ENGLAND Ox relishing his second half
ALEX Oxlade-Chamberlain admits his England career has been a “game of two halves” but claims he is now reborn as an international.
Five years ago on Sunday he made his first competitive appearance for England, as a surprise starter for Roy Hodgson’s opening Euro 2012 game against France.
Over the next three years he scored five goals in 24 internationals – including ‘that’ goal against Brazil in the Maracana – and at the age of 22 looked like being one of England’s most influential players at the European Championship last summer.
Then a knee injury sustained playing for Arsenal against Barcelona in February 2016 proved the latest of a number of frustrating problems that kept him on the sidelines.
It was not until March, after an 18-month absence, that he returned to the England fold against Lithuania. “My England career, honestly, I feel like it has been in two halves,” he said. “I’m starting the second part of it.
“Everything came quite quick and fast, and I got a lot of caps, then was injured and had a spell out, missed the Euros. There was quite a long gap where I didn’t play.
“In this squad, a lot of new boys have come in so it feels like a new squad. It is strange, but a new challenge and quite a refreshing one to be part of.
“My career has been a bit stop-start, but at this moment I have a lot of faith in this new team and the manager and what we’re trying to build here. I’m excited about the journey.”
Oxlade-Chamberlain starts in Paris tonight after being asked to prove his versatility in a challenging end to the season. Originally used by Arsene Wenger as a winger, he was tried as a holding midfielder before being asked to play as a right wing-back when the Arsenal manager suddenly switched to a three-at-the-back system.
Then he was chosen to start the FA Cup final against Chelsea as the left wing-back. In football it is easy to be labelled as a jack-of-all-trades when the secret to success is usually to be the master of one. But OxladeChamberlain believes he is the last person to blame for that.
“It’s not my fault people keep putting me everywhere,” he said. “I play where I’m told to play. The more positions I can play, it gives the manager a nice headache and it can be helpful for him.
“I understand about really nailing down one but the way Arsenal and England play, the boys are all
TRIPPIER O-CHAMBERLAIN STERLING LACAZETTE RABIOT
interchanging. Everyone licence to drift around.
“I’ve played on the wing in some games and found myself in the middle for five or 10 minutes when others drift wide.”
When he came on as a substitute against Scotland and scored the opening goal he looked like someone who had recently been forced to be a full-back but was in a rush to get back at the danger end. It is a charge he is in no hurry to deny.
“I’m definitely more attackminded than defensive,” he said. “I have to focus in the wing-back role because I’m more open to going forward.
“It could be a bit more critical when you’re further back as opposed to on the wing, when you have people to cover. You have to be switched on.
“On Saturday, I felt it was up to me to come on and inject something different, a bit of pace, and push us forward. I’m happy to do that.”
SMALLING KANE MBAPPE HEATON STONES DIER LINGARD
has
CAHILL BERTRAND
that
It’s not my fault I’m put everywhere
JUMP TO IT: Alex trains in France yesterday potential red-card offences can be reviewed at the referee’s request or on the opinion of the Video Assistant Referee.
France are no strangers to the technology, having been the first to use it in a friendly against Italy in September – and the England Under-20 side were subject to the new system during their World Cup campaign.
But it will be a first for Southgate’s side to experience directly technology which FIFA plan to introduce for the 2018 World Cup finals.
Harry Kane will again wear the captain’s armband, although Southgate insisted no significance should be read into that with regards to who will be given permanent responsibility for, hopefully, the trip to Russia next summer.