Ready Or Not: Alex Chamberlain
988 comments January 24th, 2011
In pre-season, we looked at a selection of some of our finest young talent to determine whether they were Ready Or Not for the step up to the big time. Today, we’re casting our eye over a player who doesn’t even play for Arsenal. Not yet, anyway.
In the light of Arsene Wenger’s recent comments, it seems that Alex Chamberlain (as I’m assured he prefers to be known) could soon be following Theo Walcott on the path from St. Mary’s to the Emirates.
After Arseblog thrust this informative piece under my eye, I sought out football writer and Southampton fan Simon Peach for a quick chat about the latest bright young thing of English football. Enjoy.
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Firstly Simon, are Southampton fans resigned to losing Chamberlain?
I guess so but that’s part and parcel of being a League One club and, more pertinently, a Saints fan as a whole. Even when we were in the Premier League our squad was being snaffled by supposedly bigger clubs. Saying that, we got £8million for Dean Richards so it’s not all bad.
What sort of impact has he made at Southampton this season?
Chamberlain has given us an added spark down the flanks, with an innate mixture of skill and speed that is unparalleled in our league. The lad is confident on the ball and has the ability to both score goals and assists others, which is clear to see through his stats. Yes, it may only be League One football but his rise to prominence forced established Football League winger Jason Puncheon out of the side. Puncheon subsequently went onto have an incredibly successful loan spell with Millwall in the Championship, which should show how good Chamberlain is already.
At what moment did his potential become obvious?
For me, it was the match against Oldham in October where he scored a superb winner. It was already clear by then that he was a precocious talent but that was the watershed moment.
You saw Theo Walcott emerge at a similar age: how does Chamberlain compare?
I was at Theo’s first-team debut and I don’t think I had ever been more excited by a player at the time. Despite the fact he was facing an experienced side in Wolves, he ran at their players, turned them inside out & produced chances. Theo had a certain swagger about him and that was clear in his fleeting appearances for Saints. Chamberlain also has that same kind of ability to run at players and innate fleet-footedness. It’s hard to say how important the pair were to the team as they were in vastly different circumstances, but both have burst onto the scene in an equally impressive manner. Only Gareth Bale’s impact has been similar in recent times.
What are his strengths?
Skill, control, vision, off the ball movement, teamwork and composure in front of goal. His athleticism and pace are also thoroughly impressive. However, I understand it is off the field where he really shines. I spoke to Rickie Lambert last week and he was incredibly positive about the lad, saying he is one of the most down to earth lads he has met. Rickie also said he was the best young talent he has seen in his 10 year career. Some recommendation.
Which current Premier League player would you compare him to?
Walcott would be the easiest comparison because they are similar in terms of background, progress & skillset. However, while I hate to draw on footballing cliches, Chamberlain’s brain seems a bit more switched on than Theo’s at the same age, although I guess that should come as no surprise given the stock he comes from. In addition, Alex shares a similar ability to stretch full backs to Bale.
Is he good enough to be considered for Arsenal’s first-team this season, or would he be better served by staying with Southampton until the summer?
He is good enough but should definitely remain at Saints. I know I am biased but surely Arsenal fans wouldn’t want another Walcott situation where an obviously talented youngster doesn’t progress as quickly as they should? With us he has the perfect place to both hone his skills and develop a taste for success, something I know Arsenal fans will be longing for. As good as he is, Alex has played professional football for six months. That’s it. Yes, his progress has been rapid but he will gain far more from playing League One football than sitting in Arsenal’s reserves.
Arsene obviously knows the benefits of loaning players from the hoards of youngsters he currently has farmed out up and down the English football pyramid and across Europe. Chamberlain could have an immediate impact as a super-sub at Arsenal but I believe his long-term impact will be greater if he can help Saints get promotion. We would be happy to have him next season as well, if it helps Arsenal…
It must be painful losing so many talented players so young. When you see Walcott playing in the Champions League or for England, do you feel pride in their Southampton roots?
I can’t speak on behalf of all Saints fans but for me it is frustration more than anything else. Few academy structures have produced such a conveyor belt of talent over the past decade. Even before that we had the likes of Alan Shearer, Matthew Le Tissier and so on. It is painful that our decline has been matched by an upsurge in fortunes for so many Saints alumni. If it wasn’t for mismanagement of the highest order then Saints could have pushed on from our FA Cup final appearance eight years ago and be regularly challenging for European places. Then again, there is some pride as Theo & Bale rightly get the headlines on behalf of Saints.
What would Saints fans consider a fair price for the lad?
If there is any truth in the £10million price being bandied about then I would be happy with that, especially if there are some add-ons involved. I would also like him to be loaned back to Saints and some kind of relationship built with Arsenal to take players on loan to help our rise back to the Premier League. For a player with just more than half a year’s experience in the third tier I don’t think we could ask for much more.
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Thanks a lot to Simon for taking the time to answer those questions. Some glowing praise there. And if you’re not convinced, just take a look at the evidence yourself:
Ready or not? Between now and the end of the transfer window, we could get an answer.
