The future of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain remains up the air, as further reports about his reluctance to sign a new deal have emerged.
In the Mirror John Cross says that the 24 year old has told Arsene Wenger face to face that he is not going to accept a new deal from the club, and the issue is about playing time and position rather than money.
Another journalist on the Arsenal beat, Jeremy Wilson, writes in the Telegraph that the England international is ‘unlikely’ to agree a new contract, again citing his desire to play in central midfield as the key issue.
The Telegraph report, and a Sky Sports story this evening, say that further talks are planned this week to try and find a solution, but it looks increasingly likely that he will refuse any Arsenal offers.
This gives the club a serious decision to make ahead of the transfer window closing next Thursday night. Do they hang onto him and lose him on a free next summer, or cash in now?
The identical contractual situations of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez may also play a part, and it’s believed both Chelsea and Liverpool are interested in signing Oxlade-Chamberlain this summer.
Sign or get out. Sick of this and he’s not a player worth wringing our hands over. He’s just not.
Also, it’s telling, perhaps, that we seem so short on CM options, but he doesn’t get a sniff there.
There are a lot of critical comments about him (which i understand to some extent). But I really wonder who would you replace him with?
That is easy. Reiss Nelson.
Give the ox some fcking respect.
http://arsenalist.com/f/2017-18/stoke-vs-arsenal/great-danny-welbeck-chance.html
http://arsenalist.com/f/2017-18/stoke-vs-arsenal/big-chance-for-aaron-ramsey-but-huge-save-from-butland.html
http://arsenalist.com/f/2017-18/stoke-vs-arsenal/arsenal-chance-penalty-shout.html
http://arsenalist.com/f/2017-18/stoke-vs-arsenal/lacazette-poor-touch-ozil-shot.html
Easy!!! Lemar or Golovin or Draxler or Mahrez – or even Reiss Nelson.
Dont the people over here ever tire of just being hopelessly naive? This comment with so many likes is so wrong on so so many levels. Firstly, obviously none of those players have been signed and from the looks of it none of them are likely to be signed. Secondly, Lemar will be at least 60 million pounds. Draxler and Mahrez are both likely to be at least 40. Their potential to replace him should be seen in the context of that. Thirdly, Lemar, Draxler and Mahrez are wingers. Ox isnt playing in the team as a winger. Would either… Read more »
The problem with the ox is that he is not our best option at any position he plays at. He is a back up option in almost every case. Sell him and invest the cash in someone who offers an upgrade.
I would rather we gave him a new deal and sold Ozil and Sanchez then bring in more quality. Sanchez is a fighter but also has some kind of negative energy. Their contract situations are also not helping. I would even be moved to suggest keeping Lucas and getting rid of Sanchez despite his obvious scoring ability. And defensively I believe The Ox can put in a better shift than Ozil any day.
Someone with common sense
He can’t control like Xhaka, his all-round play is inferior to Ramsey, he is obviously weaker offensively than Ozil, and Sanchez.
It’s absurd you somehow imply players like Lemar and Mahrez will struggle for gametime like Ox, when in fact Ox has never been lethal or effective enough to become a starter ever in his Arsenal career. He has world class banter and some fantastic games but that’s it.
The main reason he has had less game time is injury, but given game time and his preferred central midfield role, he could be the most natural successor to Santi. He has the dribbling ability and great quality passing.
You are correct. Personally I feel we are in need of a class CB and a CM (if we can sell off who we need to) but Ox doesn’t play there anyway. My guess if we sell him, he would either just make Aitland-Niles as Bellerin back up, or Montreal/Kolasisisisisisckck (spelling?) as cover for either wing. We do still have Chambers who played RB prev. I like the Ox, but not as much as to lose him for free in 10 months time.
Araj, pleae stop applying logic here. We’re talking about football…
Well,to me it seems logical sell as he is not a starter in his favored position and he is being played at wing back. He is not actually brilliant in any position, just a decent back up in all positions. I would take 40m and sign a CB, DM, CM and RW.
Only Nelson would play at wing back out of those, and he’s 17. We should keep Ox.
Sell him. We should have Bellerin (WBR) and Kolasinac (WBL) as starters, not him messing up everything (Bellerin as WBL vs Stoke..)
