Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Oxlade-Chamberlain warming up for Arsenal in 2012.
Personal information
Full name	Alexander Mark David Oxlade-Chamberlain[1]
Date of birth	(1993-08-15) 15 August 1993 (age 18)
Place of birth	Portsmouth, England
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Playing position	Winger
Club information
Current club	Arsenal
Number	15
Youth career
2000–2010	Southampton
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2010–2011	Southampton	36	(9)
2011–	Arsenal	16	(2)
National team‡
2010	England U18	1	(0)
2011–	England U19	3	(0)
2011–	England U21	8	(4)
2012–	England	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13:52, 5 May 2012 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13:52, 5 May 2012 (UTC)

Alexander Mark David "Alex" Oxlade-Chamberlain (born 15 August 1993) is an English footballer who plays for Arsenal and the England national football team as a winger. After rising to prominence with Southampton during the 2010–11 season, he signed for Arsenal in August 2011. Scoring twice in his first three games for the club, Oxlade-Chamberlain became the youngest English goal scorer in UEFA Champions League history and has also claimed a regular place in the England Under-21s team. Fans have nicknamed him "The Ox", derived from the first part of his surname, "Oxlade", as well as his physical tenacity and powerful playing style.^[3] He made his debut for the senior England side on 26 May 2012 against Norway.

Club career

Southampton

Born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, Oxlade-Chamberlain joined the Southampton Academy at the age of seven and made his professional debut in 2010. On 2 March 2010, he made his first team debut for Southampton, at 16 years 199 days, coming off the bench in a 5–0 victory over Huddersfield Town^[4] and became the club's second youngest ever appearance maker behind Theo Walcott.^[5] Oxlade-Chamberlain appeared as an 82nd minute substitute for Jason Puncheon on 8 May 2010 in the final game of the season against Southend United.^[6] At the beginning of the 2010–11 season, Oxlade-Chamberlain made his first competitive start on 10 August against Bournemouth in the first round of the League Cup. During the match he scored the second goal of Southampton's 2–0 victory, his first senior goal.^[7]

On 20 August 2010, shortly after his 17th birthday, Oxlade-Chamberlain signed his first professional contract lasting for three years.^[8] His first league start came in a 2–0 loss at home to Rochdale on 4 September 2010. His first league goal came in a 2–1 victory over Oldham on 23 October 2010, which proved to be the match winner, and he scored two more goals and also got an assist in a 4–0 win over Dagenham & Redbridge on 2 November 2010, when he was voted Man of the Match in a league game for the first time.^[9]

Oxlade-Chamberlain finished the season with 10 goals as Southampton were promoted, and was named in the PFA League One Team of the Year for the 2010–11 season.^[10] He was subsequently the subject of transfer speculation and in June his father, Mark Chamberlain, stated he was eager for his son to join Arsenal "as soon as possible" to "continue his development".^[10]

Arsenal

Still at Southampton when their 2011–12 season started on 6 August, on 8 August 2011 it was announced that Oxlade-Chamberlain had signed for Premier League club Arsenal.^[11] Although neither club involved revealed details of the contractual arrangements, press sources indicated that the fee was a £12 million initial payment which could rise to £15 million with "add-ons".^[12][13]

He made his Arsenal debut on 28 August 2011, in the 8–2 defeat at Manchester United, as a 62nd minute substitute for Francis Coquelin,^[14] thus becoming the 150th player to represent Arsenal in the Premier League.^[15] On 20 September 2011, Oxlade-Chamberlain scored his first goal for Arsenal in the 58th minute of a League Cup match against Shrewsbury Town, with a drive from 25 yards. Arsenal won 3–1.^[16]

On 28 September 2011, Oxlade-Chamberlain scored the opening goal on his Champions League debut against Greek side Olympiacos in the 8th minute, running diagonally onto an Alex Song long pass and past several defenders before finishing into the corner of the goal. In doing so, he became the youngest Englishman to score in the Champions League, taking over from teammate Theo Walcott.^[17]

Oxlade-Chamberlain started his first Premier League match for Arsenal in a 2–1 defeat to Manchester United at the Emirates on 22 January 2012, contributing an assist to a Robin van Persie goal. Arsène Wenger replaced him with Andrei Arshavin in the 78th minute with the Arsenal fans booing the decision to take Chamberlain off.^[18] On 4 February 2012, Oxlade-Chamberlain celebrated his first two Premier League goals in a home game against Blackburn Rovers which finished 7–1 to Arsenal.^[19] Following this match, Wenger praised Oxlade-Chamberlain for his fast development. During his time at Arsenal he has been picked to start in Roy Hodgson starting Euro 2012 Sqaud. This was an unusual choice as he has no caps for the international team.

