This sounds to me a little bit like the situation we had at Arsenal with Theo Walcott a few years ago. The fleet footed England forward had just a year of his contract left and while some of the things being talked about between his people and the club were clearly on the financial side of things, reports at the time spoke a lot about Walcott’s wish to be given more of a chance to shine in the central striking role.
As we know, the deal was done and I think Arsene Wenger was true to his word, to some extent, as Theo did get some game time in the middle but it did not work out as well as we all hoped and he moved back out wide. Now we are hearing, as the Evening Standard reports, that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is looking for the same sort of thing.
With Liverpool apparently ready to make a transfer move for the 23-year old, the Ox is said to want the boss to give him more of a chance in central midfield if he is to sign a new Arsenal contract, even though he has usually played on the flanks and did very well at right wing back towards the end of last season.
So should Wenger give the lad the assurance he wants? And if he does, will Chamberlain make it in a central role or go back out wide after a while?
Bob.
I feel we shouldn’t just give player’s what they want.. If they want to leave then let them. THIS IS ARSENAL
we can’t allow players to ask to play in positions they want. thats why we have a coach. next day Giraud will be asking to play as goalkeeper and belerin as attacking midfielder or even a striker. let whoever want to leave leave. no player is irreplaceable including sanchez. remember the most happy players play and perform the best. a good unhappy player isnt always the best. let the most passionate players wear the arsenal Jersey..
the point is that we can’t always bow to player’s demands both in salaries and positions. this will devalue the coaches we have.
lastly, we not always who we think we are. we not always best in what we like. you may love football so much but you not any good in it. instead you good in Rugby. ox may love cm position but in reality a good winger.
play for the team or leave
Not at all suprising if you ask me as the ox was mentored by walcott. might have learned a trick or 2 like playing well only when approching last year of contract which walcott is a specialist of which is exactly what ox did this season.
p.s mind you i am fan of walcott and ox, it’s just that i see shit when it happens in front of my eyes unlike other with their tinted glasses for their favorites.
19 goals this season. Still time on contract. I really wish arsenal fans would give credit where credit is due. Walcott was out 2nd best forward this season. Fact! Still time left on his contract.
But yes let ox leave if he wants to throw his dummy out of the pram. We have iwobi and other up and coming youngsters for the wings and center mid role.
#noplayerisbiggerthantheclub
you misunderstood me, walcott had a good season. i was talking about he has had good seasons in the past just before pushing for a pay rise.
Ox and Walcott are better players than Ozil and Giroud. Why not slot them in those positions? Pay them salaries that Ozil and Giroud gets. Ozil and Giroud are just name, no competency
Unfortunately not one of those 4 players has ever had a good run of form over an entire season for Arsenal.
That is the state of affairs for the squad at the moment and the main reason why alot of the people disappointed with Wenger’s new contract can’t understand why he was offered it.
The blame lays at Wenger feet for this one. Usually I am a Wenger fan. However, the obvious solution is if you are not playing correctly you should be benched. We look at teams like city utd Chelsea and see that they are top heavy with stars that could walk into most other top teams. Why because if the current 1st choice slips up even slightly and has a dip in form they need someone just as good to replace. Aguero Silva sterling De Byrne yaya sane and more. all playing for 3 or 4 spots no one is garunted even aguero when we look at some of the performances he has put in for city. This is the problem Wenger does not bench certain players and does not reward hard work and effort of others.
I don’t think he will and he should not give the central position to Chamberlain, because there are too many central midfielders already. Xhaka, Coquelin, Ramsey, Iwobi, Adelaide, Niles, Elneny, Wilshere, Ozil and Sanchez.
Chamberlain is not as gifted as Cazorla, Sanchez and Iwobi technically to play as a central midfielder. But he could play well as an attacking midfielder, behind a striker.
Actually Chamberlain plays better as a right wingback, because he can beat the opponent with his pace and has good crosses. He rarely plays safe, he always tries to get past the opponent, although this made him injured a lot and lost the ball sometimes.
I want the powerful speedy OX to stay..but if he wants to leave for game time I understand…just not to Liverpool..after how they ridiculed us on the Suarez fiasco and went on to include a clause on Firmino”s contract to sell to anyone but Arsenal..I think Liverpool can just go to hell really.
No player should be given assurances as part of negotiations. Except maybe Messi or Ronaldo.
If you don’t like it, bugger off and get a job elsewhere.
I might walk into work today and ask for assurances or I will walk. I know the answer already!
Please can we just stop calling the name “aulas”? He thinks he’s clever…. Reading this morning that he’s not allowing Lacazette leave till January WTF!!!. Wenger please don’t embarrass us like the vardy deal last summer…. Move on to better strikers deals
Come on Oxlade, one good(not great) season and you start talking about assurances? Give us a Messi performance & maybe we can start talking about assurances.
I don’t see why he shouldn’t ask for assurances. No one thinks Mbappe and his advisors are stupid for not wanting him to go to Real to sit on the bench. He is 18 and needs to develop.
We have all witnessed what Wenger’s moving around of Ramsey (also a player who sees himself as playing in the middle) from left wing to right wing to center to DM partner of Xhaka has done for his reputation and performance level.
Football is a business now but it is builds on a sport. This means happy player perform better. If Ox doesn’t see himself as a wing-back but more as a central player why should he not ask for Wenger’s plans for him? If Mbappe wanted to come to Arsenal on the condition we promised him the central striker’s position would we say “don’t give any assurances?”.
Personally, I think Ozil is the best creative nr 9 on the planet when he is on, the whole team around him is playing well and when the opponent is outclassed.
Ask him to pull his weight against a well-balanced team or a better team in a big game and there is no telling if Ozil will even be noticed on the pitch. If I were in charge I would not offer him 300k per week or even 250k if we are tight on money.
Is it such a big gamble if we need to create salary space for new players to let Ozil go and give Ox and Ramsey a chance to play in the nr 9 roles?
I think Ox is the best wing-back we have but I don’t blame him if he sees an opportunity to play at a club where he can play in his preferred position. The few times he played in the middle for us he did a great job.
Is Olivier giroud leaving arsenal or staying next season