I don’t really know. What I find weird is that his dribbling to beat a man, which is great, is perfect for a wide role but he seems hellbent on being in the middle. His choice, fine, but if we’re not going to play him there (and it looks like we’re not), then why are we dragging this out? I highly doubt we’re simply adding more and more money into the mix, so…
A “wide role” isn’t the same as being a “wing back”
Its like saying Arjen Robben has great speed and dribbling, lets play him as a wing back. Sure he might do a job there but will he be happy about it? Dont think so.
the difference is that AR can finish and make consistently good decisions why Ox up till this point in his career can’t.
He gets to drive at the opposition box and corner flag at will. Plenty winger-ish/wide-ish for me.
Agreed. If he thinks he can do better than he is fairing currently, then good luck to him. My feeling is that he will join a remarkably long list of former players who thought the grass was greener elsewhere, and more than likely look back with regret at leaving…
Dunno but I’m sure there are plenty of back up right wing backs on the market. Although having said that, give it another week and Man City might have signed them all. As for left back, between kolasinac, Monreal and even Gibbs (still no transfer movement there) I’d say we’re all covered.
Name one
Let’s see, at 2 league goals a season as a winger? Countless number of players at half his current wage.
As a second choice wing back? Countless at quarter his wages
Maybe Bellerin, our actual RWB? Just a thought
Totally agree. Never going to be ACM with his inconsistency and lack of creativity. And we’ve got bigger fish to fry in terms of contract rebels. Best of luck Alex, enjoy playing second fiddle to Hazard, Pedro and Willian. So long and thanks for all the meh.
He has had a sulky look about him. Love him going forward and the direct play but if he is only interested in central midfield. Adios
I am not as much of an admirer of the Ox as some others, but I have seen no “sulky look,” no lack of effort, nothing *on the pitch* that would make me question his commitment.
This is more a case of people looking for reasons to hate a player who is not interested in continuing at the club.
He has been very professional throughout and seems more interested in pushing the team forward than most other players.
Completely agree. People forget that at times last season, he looked like he was the only one that actually gave a damn.
Strange voting of comments on this subject too. Some anti-Ox ones are getting high “thumbs”, but then so are some pro-Ox comments.
Personally I think he deserves a medal just for putting up with AW dicking around & constantly changing his position.
Well said. Think Ox should probably leave, if that’s what he wants, but have zero problem with his attitude.
Just lacking in end product… injury or no injury! When half fit he plays not to mention when fully fit. The guy is talking crap about position being his reason. It’s about winning with little effort. No top 6 club will play him as cm… not Liverpool & definitely not Chelsea. AW has created an environment of little effort but plenty demands… when sound bites like top top quality keeps being spewed from AW’s mouth, how will never can make it players like OX not start to believe the utterly unbelievable crap about being quality…
Perhaps. Or perhaps Wenger is just to stubborn to give him a shot there. I can’t remember who we were playing, but last year in the Carling Cup (or whatever its called now) Ox had his best game I can remember for us in CM. He also played there against AC Milan all those years ago and was brilliant too. Wenger has always always said that he sees him in the middle, but he doesn’t give him a chance. I was all for giving Wenger another shot (without a definite plan otherwise), but unfortunately I think he has lost the… Read more »
Agreed. I just don’t understand why Wenger won’t give him more chances in cm . Xhaka is doing a bang up job so far . I’m not saying he is bad but for once let’s try ox there . Let’s see how he do there. After all this is the same guy who performed well in the same position against Milan and Bayer. How bad can he do . My opinion is that ox could become a very good cm if given chance . All the qualities are there , and he has proven it more than once . All… Read more »
If Wenger is managing me I’d do the same. He already plays his players out of position so chamberlain can play Cm and xhaka can strike. Wenger has turned Arsenal from a team to an idea, a low esteemed idea for that matter. What makes you a big club I’d you can’t sign big players with all in cash inflow he complains about player price tags, he should go around then looking for free transfers they are everywhere. I’m fucking tired of Wenger Gazidis the board Kreonke, and the Club.
HIS idea? LOL don’t comment you don’t know jack about football. Search for Rinus Michels or Jack Reynolds on Google. This lesson was provided for free to anyone who think that he or she can criticized wenger yet don’t know shit about football.
in the future, we will almost certainly look back on wenger as people look back on michels now, probably with even more admiration, but the argument that supporters shouldn’t have reservations about the way the manager conducts his business doesn’t hold water.
at the end of the day, AOC’s situation should have been dealt with months ago, and it’s indicative of late-era wenger that it hasn’t been. same with nearly everything else in the last few years. just my opinion though. COYG.
