I'm neutral. People have mentioned Bertrand, which is interesting. Because I don't think most people were like "Yeah! Bertrand! What a coup!!!!" If anything, the mood was between "Well, this could work out.. wait and see." to "Why are we taking Chelsea rejects?" And Bertrand was just a loan, not a transfer. I still think it would be difficult for Saints to bring in an obvious, highly sought after, World Class attacking midfielder. So someone like Chamberlain is the type of player we need to gamble on. Whether it's from the PL or another league. I don't feel like the Artist Formerly Known as Oxo Cube is necessarily the answer. But he might be. For all I know, so might half a dozen other players. I don't have access to the Black Box and I'm no pro scout. I also have no idea about the transfer price. So if we sign Chamberlain, I think I would probably be okay with it. And if we don't, I'd be okay with it as well.
Always happy to have a double barrelled name in the ranks, think we should also go for loftus-cheek and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, to go alongside JWP, even if it's just to make the commentators earn their money.
I've argued against taking him, However, if we were to chant: Give us an "A" Give us an "L" and so on all the way through "Alexander Oxlade-Chamberlain", he'd be worth signing just for that. I did try to start that chant when he was with us but the chap I was with punched me into submission. Vin
It's because of our history with him that we know how good he is. I've personally seen enough of him to know he's a gamble well worth taking. In fact it's hardly a gamble at all; we know what he's capable of.
FTFY. Loads of teenage players show immense promise when young then go on to do nothing. I'm not saying AOC's done nothing, just that he hasn't really gone on to be a world-beater, or Arsenal would be using him much more. Vin
So you think all that potential could have just come to nothing? That he hasn't made the grade and possibly never will? I seriously doubt that. In fact I'd personally bet the farm on you being wrong on this one. Just my opinion of course.
I've posted this before. The England under 16 squad from a few years ago (when I did it I picked a date ten years earlier so I'd catch people in their prime). Where did the cream of British teenage football end up ten years later? Steven Drench – Guiseley James Biggins – ? Gary Borrowdale – QPR Ross Gardner - Shildon David Raven – Shrewsbury Town, trialling for Tranmere Chris Hogg – Inverness Caledonian Wayne Routledge – Swansea Lee Croft – Derby Wayne Rooney – Man U Stacy Long – Stevenage Mark Smyth – Bangor Mat Sadler – Walsall Nicky Eyre - ? David Mannix – Vauxhall Motors Tom Groves - ? Scott Brown – York City Dorryl Proffitt - ? Sean Doherty – Colwyn Bay Remember, these were 16 year olds who were the best England had to offer. All had great potential. Would you sign them now? I like AOC; I thought he looked good for us. However, blindly to think that makes him a good purchase now is illogical. I say again, would we be even having this conversation if he's come up at Blackburn? Would people be saying he has great potential? I suspect not. No, we'd be saying "Shame about him, looked like he could have been a great but never fully realised their high hopes for him". Vin
No, I don't think that. Point to any place where I've said anything like that. Where have I said that he hasn't made the grade or that his potential has come to nothing. However, I will be as categorical as you one one subject: We should not sign someone because of the potential he had. Vin
Fair enough. We'll have to disagree then. And if by some miracle we do sign him, which I'm not really taking that seriously till it happens anyway, I will confidently sit back and wait to be proven right. Because I have every faith in the lad; as for that list you posted above, with the right coaching at the right club I'd expect Alex to develop into a better player than Rooney. Again, just my opinion. But an opinion I'd be more than willing to back.
Theo's hardly been a failure at Arsenal. Perhaps he hasn't quite reached the heights some observers thought him capable of, but he's been a regular in a top 4 squad for over a decade.
I agree with everything you posted Vin in regard to potential and particularly the England list - saved me looking for one. I do also agree with Archers in that Chamberlain is good enough now. I've seen enough of him at Arsenal to see he'd be a good signing for us. I don't agree with the people who talk about Arsenal wasting the talent, as we all just guess at how good they'll be when we have them. We should do the same excercise on our kids and our young signings. I wonder what Plymouth fans say about us and Sam Gallager?
Most Arsenal fans I know would tell you that The Ox is used too infrequently and in the wrong role for their liking. As for whether we should be happy about potentially signing a young, direct, exciting, attack minded full international from Arsenal, is it really even a debate?
If we are interested, we must assume that Saints feel he will fit in and has potential. He is a young player in the Arsenal squad, so (even if we didn't know him) we are safe to assume he has potential. I think we can assume that Arsenal are looking to offload him....after all (although held back by injuries or Arsenal disease as it is known) he would have made his mark by now if he was going to. Even Wenger must realise by now that Arsenal need to spend, so AOC is just blocking a squad place. So assuming he is available and we want him, who are potential rivals for his signature. That isn't just teams that he will suit, but teams that need someone in that position....may only come down to a few. I'm sure he'd turn down strugglers, so we would be in a good position unless a top club come in for him. This is the most important move he will make. Saints to Arsenal for such a young player was a no brainer...but his next team need to bring out the best in him. He may then be pursued again if he shines (my guess would be 5 mins after he scores a goal for us if he chose Saints), but the wrong move (where he scarcely plays) could lead to obscurity. P.s. No club (inc. Saints) will promise he will play...he isn't that big a star.
I agree Archers and that is my point (I never have said Theo is a failure). Some posters keep saying he hasn't reached his potential and Arsenal are at fault. No-one knew that potential really and as you rightly say, he has played at the top for a decade. I think people confuse the team failing to win the title with an individual's potential fulfilling. He might be frustrating at times, but he looks a good player in a top 4 side.
I would welcome both Oxo and Theo back. Both have pace and can be very direct, when carrying the ball. Theo, I think, has definitely improved at Arsenal. You have to have good technique, movement and vision to fit into Wenger's teams, and his goal scoring is probably as good, if not better, than anyone we currently have (not counting Austin as he hasn't done it for us, yet). Oxo, would give us a more direct player, to compete with Davis, in the advanced midfield role. Just looking at pace alone, having these two plus Mane, Long and JRod in the team/squad, would be quite scary, from a defender's point of view. Plus we would have two of our academy players back in the squad.