After the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Second round against AC Milan, Chamberlain earned many plaudits for his impressive run of form, and for his display against strong European opposition; he was described by Marco Van Basten as a 'gem'^[20], whilst Arsenal captain Robin Van Persie believed Chamberlain was the future of Arsenal and England.^[21]

International career

Oxlade-Chamberlain was called up to England Under-18 squad for the match against Poland which took place on 16 November 2010 at Adams Park.^[22] England won the match 3–0 and Oxlade-Chamberlain played the first 45 minutes before he was substituted.^[23] He was then called up to the England Under-19 squad to face Germany on 8 February 2011,^[24] but on 2 February he was promoted into the England Under-21 side for a friendly match away to Italy on 8 February.^[25] In the match, he came on as a 60th minute substitute, replacing Henri Lansbury. Shortly after his introduction, he showed a great turn of pace to create a chance as he raced past the Italian full-back and hit the byline, but no England player could reach his cross. In turn, he had a chance from a cross by Josh McEachran, but could only hit a weak shot at the goalkeeper. England lost the match 1–0 with the Italians scoring from a penalty two minutes from time.^[26]

Oxlade-Chamberlain made his first start for the Under-21s against Azerbaijan on 1 September 2011 and claimed two assists in a lively performance.^[27] He also made an impressive cameo performance against Israel on 5 September, coming on in the second half to claim three assists (including winning a penalty) to push England from a 1–0 deficit to an impressive 4–1 comeback victory.^[28] A month later he scored a hat-trick against Iceland as England won 3–0 in Reykjavik.^[29] On 10 November 2011, Chamberlain put in another man of the match performance as The Young Lions again trounced Iceland, this time 5–0, to remain top of Group 8. On 29 February 2012, he netted a late penalty as England U21 made certain of at least a play-off spot for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship with a 4–0 victory over Belgium.^[30]

Oxlade-Chamberlain was called up to the 23-man senior England national football team squad for the Euro 2012 tournament, to be held in Poland and Ukraine, on 16 May 2012. He and John Ruddy are the only members of the Euro 2012 England Squad without any previous England call-ups.^[31] He made his debut for the senior England side on May 26th 2012 in a pre Euro 2012 friendly game vs Norway, coming on as a substitute after 72mins. He came on as a substitute for Gareth Barry. This match was 2 weeks before the start of Euro 2012 and Roy Hodgson's first international tournament, the match with Norway was also Hodgson's first game as England manager since he became the replacement after Fabio Cappelo's resignation.

Personal life

Oxlade-Chamberlain is the son of former Stoke City, Portsmouth and England international player Mark Chamberlain.^[32] His uncle, Neville Chamberlain, was also a professional footballer. He attended St John's College, Southsea, Portsmouth.

The Sun revealed that Oxlade-Chamberlain nearly chose rugby over football when he was offered a trial at London Irish. Oxlade-Chamberlain played rugby as a scrum half or full back.

My senior school didn't play football. It was a rugby and cricket school and as I was on a sports scholarship, I was forced to play rugby. I played scrum-half or full-back and I was all right at it. I got a trial for London Irish but couldn't do it because Southampton wouldn't let me.^[33]

Career statistics

As of 6 May 2012^[34][35]

¹ Includes Football League Trophy

Honours

Individual

• PFA Team of the Year: 2010–11 League One

References

External links

• Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain career stats at Soccerbase
• Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain profile at Arsenal F.C.
• Alex Chamberlain profile TheSaintsHub

v t e England squad – UEFA Euro 2012 1 Hart 2 Johnson 3 Cole 4 Gerrard (c) 5 Cahill 6 Terry 7 Walcott 8 Parker 9 Carroll 10 Rooney 11 Young 12 Baines 13 Green 14 Jones 15 Lescott 16 Milner 17 Henderson 18 Jagielka 19 Downing 20 Oxlade-Chamberlain 21 Defoe 22 Welbeck 23 Butland Coach: Hodgson