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Arsenal Should Loan Out Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Arsenal Winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain needs a serious confidence boost. Is it best for his development to spend six months on loan at another club?
Even though Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Arsenal in the 2011/12 Season, it was not until the winter period of 2014/15 that the 22-year-old made a serious impact for the Gunners. His production numbers have always been low in proportion to his offensive contribution, but he had a period of great form in 2014/15 that earned him a total of 30 appearances. He averaged a 7.23 match rating across all competitions that year (according to whoscored.com).
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This Arsenal campaign has seen him make 21 appearances already, but his output has been noticeably lower than that of any other season he has spent at the Emirates. Zero goals and zero assists in all competitions (excluding the Community Shield goal) indicates the Ox’s lack of impact in the team. If Arsene Wenger is serious about making the most of this January window, he should consider loaning Oxlade-Chamberlain out and replacing him for the time being.
Of the 21 appearances in all competitions Oxlade-Chamberlain has made, 13 of them have been from the bench. Similar to most attacking players who are consigned to substitute roles, his output in those games has been minimal.
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Ox’s highest match ratings have come in games where he starts on the right hand side of attacking midfield. Even still, he is made to look ineffective by the blossoming Hector Bellerin. The young Spanish right back has consistently put in better passes from the right wing and participated in the more conclusive counter attacks for Arsenal. Oxlade-Chamberlain has dribbled a lot – that’s about it.
Among the set of players who occupy – or have occupied – the right side of the Arsenal attack, Oxlade-Chamberlain has completed the most take-ons per game in the Premier League, at 1.53. He has a duel-winning percentage of 68.4% when taking on opposing players, also the highest in that set. While those are good statistics for an attacking player, the downfall comes in his end product. In 17 Premier League appearances, only 13 chances created and three shots on target.
As Arsenal fans have seen in the past, Oxlade-Chamberlain is a player whose form and output correlate closely with his confidence. If he plays week-in, week-out for nine or ten matches, by the end of that period he will have grown accustomed to playing with his teammates and become comfortable when taking on players. That is the player Arsene Wenger saw at Southampton, and the player we have seen in the past; just not right now.
At the moment, Oxlade-Chamberlain is very much in and out of the side, and it has done nothing but progressively lower his confidence. Different from players like Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil who can play poorly for sixty minutes and then suddenly change a game, Ox plays his game by being a constant threat to his opposing defenders and opening up the game for other attackers. Without the confidence to constantly run at his full back and look for an opening either to pass or shoot, he is ineffectual.
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The fixtures come thick and fast in January, and Arsenal have a number of important games coming up in the Premier League as well as in European competition. Arsene Wenger has referred to this January transfer window as one in which the club must be “active” – perhaps he should offer the Ox another opportunity to impress and loan him out to another Premier League club.
There are plenty of clubs in the Premier League that could use a creative addition in attacking midfield. Newcastle, for example, have financial mobility to pay a portion of Oxlade-Chamberlain’s wages and could use somebody who is capable with the ball at their feet. Bournemouth, a second example, have injuries that could cripple their attacking potential going down the line. They would love another player in attacking midfield who can do damage when taking players on out wide.
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Not only would it benefit Oxlade-Chamberlain to go out on loan, but Arsenal could replace him with a quality attacking midfielder. That could bolster their squad going into a difficult period, especially as players like Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla are currently out injured.