Wonder if he’ll have a Walcott moment and realize the position he wants to play in isn’t one that he can actually play in
I’ve been thinking about this alot, given that our competitors seem interested in signing him. I think the English player/homegrown requirement is really what’s pushing his stock. Currently this reverse affirmative action that is demanded by the FA means that every major club needs some Englishmen in their squad. I’d much rather have the Ox over …Milner. Or many other top English players. Odd situation. The best compromise of a shitty rule=hard balling negotiations from the Ox.
Funny you mention Milner. I think his “run around a bit and get stuck in” style would be a good fit for our central midfield. He’s a hard working, disciplined, player, and he’d balance Xhaka well, IMO.
I see this a bit differently, I think wenger is preparing him for a central role by playing him at wingback, (Cesc started on the wing albeit not WB) he should in theory be comfortable anywhere on the pitch, left or right, his defensive game should have improved from his stints as a wingback additionally playing regularly is giving him a chance to prove his reliability (which I think is the reason he is ‘behind’ on his development and not playing time). I think he can play in CM, he would bring a swashbuckling style to the position, maybe reminiscent… Read more »
Wenger used to be good at figuring out players best position . Henry toure Van persie etc . But in these latter years he definitely has lost his mojo. Jack wilshefe Walcott ox there’s a list of players that are yet to become consistently good players or yet to realize the promise they’ve shown under Wenger . It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out . If Wenger could’ve made them better players he would’ve already done it . And I agree players has to take some fault too But the number of promising players that has became nothing… Read more »
Or maybe the players are just not intelligent enough to develop. Henry was a genius, and most importantly, he said he HAD to play week in week out. He strove for greatness. The current crop of players sign new contracts and start to chill out.
“Also, it’s telling, perhaps, that we seem so short on CM options, but he doesn’t get a sniff there.” How is that telling if we know Arsene gets player positioning heavily wrong? The position shift was a masterclass with Henry, yet we’ve seen countless experiments which simply didn’t work. I believe that Ox wasn’t given a proper chance in CM and here’s why (comment I wrote earlier this summer – sum up of the games he played there this spring): First time Ox got a chance in this position last season was in the FA Cup fixture against Southampton (more… Read more »
That to me shows inconsistency. He is not good enough as a CM. He is just another quick winger with little to no end product. We need to get rid and sign a proper winger if we want him on the wing, or a proper CM if we want him in CM. There are many better players out there. I would sign Mahrez
I’m sorry but Chamberlain can actually fuck off now. He’s literally done nothing to deserve a bigger contract, nor is he a good enough footballer to demand that he gets a run of games in central midfield.
His performances this season so far have done nothing to convince me he’s worth sticking with.
They have been exactly the same as they have always been, inconsistent, combined with an extremely poor level of decision making in the final third.
He will never be a top player.
In fairness IamaGoober, you could say exactly the same about Ramsey.
If I was completely honest, I would sell Ox, Ozil, Walcott, Gibbs and buy a RW, CB, CM and DM.
sell him to Liverpool or Chelsea, especially if they play him in the middle and we have weakened a rival. Ox is not Sanchez or Ozil, he is more on Walcott’s level: an overpaid, sometimes decent, English player.
I hope he stays but he has to accept that he is a rotating wing back in our squad.
I personally feel he is a better option than Bellerin as the right wing back, he just has much more quality going forward.
If he’s unwilling to play anywhere but the centre though then I think we’ve gotta cash in on him.
I’m so bored of this transfer window…. started off so well as well. I was actually quite optimistic about this season. Such a fool I was, should have known Arsene wasn’t going to change.
This window better shut soon or I’m going to jump out
In 8 days time
I would say he is better at dribbling than Bellerin, but after that I don’t see what else he is better than. Or at least not clearly better. And I generally prefer my wing backs to be better defensively, which Bellerin definitely is. Ox just looks good as he dribbles by his man, but he just dribbles himself into trouble and panics. His scoring rate seems terrible and he opt to shoot far more often than he should. Would rather Bellerin to just blow by the defender with his speed and then slot the ball across to a striker who… Read more »
“Would rather Bellerin to just blow by the defender with his speed and then slot the ball across to a striker who can concert than to have Ox dribble past and shoot into the stands.” Now when did that happen. Ox made 5 great crosses into the box against Stoke. That is, I believe, a great number. Here they are: http://arsenalist.com/f/2017-18/stoke-vs-arsenal/great-danny-welbeck-chance.html http://arsenalist.com/f/2017-18/stoke-vs-arsenal/big-chance-for-aaron-ramsey-but-huge-save-from-butland.html http://arsenalist.com/f/2017-18/stoke-vs-arsenal/arsenal-chance-penalty-shout.html http://arsenalist.com/f/2017-18/stoke-vs-arsenal/lacazette-poor-touch-ozil-shot.html The fifth was when he set up Bellerin and he was brought down afterwards. Video on arsenalist unfortunately not working. How are these crosses not good enough? They could have resulted in 3 assists and 2… Read more »
YES YES YES!
