Arsenal Have Massive Decision To Make With Joel Campbell

Arsenal sat Joel Campbell after one bad performance and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain delivered. So what happens against Leicester City?

So Arsenal beat Bournemouth and they did it with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. This has the makings of a move that Wenger will therefore stick with because of the end result. Joel Campbell was with the team for three straight scoreless matches. That is not something you want to put on your resume when applying for a position.

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Also, as we have seen in the past, Wenger is more of a ‘what have you done for me lately’ manager. Just ask Aaron Ramsey.

When Arsenal needed a win, Wenger shook things up and swapped the Ox and Campbell and it worked out. Was Campbell directly responsible? Absolutely not, but he was the scapegoat and in all likelihood, that means that he will continue to be until another opportunity presents itself.

However, we must determine if this is the best course of action. Think about what Joel Campbell did for Arsenal. With Alexis Sanchez out, the Ox sputtering, and Theo Walcott hurt and/or terrible out wide, Joel Campbell rose to the occasion and grabbed the opportunity that had so long eluded him to effectively bench Walcott and keep the Ox benched.

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That is no easy feat. Consider what both of these players mean to Arsenal. Walcott is the longest-tenured Arsenal man, as he eclipsed the decade mark recently. The Ox, meanwhile was bought for £16m as an 18 year old, has been with the club for four and a half years, and has more potential than any Arsenal man in recent memory.

Yet Joel Campbell was convincing enough to force Arsene Wenger’s hand and start him over the two incumbents.

Where does that leave Joel Campbell now that he has missed one match? Granted, he was, for the first time in quite awhile, rather putrid against Southampton. Nothing he tried came off and eventually it led to his substitution. But everyone is entitled to a bad game or two. That is all Campbell has had – two.

Meanwhile, the Ox has been hit or miss all year, with the gross majority being misses. Some of that comes down to being benched right after the Chelsea win that he secured. Since then, reports have indicated that he is upset with his play time, but there have been no direct quotes or actual proof that he is, so as far as we know, all is golden in Ox land.

However, that benching clearly did affect his confidence, as his demeanor on the field has not been the same as it once was. Meanwhile, everything seemed to be restored against Bournemouth when he deftly placed the second goal off the far post and into the net.

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Which brings us to Arsene Wenger’s decision. Does he stick with the Ox, give him a few starts and see how he reacts? In this scenario, there is a bit of risk involved as it is Leicester City. If there is any team Arsenal should not be risky with, it’s the team at the top of the table.

Joel Campbell is actually a safer bet, as he has been consistent all year aside from a performance or two. There is also the risk of what a prolonged benching will do to Campbell, although we have to hope that Arsenal’s men have enough gumption to not take every benching personally. Honestly, from all we’ve seen, it looks like Campbell is far more likely to react positively from competition than the Ox.

It goes against my better judgment, but I believe that Arsenal need to run with the Ox. This guy has so much talent that just needs time. Give him a chance. That way, even if he struggles, you can never be left wondering what could have been. Plus, Arsenal managed to beat Leicester last time out without either one of these guys (the Ox did come on as a sub), so they can essentially be used as wildcards.

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I like the Ox’s upside as a wildcard better than Campbell’s. What are your thoughts, Gooners? Who would you rather see starting?