Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain arrived at Arsenal in the summer of 2011 with a heap of expectation on his young shoulders; he was schooled in the Southampton academy which produced talents such as Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale. The initial fee paid for the teenager was reported to be £12 million, rising to £15 million with add-ons, that fee alone was enough to put pressure on the youngster to live up to that price.
Chamberlain's debut was one to forget, however, as he was a substitute in Arsenal 8-2 defeat at Old Trafford, however, he didn't have to wait long to show off what he could do with a fantastic goal against Shrewsbury Town in the League Cup less than a month later. Chamberlain went on to have a very satisfying first season at The Emirates with goals in both the Champions League and the Premier League. Such was his fast development that year that fans began to boo Arsene Wenger when he substituted Chamberlain against Manchester United, a decision which Robin Van Persie looked bemused with on the pitch. At the end of his first season, Alex was nominated for the young player of the year award in recognition for his blistering performances and all round rapid development.
After such an eye catching first season, Chamberlain's star seemed to burn out slightly in the following season; injuries began to surface as his playing time was limited for the youngster and he only managed to score one league goal during the 2012–13 season. Last season promised so much for Chamberlain, and began very well for him as he assisted Giroud in scoring Arsenal's first goal of the season, yet he eventually went off injured in the opening game and would not play again for many months. As he returned from his injury it was quickly noted just how important he is to Arsenal and how much he was missed, his stand out game for the club came against Crystal Palace, in which he played in central midfield, where he scored two technically brilliant goals. This game showed how versatile he can be and why Arsene Wenger believes his future lies in central midfield.
Chamberlain has the pace and strength to play anywhere across the midfield yet for the moment his place is on the wings, where his lightning quick pace can be exploited. Whether he will play any part of this season in central midfield remains to be seen but his future seems to be pointing that way. The Ox is a player who can turn a game on its head, he was what the team were crying out for on Saturday during periods in which pace was lacking on the left hand side and no players bar Alexis wanted to run in behind the Palace defence. In the past, Chamberlain has taken games by the scruff of the neck, AC Milan in the Champions League comes to mind, he has shown that he can be a big game player and is the future of Arsenal and England. This needs to be his season, and judging from his contribution after being brought on against Crystal Palace, it's looking promising.