Arsenal: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain already forgotten

Arsenal looked like they really needed to keep hold of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, but two weeks after his sale, he’s pretty much forgotten.

I don’t think Arsenal fans will remember Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain too fondly. His was a snake move, and the funniest part is that he has moved into a bench role with Liverpool. But more importantly, I don’t think Arsenal fans will remember him much at all. Here we are, two weeks after his sale, and I haven’t thought about him, other than to laugh at him sitting on the bench.

It’s easy to see why that is. Since he has been sold, Arsenal nation has fallen completely and utterly head over heels in love with Sead “The Tank” Kolasinac. There is already a countdown towards when he will surpass Oxlade-Chamberlain’s goal tally at Arsenal.

The countdown is currently at seven.

Kolasinac has a lot of what the Ox had. He has pace, determination and drive. But more importantly, he has the key things that the Ox didn’t have. He has fight and an unbeatable attitude. He can defend and win the ball back better than anyone we’ve had in a while.

He is virtually indestructible and he is someone that basically personifies all the things that we’ve wanted in a Gunner for years. That unquenchable spirit, for instance. He is everywhere. With or without the ball, you can’t not notice him because he is making things happen, no matter the deficit.

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The fight, though, is the big thing. After seeing the Ox loaf around against Liverpool, seeing the opposite in Kolasinac is so incredibly amazing. The guy doesn’t quit. He makes a difference and he doesn’t let the game get him down and out.

On the other side of the ball, Hector Bellerin came out with a fantastic return to form against FC Koln and it’s always been clear that he has an elite mentality, it’s just a matter of him getting settled into his role, which he can now happily do without the Ox getting in the way.

I bring this up because I was thinking of our recent history against Chelsea and I thought back to the 1-0 win in the FA Community Shield in 2015. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain won us the match with a beautiful goal (playing from wide) and a man of the match performance.

I remember thinking that he had turned the corner. That he was finally ready to make this a regular thing.

It didn’t happen.

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Maybe it’s just me, so I’m curious what other Gooners have to say. Have you already forgotten about Oxlade-Chamberlain like I have?

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