sounds like a smart kid
Anyone else find it ironic that he’s discussing these things with the Daily Mail?
In my dreams his is our opening day lineup next season:
Cazorla-Jovetic-Walcott
Wilshere-Ox-Bender (Lars)
Gibbs-Kos-Mert-Sagna
Szczesny
I agree that Ox is perhaps our most direct winger at the moment, but I believe his future position is CAM. I would love to see his directness and cheeky runs being serviced by through balls from Cazorla, Wilshere or even Jovetic.
What do you say Arseblog community?
Why are your dreams so dampened by reality? You’re dream center forward is Jovetic? Only a true Arsenal fan could aspire so low when Lewendowski, Falcao and Cavani are all expected to move to the Premier League this summer. *heavy sigh*
I’m very tired, so hopefully I just missed the sarcasm in your post.
“arseblog community” ????
We dont have a name yet but damn thats not it.
would love to see one day ox,gnabry and wellington silva in the same line up attacking together.
Yeah, I’m still holding out hope for WellyS. Wonder if Arsenal are? Presumably stagnated development has long term consequences.
The best advice for a young “star” player would be to listen to your coaches and the manager and never, ever look at a sports page.
I really like the Ox – good attitude and a damn excellent young player- get behind him all you Gooners!
I see a lot of similarities between him and Rooney, except the looking like shrek and wanting to kick people bits
And making suggestive faces at peoples grannys……
And being an utter c*nt
I see a bright future for our midfield with the likes of Ox-Jacky-Rambo in the mix.
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