How I wish this was higher up the list. You sir are spot-on. Ox created some of, if the not, the BEST chances in the whole game. That clipped through-ball for welbeck is absolutely sublime. All he had to do was pass across the box instead of shooting.
Ox is a quality player! I am sick and tired of this negativity around him.
It’s just pre-emptive sour grapes. Everyone knows he’ll be off so it’s better to think Bellerin is better anyway. Bellerin has been awful for quite a while now (worryingly so for me – I wonder if he has an underlying injury problem that hasn’t been resolved). Chamberlain looks better to me in that WB role. I’d still sell him, because his influence isn’t great enough for losing a big wedge of money to be beneficial. If we went back to 4 at the back it would be easier to ditch Ox – I’d put Bellerin at RB pronto. Ox has… Read more »
100% agree on Bellerin. For me, he hasn’t looked the same since that concussion last year.
since the long hair
He sucks anyway.
Sell him on and bring in Draxler? Lemar? It’s getting close to the end of the window expect there to be some movement in the coming days.
Real shame as he’s starting to look really good in that RWB role, though at this very moment in time he is not a central midfielder.
I could see him going Liverpool and play CM. won’t happen at Chelsea. But if him going meant we got Lemar or Draxler….I’d take it. We could still get a fee of around 30mil for him. I would swap Welbeck for Lemar or mbappe or di Maria in a heartbeat, his lack of end product is getting on my nerves. Go and get Van Dijk, 50mil….done. We need him. We need a CM. I’m trusting Wenger sees the little weaknesses he needs to sort out. He needs to think as if Ozil and Sanchez are going. If they stay then… Read more »
Ross, none of those players is coming to Arsenal before the end of this window. Wake up and smell the coffee.
I’m sure you thought the same before we signed Ozil and Sanchez from Madrid and Barca?! I know I did. Point is, with the money we have, and as yet only a 20something mil net spend, we have the ability to go and spend 120mil on 2 or 3 top players, and with Perez and possibly more to go, and bringing money in, we literally have NO excuses not to strengthen. City, United Chelsea seem to find no problems finding them. Van Dijk, Lemar, Seri, Goretzka and few others are gettable. If mbappe is available, got and spend the money.… Read more »
Coutinho to Barca, Ox to Liverpool and Lenar to Arsenal. Just call me Dick.
Dick
Dick
He’s not good enough to play midfield….
Take away any sentiment, and he has to go.
I don’t care whether the sticking point is money or playing position. If Ox won’t sign, we should sell. This should have already been decided at this point. I honestly don’t care if it mean he goes to Chelsea or Liverpool or West Ham–just not to Spurs.
I like Ox, but he shouldn’t be allowed to dictate his position to management, he’s not so good that he can demand huge wages, and we should not allow him to play out the season and leave on a free.
I don’t even care if he goes to Spurs. He’s simply not that good. We’re not that good, and he barely holds down a spot in our team. Take the money. Buy actual quality.
If Ox is sold, who is our back up to Bellerin at right wing back? I agree it would be hard to not sell for a good price if we believe he will not sign.
Nelson
Nelson is an offensive player. He can play number 10, on the wing or as a second striker. It’s a huge risk to throw him in at right wing back considering the defensive work you have to do in that position. I really like what I’ve seen from him so far. Watched the U23’s yesterday and he looked class again. But this boy is 17. if we sell the Ox and something happens to Hector, can we trust him defensively against guys like Hazard, Sane and Mane? I’m not sooo keen to find it out to be perfectly honest. Would… Read more »
Not sure Ox does much defensively either to be honest. Not just Ox in fact, no one consistently tracks their man’s run in our team.
Is 17
Really?
Maitland-Niles
We don’t need future potential right now…we need players who will immediately and significantly improve our team.
Unfortunately, none of the candidates have the desire to join Arsenal as it stands and our manager has even less desire to purchase them.
