I have to say that I feel for the on loan Arsenal right back Carl Jenkinson. The boyhood Arsenal fan took the decision to join Premier League club West Ham this season in order to get the playing time that he has largely been denied in the past.
And it worked out for the defender in one way, as he has cemented a place in the West Ham first team and been a very influential figure for them this season. But it must have been frustrating for Jenks to see our summer signing Mathieu Debuchy pick up a long term injury and then for Calum Chambers and Hector Bellerin to get the opportunites that he would have loved.
And those opportunities have seen our young Spaniard from the academy really blossom and prove himself worthy of a place in the Arsenal team, while Chambers has also impressed and has the added bonus of his versatility. A quick comparison between the three on Squawka.com shows that Jenkinson has more assists and chances created than Bellerin and Chambers but has also played a lot more.
The stats also suggest that he would struggle to get a game for Arsenal now, especially once Debuchy is fit again. Even Chambers is struggling to oust the speedy Spanish defender and so when Chanbers got the nod ahead of Jenkinson for the England under 21s last night and provided the assist for the only goal of the game, it may well have been the final word for Jenkinson and his Arsenal career.
Do you expect him to leave the club he loves this summer?