Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

About a Gaël Clichy.

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We got the 3 points and this guy won’t be starting in the PL or CL for a long time. Robbery.

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Wouldn’t even get near the Southampton team so not sure why he’s starting against them.

Well there was an excuse of international breaks and he’s one of the few shit enough to not get selected, surely no way next game he gets in over Iwobi, Ramsey, Alexis, Giroud/Perez.

Did he come off for Iwobi? I can’t remember during the game but immediately Iwobi was getting the ball into a lot more dangerous positions. I know Wenger has spent money on Alex but when it comes to Arsenal youth, I feel like Iwobi will prevail. He offers so much more than Ox.

With Sanchez fit, Giroud/Perez as strikers the RW seems idle for a playmaker type of winger, hence Ramsey’s stints out there and now Iwobi. I think Wenger likes some balance there so Ox may well be eased out yet again in time.

I thought it was a bit more of a Bacary Sagna, but you might be right!

Wow I think there’s a overreaction to his game vs Soton here. He wasn’t woeful but wasn’t stunning either. Still had some good touches, turns and shots.

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Thing is with Ox, is that he does just enough to delude his enablers into thinking he’s going to reach his ‘potential’.

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People will likely be saying the same thing in four years time.

His trajectory is pretty clear.

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He should be held to a higher standard tbh. He’s no longer 19 when a couple of good touches and turns will be enough to impress, but he’s 23 now with 5 seasons of experience and should be having a bigger positive impact on our game consistently every week.

He does have quite a significant impact on our games to be fair. :rage:

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It’s been five years though. Is it really an overreaction when he hasn’t progressed as a player in that much time?

I just have his several 20 yard over hit crosses stuck in my mind to remember much else that he did to be honest.

Wow his third bff in as many years. All I have to say to Holding is…STAY AWAY THIS GUY IS CAREER POISON :ox:

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Well the out for him is that plenty of absolute world beaters looked somewhat flimsy at 22 years of age. What gives me patience for now is to look at what he is good at and what he needs and if it is something you gain or lose with time/age.

If he was slow and had crappy technique for a winger at 22, that would probably mean it is over. But he has technique and speed. What he needs (imo) is to control his wobbly legs once he is going full rhino, pick simpler passing options and position himself better on the pitch (especially ‘when defending’).

As we are nowadays buying actually good players to replace kids who do not perform and we are beginning to stack some competition in several positions, and since I like the lad, I hope he finds his rhythm before he get’s pushed too far out of the pecking order.

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He’s 23 and 24 next year, we’re getting to that point where we can’t be saying he still has potential, all these “world beaters” have typically had their break out seasons way before the stage he is at now and have continued to build upon it.

You say he has technique and speed but I disagree, physically yes he’s gifted but in terms of technique, vision or just general football IQ he’s mediocre.

He’s not a natural goal scorer and he’s not someone who you can see consistently laying chances on for his teammates so where does that leave him? As an attacking player if you can’t do that then you’re near useless, he really isn’t the standard required for a top club right now and IMO he’ll never be a world class player perhaps he’ll flatter to deceive here and there but he’ll never be a Reus, Sanchez, Hazard, Robben et al.

I honestly don’t think Ox has the mentality to ever reach the top level. He just strikes me as a flawed footballer and a immature character whose never really had it tough in life. Yes Ox is gifted in terms of technique but it means nothing without the intelligence to fully utilise it. The same applied to his physical attributes which, in particular has made him neglect developing his football brain.

Looking at Ox today and it seems like he has missed out on a vital part of his football education that he could have gained from a loan. He’s essentially been spoilt by being around the Arsenal first team since he was 18. He’s always been surrounded by top quality players, top facilities, top coaches, he’s in a team that will mostly always dominate matches and has enjoyed the protection of being a favorite of Wenger. He’s been pampered at Arsenal really

I still maintain that Ox should have been offered out to PL clubs this summer, many would have taken him. He’d learn alot more from playing consistently at a club a level or two below Arsenal on how to better hone his talent by developing his football brain. At a club like say Palace, the environment is tougher, the manager is more direct in terms of his tactics, instructions and training. West Brom v Arsenal is a completely different match to West Brom v Palace. It would have been interesting to see how effective he’d be at that level

In the end I’m not sure what a loan in 17/18 can accomplish for Ox when he’ll have the mental safety net of eventually returning back to Arsenal.

I’d be willing to be more patient with Ox if there had been clear signs of progress over the last couple of seasons but it’s so blatant that he hasn’t improved much at all. It just inconsistent flashes of quality here and there, in every match he’s involved in there’s a few direct runs and a few successful take ons only to be lets down by his decision making somewhere in the process. Just look at those two overhit crosses vs soton christ that was typical Ox. I haven’t seen anything to suggest he should be given an opportunity at arsenal over Iwobi, Campbell, Gnabry or a potential new signing

imo, intelligence in a player is everything. The ability to read, anticipate, to be generally aware and the ability make the right decisions decisively. Ox doesn’t have this and it isn’t something that just magically appears over night.

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Still feel he can make it here.
However I would only have this patience for this season.
If he can’t contribute this season to a reasonable amount, we should move him on next term.

He doesn’t exactly come off as the braniac type of footballer does he.

I agree with what you’re both saying but I’m with @Trion, I still think there is a chance he’ll make it but he’ll need to hurry up getting his pieces in place.

Yeah, I adopted this position last season, having previously been sure he was about to break out any moment.

I’ve lost that faith now.

Whats this about a pic of him doing the rounds?