Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been impressing for club and country this season, especially since this injury crisis hit the Gunners, but his Arsenal and England team-mate Jack Wilshere has made it clear that once Theo Walcott is back to full fitness, the Ox will have to be relegated to the bench.
“He gives us something different – he gives us pace,” Wilshere said on Arsenal.com. “I know we’ve got Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who gives us pace but Theo gives you something different without the ball.
“I’ve never played with someone before who times their runs so perfectly and keeps doing it, time after time. It’s tough in a game to repeat those sprints 15 or 20 times but he does it, and it’s a dream for a midfielder.
“People questioned his finishing before but he’s improved so much. He can run in behind and he’s good on the ball, he’s improved that too. When you get someone back of Theo’s quality it’s going to give everyone a boost.
“He’s got physically stronger and he looks quicker than he did before – that might seem impossible but he does. He’s done a lot of work on his quads and his power so he’s going to come back fine.”
That’s very nice of Wilshere to give Theo a boost on his return to the squad, but it is hardly going to impress Oxlade-Chamberlain, who perhaps brings more to the team that just sprinting into the box?