Tag Archives: Arsenal

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain CENTRAL to Arsenal’s future

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For a while now I have been massively critical of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

He is now 22, and for me, he has not improved as a player from when he first joined the club. He still makes the same mistakes he made when he first came to Arsenal in a £12million deal from Southampton.

He still always looks a yard off the pace, a stone overweight and tries to take on one player too many. People used to have a go at Theo Walcott for having “no footballing brain” but at 22, Walcott was far superior than Chamberlain. And the stats prove it.

For a player so talented, or reportedly talented, Chamberlain does not score enough, or create enough. 6 goals in 95 Premier League games is just not good enough.

I saw a stat before this weekend that Chamberlain has never played more than 5 games in a row for Arsenal. This perhaps highlights his issues. He has never stayed fit enough, or inform enough, to get a run in the team. Likewise, he has never been given the chance to get the run in the team to build his confidence up and feel relaxed within the side.

This season, Chamberlain’s form / injuries / weight has been so poor that (along with his own form) he has fallen behind Joel Campbell in the reckoning for a first team place.

Of course, Campbell is the perfect example about how to not judge a player. 6 months ago he would have been on many peoples ‘deadwood’ list. Now he is an important squad member. So we should be careful not to write of Chamberlain.

Campbell got his chance, incidentally, when Chamberlain picked up yet another injury – he has had 9 in 3 years. He got his head down, worked hard, and kept it simple. Chamberlain could do with doing the same.

At the weekend, we saw Chamberlain’s best game in a long while for Arsenal. They key for me was that he was playing in the middle of the park. He just looked so more comfortable than out on the wing.

His best performance to date was now nearly 4 years ago, in a Champions League performance against AC Milan. Remembering back to that game, Oxlade-Chamberlain played in the middle of the park. He was dynamic and he was direct.

At the time, people will talking him up. “A gem of a player” Marco van Basten said. There was talk that he could be the new Steven Gerrard. With his dynamism, passing ability and shooting from distance.

Since that performance. He has stalled. And when he plays on the wing, he looks average.

For England he always looks a much better player. Looking through where he plays for his country, it always seems to be in the middle of the park, or on the left with the licence to drift in. When he plays wide right, he just does not look good enough.

He is just more comfortable in the middle of the park.

The problem at Arsenal is we have a lot of central midfielders. Ozil, Ramsey, Wilshere, Cazorla. All are about him in the pecking order. But he offers something different to all 4 of those with his ability to run with the ball. With Cazorla slowly coming to the end of his career, Chamberlain is perhaps the closest to being his replacement.

There is definitely a good player in Chamberlain waiting to break out. He is two footed, has some pace, and can beat a man with ease – a commodity that is rare in football. Jose Mourinho always talks about transitional players. Who can take the ball comfortable through areas of the pitch. From defence into midfield, midfield into attack, breaking the lines. Oxlade-Chamberlain certainly falls into this category. He just needs the chance. The luck. To get a run in the centre of the park.

Keenos

Wenger get’s it right as Arsenal progress

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Pre match, all the focus on team selection seemed to surround Sunderland and Sam Allardyce, with the fat walrus moaning to whoever would listen about the fixtures list. He made it clear early on that he would play a complete bunch of youngsters.

Throughout the build up, Arsenal seemed to be forgotten about. With a mid-week game away to Liverpool coming up, it had not really been discussed what changes Arsene Wenger would make.

On Twitter, the common consensus was that there would be whole sale changes, with everyone agreeing that we should rest the entire XI that would be likely to start against Liverpool. With Sunderland set to play the kids, Arsenal could surely afford to do so as well.

What happened with the team sheets came out was fairly surprising. Allaradyce had attempted to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes with his team selection.

Whilst it was by no means the strongest XI, and with a debutante in goal in the shape of 21 year old keeper Jordan Pickford, the outfield players were certainly not the kids that were threatened to be put out.

Regular starters John O’Shea, Patrick van Aanholt, Sebastian Coates, Jermain Lens, Steven Fletcher, Duncan Watmore and Lee Catermole all started. Only Billy Jones and Jermaine Defoe were missing from the regulars who had started most of this season.

Unlike most of Twitter, Arsene Wenger ignored what was coming out of the walruses mouth. He could have fallen into the trap and started the likes of Glen Kamara, Jeff & others. Instead, it was a strong line up with only one kid in the starting 11 – the impressive Alex Iwobi. Take him out (for maybe Aaron Ramsey) and it was a starting XI that you could see starting games in the Premier League.

Ever present Nacho Monreal was rested for Kieran Gibbs, and Mesut Ozil was given the rest everyone knew he would get, and needed. It was a side Wenger picked to win the game, no matter the players put out by Fat Sam. It was a strong side.

And it was the strength of the side, showing that Wenger does take the competition seriously – that saw us through. Despite going 1-0 down, and having a shaky moment when Steven Fletcher hit the bar when he really should have scored, Arsenal were never in trouble of going out,. It was a professional performance that you would expect from the quality of players put out by Wenger.