Fun season ahead again.
Nope. You’re all wrong, it’ll be Doris the tea lady. “Internal solutions”
Doris would be LANS!
Why are tea ladies always called Doris?
Has not shown he’s good enough
You want to replace Ox with a less good Ox? Yeah, brilliant.
Arsene told me it is Lacazette……
Welbeck would make a fine wing back
Mustafi has played there for before so he can fill in. That is another player I am disappointed by what Wenger has done to him. It seems he tries to make players in to something they are not and it takes too much time which affects team performances, or we wait years and nothing comes of it (Walcott, Ox etc). Just play players in their positions, please Wenger.
Please, please, please, just off load him for whatever we can get. He is bang average and should not be allowed to play games with a club like Arsenal. I don’t mind if he joins Chelsea – and weakens one of our main competitors!
For £36M I’d have sent him then when the offer was made. No way Ox is 36M pounds.
In today’s market you never know.
I’d keep Ox but no pay rise and he has to agree to play in whatever position the boss asks him to. If he does leave I wish him all the best – he’s always tried hard on the pitch.
The club can only blame themselves for the all the contract problems they find themselves in but regardless of fault this needs to be resolved soon so we can move on with our lives. If he is being obtuse about playing centrally, then sell him. He is not irreplaceable.
I keep reading chelsea and liverpool interested in Ox. But where are they going to play him? As I see, it will definitely be as a wing back. He is not better than there current players in CM positions. So if money is not the reason, then position is also not the reason for his behavior. Also, he has been getting regular start for us for a while now.
There is surely something else going on.
I don’t know to be fair maybe he doesn’t want to play on the left. I don’t want him to play there either.
I don’t know what “his behavior” means, except for his decision not to sign a new contract. I think he has the same right to do this as Arsenal have to refuse to offer him one. If he plays his best as long as he is at the club, then neither side have done anything wrong.
I’ve reasoned in that direction too
their*
His agent is a douche
He is better than Chelsea’s current RWB, which is why selling him to them would be stupid move.
If its not about money as the report is saying then why would he go to Chelsea to play RWB?
Because they’re the champions and win things
A lot of these clubs need homegrown (English) players to meet roster requirements. He’ll be a squad player.
Sell ox and get lemar
Oh please, cash in now!!!! Who the fuck does he think he is?!?!?! He’s only a marginally better footballer than the championship level Walcott! Oh how we have fallen. The agony goes on.
If we played 3-2-4-1 formation then you have to ask yourself whether we have any players to fill the two defensive midfield roles – xhaxa no, ox no, Rambo no, coq maybe, santi never fit to play, elneny maybe!!! Hint Wenger splash the cash on one or two quality midfielders and get rid of ox and ozil as neither wants to stay or are that indispensible!!! It’d only leave Sanchez as a first team contract rebel but he is worth keeping this season!!!
Sanchez to Barcelona for £70m
Oxlade-Chamberlain to whomever £35m
Gibbs £8.5m
Perez £12m
Debuchy free
Draxler £32m
Seri £36.5m
Van Djik £55m
Management is easy ?
I like the Ox but there is no way we can let him run down his contract if Alexis & Ozil are doing the same. Sell him ASAP & buy a centre midfielder & Draxler. We should start playing Kolasenic is actually proper position as a left wing back & Maitland-Niles is more than capable of being the back up right wing to Bellerin & getting experience in the Europa. You have to say though it’s a daminng inditement on Wenger & the club as a whole that all three players are refusing to sign contracts. A very sorry state… Read more »
How is it an indictment on Wenger if they think he’s gone after next season? Could they (Ozil and Ox, more likely than Sanchez) be unwilling to sign because they know they’ll be playing the majority of that contract for Mystery Manager X? To be honest, I don’t know how any right-minded player could sign a long term deal with AFC right now knowing that 1) no CL and 2) the manager’s deal is winding down.
It’s an inditement as no one has been able to convince them that there long term future is at the club, they’ve had at least 17 months, it can’t just be about moeny, they are obviously dubious about our ability to compete & you can’t blame them.
Wenger’s contract has nothing to do with it, Wenger at least has another year on his contract, I just don’t believe that any of Ox, Ozil & Alexis want to be here and play under Wenger.
Players sell contracts all the time without knowing who will be manager next season. If it was that important to know, no Chelsea player would ever sign a new contract. It’s just shoddy management and Wenger who refuses to accept any share of the enormous workload and responsibility.
