Arsenal fans or Wenger right about the Ox?

Because of a minor injury problem to his foot, Arsenal had to face the tough trip to the Britannia Stadium to take on Stoke City without our main man and king of assists Mesut Ozil. And with Arsenal also missing the usual suspects to replace the German international, with Tomas Rosicky, Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere also out of action, Arsene Wenger turned to the young England international Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

With mixed results I would say. The Ox was never going to be able to do what Ozil does for Arsenal because he is a different type of player altogether, and even when he has played in the centre of midfield for us instead of on one of the flanks it has been in the box-to-box role rather than the number 10 position.

So how did he do? Well according to the manager he performed pretty well and suggested that he could be an option to cover for Ozil there in the future, as Wenger’s post match comments on the Arsenal website reveal. The Frenchman saw positive things from his young player even though he was not able to score or provide the assist that would have earned Arsenal all three points.

He said, “He had very interesting moments in the game where he showed his qualities and how he can get out of pressure, go past people and get into the final third. In the future it can be a very interesting position for him. I played him in a 4-3-3 today. Normally we play a 4-2-3-1 as players like to push forward and I think it is a position that suits him well.”

However, there were some very different reactions to Chamberlain’s performance on social media from some Arsenal fans, as a report on the HITC website shows. Some Gooners thought the Ox was awful and might as well not have been on the pitch, picking up especially on his tendency to lose the ball.

How can Wenger and the fans see things so differently? A quick look at the stats from the game on Squawka.com show the Ox rated higher than the other midfielders Ramsey, Walcott, Flamini and Campbell.

His passing accuracy of 78 percent was just below the team average of 79 while Campbell was up on 86 percent. But I think that Wenger had given him licence to be a more adventurous and that will mean he loses the ball more as he takes more risks.

I think we have to give the Ox a bit more leeway and more game time to show what he can do. What do you guys think?

Tags Chamberlain Stoke

28 Comments

  1. Well he was not going to say “he’s total toilet!” in public, now was he?

    Fact is, this is his 5th consecutive season with us. 13 goals in 141 appearances, few assists here and there. And he’s a forward (winger). That is awful. This is just my opinion but I don’t think he has improved at all since he moved. Well if he has then it’s very marginal change.

    Wilshere played well on loan, so did Ramsey. Bellerin too. And Campbell was loaned 4 times! Now look at him.

    Tell me, why hasn’t OX been loaned yet? He has no business in the starting XI but when he does feature, he looks clueless. He makes few fantastic runs etc. which he ends up completely fudging up.

    1. And concerning Walcott: as he was garbage yesterday, when he was subbed off you could tell from the look on his face that even he wasn’t happy at all about his performance. This is a good thing IMO. He knows he must be better.

    2. I remember 2012 when Ramsey’s play was absolutely horrendous but anyone who suggested he go out on loan was guilty of Arsenal heresy and should be banned from Arsenal football for life.

      Ox is definitely out of form. But I thought he did well vs. Stoke considering the circumstances – missing so many players and Stoke is actually playing well. Maybe a loan spell would help, maybe not. But I am not willing to suddenly give up on his talent and throw him to the street.

      Early last season he was playing so well that he was the only gunner to have played in every game prior to his injury. Just some perspective.

      I am far more concerned about how Walcott will be used going forward. The wing thing is not working right now. Wenger needs to find a better solution going forward – that is why he earns the big money.

  2. OX doesn’t fit in starting 11 in normal case. He played yesterday just because of injuries. we have 5 first choice midfielders injured. So in normal cases Ox would not play. And he doesnt fit into no 10 role.
    the problem with Ox is that he doesnt defend well and his missed passes have cost arsenal several goals.
    In BPL every player should be able tackle and defend as well as normal duties. Campbell does it (has learnt it this season) but not Ox. having said that he is still young and may develop further.
    Lets hope the new lad Elneny can add something to midfield. He is actually Box to box player and not a genuine cdm

    1. Elneny is well equipped to play holding or box-to-box. Plays a more holding role at international level than he does for Basel. Appears to have really decent range of passes in his locker – be interesting to see how AW plays him. And btw, Coquelin was never a holding midfield player until Wenger told him he was!

  3. Not so long ago everyone was praising the ox.It was just the beginning of the season.
    And some said they rated him higher than sterling.Even when there were rumours about chelsea wanting him people didnt like them one bit.
    How time has changed everything
    So now his all arsenal career has been a failure.
    He might or might not improve.
    But knowing wenger so well he will keep putting his entire trust on him and maybe he will follow in hazard/sanchez shoes.
    Dont also be surprised if sanogo revives his arsenal career.

    Ps:I dont know why but even though everyone on this site keeps slating him.
    Some websites give him a very high rating after a match.
    But I take back all I said previously.
    Wengers trust will make him good

  4. With out Cazorla Le Coq
    Sanchez and Ozil players
    like Ox and Walcott have
    really struggled because they
    have limited skill sets.
    Ramsey is having to play DM,
    distributor, winger and AM.
    Campbell Iwobi and Giroud on the
    other hand have thrived with the
    new responsibilities.
    Yet when Ozil Sanchez and Cazorla
    are on the field Ox Theo and Rambo
    become far more dangerous because they
    can focus solely on their specific strengths.

