OX WASN’T UP FOR THE FIGHT HERE
ARSENAL v LIVERPOOL
ARSENE WENGER has had a dig at Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain by telling him big players fight for their place in a team.
The England midfielder, frustrated by his lack of regular action with Arsenal, quit the Emirates last summer to join Liverpool in a £40million deal.
The Gunners boss admits he could offer no guarantees to Oxlade-Chamberlain but pointedly asked: “What do you want to be – a big player and not have to fight?
“You can’t be a big player, sit in your rocking chair and say, ‘I do not want to fight’. It doesn’t work like that.
“Every player has to fight. I am convinced it is an important part of being a top player.”
Oxlade-Chamberlain is likely to get a hot reception on his return to the Emirates tonight having turned down the chance to stay.
The Arsenal manager reluctantly sold Oxlade-Chamberlain as the player wanted regular games and to play in midfield rather than as a wing-back.
After a slow start at Anfield he has blossomed but Wenger added: “Is he sure of a place there? You are sure of a place nowhere.
“In a big club you have big competition with some good players. That is absolutely normal.
“I didn’t want him to go. I offered him a contract to stay but in the end he decided to go and we just had to try and get the best possible price.
“Look, he had one year to go. At start of the season we had four players with one year to go and I wanted him to extend his contract.
“Yes, he decided to go and we respect that. But at the end of the day I decided to sell one.
“We respect his decision and that’s absolutely normal and I have no problem with that.
“What’s important is that the players make a good career, preferably in your club. If it doesn’t happen you still want them to have a good career.
“That’s part of it, you know, if you look at the clubs, at any other club, we have more stability on the player side than any other club at the top level.
“Sometimes it happens with one player who we don’t want to go, goes.”