When they see the club reward the manager for mediocrity by giving him a new contract, what would make them think the club is likely to strive for anything better in the future, even if (please let it be true) Arsene is not offered a contract beyond the next two seasons?
I don’t know what all the hype about if he is not going to sign a new contract just sell him,I don’t know what people see in him.All you hyping me can you tell me why has the ox has two good games in a roll,so am not going to talk about him having a good half a season.He is a bang average player but because he is British one is making out to be a great lost if he leave I don’t give a flying fuck good luck to him at Chelsea Wenger softness and loyalty that make most… Read more »
When did anyone apart from Alexis and Kos had a good half season really?
Go and play in central midfield for a mid table team or sit on the bench for any top six team then mate. Good luck Ox.
That’s what I can’t understand about it. He’s finally found a role that actually suits him where he’s likely to get a lot of game time and he wants to go just so that he can play in the middle. If you’re a footballer, surely you wouldn’t care where you get played, so long as you’re doing it well? Who does he think is going to play him centrally? He’s not good enough there to do so for a top club and (even he wanted to go to a lower level team to be able to play centrally) teams below… Read more »
If i was an Arsenal player with 11months to go, I wouldn’t sign either when I know Wenger will play me at cdm even tho am a striker.
Me fail English? That’s unpossible!
He was excellent a few years ago against AC Milan playing in the middle and I did believe at one point he was destined to be a really, really good player. But… While he ticks most of the boxes re what you want from a midfield player, midfielder in general to be fair (out wide too), there is something missing. He isn’t consistent enough and for every great example of play from him there’s an over hit cross, run into a blind alley or wrong decision around every corner. And yes I get that injuries haven’t been kind to Ox… Read more »
If he’s unwilling to sign a new deal, we should be unwilling to select him in the lineup.
The Ox is 24 and has still not mastered the basic technical requirements of his position. He is never going to. The idea of him playing CM is a complete joke. If he wasn’t English he wouldn’t have such support and we would have offloaded him a long time ago.
Bench at Arsenal vs bench at Chelsea for more cash. Let’s see what you do Ox?
What, no poo rating on this story from Cross?
Dunno why everyone is mad at him for wanting to play as a CM, can you blame him? Wenger’s been hyping him up a future CM, but some 5 years later refuses to play him there. Here’s a hint Wenger, if you don’t think he’s a suitable CM, then stop hyping him as one. It’s the Theo “I wanna be a striker” drama all over again. Constantly hype up a kid a savage a striker then is suddenly surprised when kid wants to be a striker. So now reality has sunk in to most Arsenal fans that we won’t be… Read more »
I don’t want him here anymore. Not because I don’t rate him but it’s because I don’t trust Wenger to use him correctly. By shoehorning him into our starting eleven, he moves Hector and Kolasinac, thus making them less effective so whatever positives he brings is now outweighed by the negatives you get by not having two quality players playing in their proper positions.
tbh I dont see why he cant play yhe Ramsey position in this formation.
Mertesacker blinder at RWB incoming
Bye bye now…
Yeah I don’t believe for a moment Chelsea or Liverpool are going to stick him in the middle of the park. He’s just not that good at playing in the centre. He’s another that has been shown a lot of loyalty and extended fuck all back, that’s entirely his right as a worker but something Wenger should learn from.
This is a naughty situation to be in , as a club with an manager as pronciclpled and stubborn as wenger
He isn’t a CM. Doesn’t have the technical and intellect to play CM. WB or Winger. Not in the center of the pitch.
He’s been acting difficult for so long now… And still refusing to sign the contract. So why do we play him? Why do we give him a chance to out himself in the shopping window?!
Put Bellerin on the right, Kolasinac/Monreal on the left, and leave Ox on the bench. Better yet, stick Maitland-Niles or Nelson on the bench and leave Ox out altogether, till he sorts his head out.
I love the guy and his explosive play, but enough is enough. We need to get more ruthless!
Earlier this season I hope Ox stays & accept that his ability more suitable as a RWB. But it seems that he is using his recent good form to push for CM position. Better then not having a chance to play at all like Perez. If he cant break into arsenal’s central can he do it at other clubs? Can though, I heard Newcastle is hiring.