There were some outstanding performances that do deserve a mention.

Hector Bellerin, who could have been rested for Debuchy, showed once more that he is quickly becoming not just one of the best right backs in the Premier League, but one of the best in Europe. An international call up is surely on the horizon. A place in Spain’s Euro 2016 squad an outside bet.

He showed once again he is growing defensively, but it was his attacking that court the eye. Getting forward at every opportunity, putting in quality balls, and beating his opposing full back with ease. Were he a winger, we would be crowing about this performance. The fact he was at full back makes it ever more incredible.

And the vision and weight of the pass for Olivier Giroud’s goal was exceptional. Ozil-esque even. An ordinary player would have just smashed an aimless ball hard across the box, leaving the striker no chance to get on the end of it. Bellerin picked out Giroud with tremendous ease. And it actually makes you forget about his pass to Ramsey for the second. Again, a cool, calm pass where a lesser player would have smashed it.

It was also an impressive performance once more for Joel Campbell. His hunger and desire was there for all too see. He is still proving a lot of people, including myself, wrong. He is becoming an important squad player, growing with every game.

Where as in the summer we were looking to offload the Costa Rican, we must now be hoping that he signs a new contract, with his current one reportedly expiring at the end of this season. It would be interesting to see if he does get a new 4/5 year deal, if his hunger and desire remain, or once his future is secure, does he, like many others before, loose focus.

Calum Chambers also looked good in the holding midfield position. And both Iwobi and Jeff looked classy, showing that a Premier League loan deal till the end of the season might be beneficial for both’s future.

Overall, it was a solid performance by a solid side. Wenger got his team selection right, and we are into the hat for the 4th round draw.

The Double is still on.

Keenos

Goodbye Mathieu Debuchy

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So news is currently breaking that Mathieu Debuchy is on his way out of the club on loan for the rest of the season. It is currently destination unknown, but it should not come as a surprise to anyone.

Signed in the summer of 2014, Arsenal looked to have got a solid replacement for Bacary Sagna. Premier League experience, and keeping Sagna out of the French national team at the time, a £12million deal with Newcastle went through very quickly.

18 months on and he finds himself on the bench at Arsenal and with just 45 minutes of international since the 2014 World Cup, his career has spiralled down hill quickly. The cruel would say he has been one of Arsene Wenger’s biggest flops.

However, it is not as easy as to just label him a flop. There is a very curious, very unique, set of circumstances which account for the Frenchman’s demise.

When he was signed in July 2016, he was already 28 (he turned 29 11 days after signing, so some would argue he was already 29). He was clearly signed as a short term replacement for Sagna.

At the club already, we already had 2 right backs. Hector Bellerin and Carl Jenkinson. Both talented, yet both unproven.

Bellerin was just 19 and had just returned from a fruitful, yet short, loan spell at Watford. He had just 1 Arsenal appearance to his name as an extra time substitute on the League Cup.

Jenkinson meanwhile was 3 years Bellerin’s senior at 22, but there were plenty of question marks over him.  He had not really built on his early promise having signed out of nowhere from Charlton at 19, and his performances in the previous 2 years could be described as average, at best.

So we have one talented young right back without a Premier League game to his name. And another who’s ceiling was (and still is?) a 2nd choice right back at the club.

Sagna at the time was a perfect foil for these two. At 31, he only had a couple of years left at the highest level. Just long enough to make a decision on the future of Bellerin and Jenkinson. But he jumped ship to Manchester City.

That left Arsenal in a conundrum. Do they take a point on the unproven (Bellerin), rely on the questionable (Jenkinson) or make a move in the transfer market. The latter was always the best option.

It was then a case of what to go for. Some for long term, that would kill any potential chance of Bellerin or Jenkinson (both home grown remember) of breaking through into the first team. Or someone like Sagna, towards the end of his career, who could do a job for 2/3 years as other players developed. We plucked for the latter (again).

And in Debuchy, we found the perfect signing. An attacking full back, 28/29 years old, been playing in the Premier League for 18 months for Newcastle, and France’s first choice right back. He ticked all the right boxes.

Signing Debuchy allowed us to send either Bellerin or Jenkinson on loan to another Premier League club to continue their development, whilst keeping the other as Debuchy’s understudy in case of injury. Jenkinson packed his bags and it left Arsenal with a clear number 1 and 2. Debuch yas first choice. Bellerin as 2nd choice.

At this stage it looked like Jenkinson’s Arsenal career was over. Especially with Southampton right back Calum Chambers joining the club. Jenkinson would be 23 over the next season. And if Debuchy stays for the expected 2/3 seasons, he will be 25/26. Would he really go on 3 loan deals? To then return as back up? Unlikely. Unless anything exceptional happened, Jenkinson would be sold in 2015/16, and Bellerin likely loaned out for the same season with Chambers providing the cover for Debuchy at right back.

But the exceptional did happen.