  5. admin please could you put to an end any article related to stoke till next season on this site? hoping we won’t be meeting them on our to lifting FA again. Another article please without mentioning stoke.

  6. Ox started the season very well prior to getting injured, he looked dominant and dictated play. Since his injury layoff, something has been amiss, his execution has been a bit poor. That being said, he’s only 22. Just reflect back on Ramsey when he was struggling on the pitch and the fans were on his back, then his breakout season followed … The Ox has tons of potential, hopefully he just puts his head down and works hard to get out of this funk, and he’s got one of the best managers to spot potential and be patient with his development.

  7. He has potentials, vast potential…..when or whether he will realise them with Arsenal is another thing entirely…along with Wenger’s success at Arsenal another part of his legacy will be readiness to keep players he believed in chances after chances, even to the detriment of the club sometimes……Ox has joined that elite group of players Wenger has continuously stuck.his neck out for….4 years a potential and still we wait for it to be realised…along with Walcott, Gibbs, Wilshire, Diaby, Jenkinson….when you look across and see the improvement players like Kane, Dele Alli, Mason, Dier, Barkley, Stone etc have made at Everton and Spuds, how they have made the transition from prospect to the real deal and are now regulars and important players for their clubs you begin to wonder if players like Walcott and Ox are ever going to raise their game……frustrating….and as for Wenger’s comment post match, well he will not say he was shit will he?

  8. There. is an old saying, less haste and more speed.lI still think the Ox has something in his locker for the Arsenal.Slowing down and thinking for the final pass or shot instead of his 100 mile an hr rush rush effort may be one answer.

    1. Agree 100% cheeterspotter. Imo, his problem is almost entirely poor decision-making. He has the physical equipment and skills but not the footballing intelligence. Also think he probably trying TOO hard to impress to try and tie down a more regular start – and this is working against him.

      Amazing fact (amazing to me anyway) – Theo and Ox have never in 5 years played a whole 90 minutes together at senior level.

  9. The willingness of the media to promote the slime-ball Josey Mourinho is virtually limitless.

    New article today suggesting poor Josey is just so burnt out from the grueling club football scene that he needs and deserves a different challenge. And the challenge should be……..

    Become the manager of England’s National Team!

    STOP! PLEASE!

    1. Difficult to know where he can go – he will be stopped at passport control if he tried to enter Spain or Italy again. The Bundesliga is too level-headed and sensible to entertain the idea of employing him. He hasn’t polluted France yet – PSG maybe? He is clearly holding out in England waiting for something to turn up and hoping against hope it will be United but can’t see that one happening. His ego is too big to risk his reputation with a non-monied, perennial under-achiever club. If he restored the fortunes of a big “sleeping” club like Everton, Newcastle or Villa I’d be prepared to revise my opinion of him. But thinking about it – England manager may be a good shout because nothing good ever comes of taking up that job. Imagine Mourinho being handed a pool of 50 so-so English PL players with no ability to buy anyone – he hasn’t got that in his DNA, he couldn’t handle it.

  10. First they need to determine WHY Ox is playing poorly.

    Could be the same as Ramsey in 2012. Something was stopping him psychologically. Then someone figured it out and he was rather suddenly quite good in 2013.

    I also know a story about a superstar defensive back for the Arizona Cardinals who suddenly played underwhelmingly for a season or 2. They finally determined he had type 2 diabetes. They fixed his illness and he has been magic ever since.

    DETERMINE the problem FIRST.

    1. May be Ox was over hyped
      because he was son of an
      International and because
      he is English. May be they
      paid 12 mill for him so
      they want a return.
      He has had a string of injuries.
      He plays for a manager who is
      incredibly loyal and patient.
      He is a popular guy.
      He has a long term contract.
      He is in a team who likes to pass the ball into the net
      but he is a guy who likes to shoot on site.
      I think a loan spell would do him the world of good
      go back to Southampton for a while.
      While I’m on it Jack would benefit from a loan spell too.
      The Jack bleeds red myth really means he can
      never be sold so doesn’t have to earn his way.

    2. u spoke my mind……… I keep saying perhaps OX’s problem is pyschological……. For starters, Therapy could help

  11. these days he don’t even make those Long runs anymore even….. He’s become slow and sluggish with somuch endless dribbles without end product

  12. I’ve been saying that the Ox has been far from convincing over the last few months.
    His decision making and passing at times have been very poor to say the least.
    I think at times he is trying too hard to impress, also rushing things on the pitch.
    Maybe after a few more games he can turn things around. Who knows?? I’m hoping he does.
    With all these injuries we have at the moment, he has now got to take his chance like Hector Bellerin / Joel Campbell did.

  13. Anytime Walcot has the ball you see the defender coming at him because they know he cannot dribble to save his life. But when Iwobi came on, the defender tried to close him too but he was shocked at the quickness and technical ability of Iwobi so each time Iwobi has the balll, the defender gave him some distance. Now thats what I call respect. I say give Iwobi game time especially the home games and I bet you in no time Sanchez would be envious.

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