God this is WENGER all over. He moans & bleats about the fans last season, won’t do the decent thing & QUIT, old millionaire fool. Now wer’e stuck with 3 yes 3 players who wan’t to GO. A new coach would have sorted this out one way or another back in JUNE, sign or be sold & we’ll replace you all summer to get things done. The Wenger lovers, who are they now, will blame Gazidis etc but it’s to no avail, once Wenger ( a coach) decided his pathetic future, a multi millionaire with no interest except his own… Read more »
He sucks. Sell him
If we do sell him, how much will we get? Half a Kyle Walker, or a third of a Kyle Walker?
I like the kid, when he was younger he really looked into Arsenal history. Asking the old pros their stories. Going to youth games helping out the kids. Popular in the dressing room with players and coaches alike apparently. Injuries have hurt him sure , but consistency is the main issue.
Not playing centre mid for Chelski, which leaves the mugsmahers the only other option. Sad to see him go as I genuinely like the fella and always seems to try his hardest. But it’s all about dough. While he wears our shirt I wish him nothing but success.
We should keep him But he is replaceable…just another headache to deal with and a distraction from other urgent areas. We should not sell to Chelsea but frankly I doubt he will have suitors offshore. Hard call. He’s more effective than many give him credit for and with Alexis likely to leave, we should not allow Ox to go. Frankly he should be told he is a man with two hats. He can cover both RWB and LWB in competition with Bellerin on the right and Kolasinac on the left. He isn’t plan B but a different tool from the… Read more »
What team does he think will play him at cm? Certainly not a top 6 club. He must know that. I suspect it is about money but the statements from his camp say otherwise to save face. He gets plenty of playing time and has had a lot of opportunities without ever consistent delivering.
I think the only top 6 team would be Liverpool. Lallana, Hendo, Can, Windmill and Coutinho are there current cm’s and the use a 433 so I could see him potentially starting there. Klopp’s like Arsene and dosent want a true DM and with Hendersons dicky knees, Can’s inconsistency and Coutinho potentially going it opens up for him.
I hope he stays and bucks his ideas but agree the end product has been lacking for a long time.
Also Can’s unwillingness to sign a new contract. It’s not just us that’s incompetent with player contracts, obviously.
Isn’t it strange that nearly all our players want to leave, but no club is willing to pay for them…
In a world, where Ake is worth 20mn, Ibe is worth 16mn, no one, absolutely no one has made an offer for our players…
Honestly, fair enough Ox. He’s been professional, he’s not downed tools and he’s got on with it. Wants to be a CM and somewhat bizzarly we aren’t giving him the opportunity. As for us, tbh Ox has shown that he could be a decent CM option but if Wenger doesn’t fancy him there, best course of action is to sell (to Liverpool). A big shame tbh, I don’t think we’re so good and stacked at CM that Ox couldn’t get games there and he’s been decent most games he’s had there.
Time to go then.
Ox ox ox you should go, wenger needs to stop shoe horning you in to the team and admit defeat and let you go so we can play our real wing backs in there correct position… and stop hindering the team…
A bit tired of all these sagas now. If they don’t want to sign deals then we should sell Sanchez, Ox and Ozil. Whoever is responsible now behind the scenes needs to have a long look at themselves that these deals can’t be negotiated, and the manager needs to take responsibility for not putting together a team to fight for the title to appease Sanchez, not having the ‘right players’ to compliment Ozil, and not knowing Ox’s best position when we have had him for at least 5 or 6 years. Sick and tired of it now.
that’s right ox you stick to your guns, we need to get rid of a few more lame ducks, and the money will come in hany.
Ox isn’t Sanchez. He’s droppable. In fact playing Bellerin right and Kolasinac or Montreal left would actually improve our team. If he doesn’t sign drop him to the U23 – let’s see how his world cup chances fair then.
The Ox would be a good player with proper coaching and clear instructions, two things he isn’t getting here and he knows it, which is the real reason he’s looking to move.
Playing under Conte or Klopp would do him wonders and highlight just how poor a manager Wenger has become.
He should’ve gone to Man U when he had the chance, same as Ramsey (I’m sure he wouldn’t have had teams trying their best to kick the shit out of him at every opportunity if he had have – probably wouldn’t have got Shawcrossed).
Can someone please give a link to John crowd’s story.
Can’t find it.
Cross’s .
Fucking autocorrect
If you don’t want to sign, get out of our club we don’t want you
Same for him as for Sanchez. Great if you’ll stay but if for some reason you’re not happy or that the grass seems greener elsewhere then by all means go. Players come and they go. Arsenal remains!