After a decent enough start to his Arsenal career – only slightly tarnished by a sending off for two cautions against Besiktas, it was looking good. The plan was coming together. With Chambers putting in solid performances at centre back, it meant that Arsenal could look at loaning out Bellerin for the 2nd half of the season. Then disaster.

Debuchy was stretchered off (and administered oxygen) against Manchester City in mid-September having done his ankle ligaments. Ruled out for 3 months.mathieu-debuchy-arsenal-football_3207474

Given first chance was Spanish youngster Bellerin, who came in for Borussia Dortmund and was hopelessly out of place. He looked young, he looked scared, he was a deer in headlights. He was clearly not ready.

Discarded after 1 game, Calum Chambers was given the chance after the International break, where he had made his debut for England. Chambers looked. Bellerin was given a second chance in the next game as Chambers was moved inside for the League Cup game against Southampton.

It would be nearly a month until we saw Bellerin back in an Arsenal shirt when an injury to Koscielny forced Arsenal to push the impressive Chambers inside for a game against Sunderland. It was just the one game though as for the next few games, Arsenal went with Chambers right back, and Nacho Monreal at centre back (incidentally, it was this run at centre back for Monreal which caused him to jump ahead of Gibbs at left back, making his Arsenal career).

Then the Arsenal injury curse negligence hit again. This time Monreal out. 6th December 2014. Bellerin started again, with Chambers once more moving inside. Bellerin was substituted at half time, 3-0 down, Chambers sent off with 12 minutes to go.

At this time, Arsenal fans are looking at when Debuchy is back. Glad that the club did not rely on the young talented players. Wondering why we loaned out Jenkinson, who was on form for West Ham.

With Chambers suspended, in came Bellerin again. And this time, looked a lot more assured. Coupled with further injury problems in the middle and at left back, it saw Bellerin have a 4 game run in the team, even once Debuchy was fit again. With the Frenchman deputising at centre back and left back.

Arsenal were finally back to their first choice defence of Debuchy Mertesacker Koscileny Monreal in a game against Stoke in early January. After 13 minutes, the exceptional happened again. Debuchy was pushed when in the air and already off the pitch, landed heavy, and once more hard to be stretchered off. Another 3 months out, this time with a dislocated shoulder.debuchy12

Rather than return to Chambers, Arsenal gave Bellerin another run out in the side. He had grown since that start against Dortmund and put in an assured performance in a crucial game away against Manchester City, following this up by scoring his first Arsenal goal against Aston Villa.

By the time Debuchy returned to fitness with just a few weeks to go till the end of the season, Bellerin had made the right back position his own. An attempt to blood Debuchy back in during the Reading game in the FA Cup (in preparation for the end of season run in) failed as he looked off the pace. He was clearly being rushed back. Bellerin returned for the final 7 games of the season, picking up an FA Cup winners medal in the process.

The actions of the club over the summer of 2015 perhaps showed where Debuchy’s future lied. After an impressive spell at West Ham, a £10million deal for Jenkinson was reportedly on the table. Had Arsenal accepted this, it would have shown Debuchy was first choice again. After all, he was an experienced international, and surely not hang around as 2nd choice at Arsenal, especially with a home Euro’s coming up where he would likely make the squad, hopefully start.

Jenkinson was once again loaned out, which caused speculation about Debuchy’s future to begin. Would he start the season as 1st choice? Does Bellerin deserve to be dropped? Would Debuchy be sold?

West Ham at home, first game of the season, Debuchy started. Arsenal lost. Whilst the defeat was certainly not the Frenchman’s fault, he was the fall guy, and Bellerin was bought back in having performed well the week previous in the Community Shield against Chelsea.

Debuchy would only be seen against fleetingly. When Wenger decided to shuffle the squad in the Champions League or League Cup. Each time he looked well off the pace. Not fully fit. Struggling for match sharpness.

So here we have it. A French international, bought for the short term, getting an injury which, due to many other circumstances in the pot, led to Bellerin getting a few chances, and finally taking one.

Who could have expected Debuchy’s long term lay off?

Who could have expected Bellerin would finally take the chance with both hands?

It was going to take an exceptional set of circumstances to see Debuchy end up in his current situation. But the stars aligned (for Bellerin) and the worst case scenario happened for Debuchy.

With Jenkinson on loan at West Ham (where he is struggling), he would have been sitting over Christmas, pondering his future. The Arsenal door looked shut, and a move out of the club in the summer likely.

At 30 (31 this summer), his career coming to an end, and with that home Euro’s looming, it should not be a surprise to anyone that he is looking to move in January. He knows he does not have a future at Arsenal. He does not even have a present.

People who call Debuchy a flop are wrong. He is the victim of circumstances that conspired against him. Whilst his 22 game Arsenal career will not live long in the memory, it would be unfair to put him at right back in a ‘Worst Arsenal XI’.

Good luck Mathieu, and I hope you regain your France place for the Euro’s.

Keenos