“But he’s a Arsenal Fan” always came up when people defended keeping Jenkinson. Should have been sold off years before he was. Remember his best footballing season wasn’t even with us, his first loan spell at West Ham. He got praised for that season, sucked in his second spell though. Nowhere near good enough for PL no matter Arsenal.
Chamberlin, looking at his trophy cabinet you’d say he was a successful player. But in reality, never lived up to his potential. Way too many injuries and hot and cold periods of form. Still think it was a great piece of business we did but never understood why Wenger played him agaisnt the team he was joining a few days after. Had moments of good form but never was a big loss for me.
Wilshire, just a case of unlucky with injuries and probably Arsenal as a club rushing him into first team in hindsight. A sad case of “What if…” with him.
Walcott, a frustrating player for sure but nowhere near as bad some make him out to be. Never was a striker for me, no matter how hard he pushed for it. 2012/2013 season was probably his high point in an Arsenal Jersey. Scored 21 that season and looked like he was going to kick on. But like a lot of guys from that British Core group, way too injury prone and overhyped by certain section of the fanbase. Should have sold him off probably after his 2016/2017 season when he had a good season and got a bit more money for him. The fact he was still playing in PL and still scoring goals shows he wasn’t overall a bad player.
Ramsey: Some would put him onto legendary status with the club, not for me I think he’s a level below. But most successful from this bunch for sure without a doubt, won a few FA Cups and for me his season in 2013/2014 was his peak at Arsenal, he was for large period of that season best player in PL even one of best in Europe. But besides a few shining moments, he could never quite have a run as great as that cause of injury and poor form. His last season with us was probably his second best season. Shame his career has nosedived at the other clubs he’s gone too.
Gibbs: another one probably Wenger showed way too much loyalty too and should have been sold off years before he was. Had a good run in Championship with WBA. But he always felt more like a back up left back rather a first choice. Seems to have found a job as a commentator in America, fair play to him.
Other than the old Southampton manager being there, this does seem an odd move. Would love to know what they’re paying him as only last week they are/were facing a winding up order. Is he from around that way?
He has young kids right? He may just want to be a dad, a partner and be football adjacent (punditry is a good call) without living the game as a player.
Yeah, imagine you’re in a situation where the house is paid for and you’ve got enough in the bank for a comfortable life…most of us would chose retirement. I’d be out of the door before they could hand me my leaving card.
I wonder if he’ll go into punditry. He’s quite articulate, so that probably means he’d struggle to get in ahead of some of Sky and BT’s mutants but still, I’d like to see it.
He has a better career post-Arsenal than I thought he would.
Would be surprised if he doesn’t. He has close friends there and he’s been invited on a couple of times.
I think it was Goldstein that once pointed out to him that he is very good at it.
I reckon they’ll be all over him him joining one of the shows they do. Can see him take Wilshere’s old spot that hasn’t been filled besides Bent and Goldstein.
It’s not that surprising to see him retire relatively young. His main motivation for scoring some goals once was that he’d be allowed buy a new coffee machine.
I just don’t think he was ever the kind of serious driven personality he needed to be to make the most of his abilities. I think we only really got to see that in the season he signed that new contract.
No hate for him though it’s more a case of what might have been.
I can see him as a co-host for a weekend TV show. Possibly moving on to “Strictly Come Dancing” and then in 2032 fronting ITV 8’s “AI does the funniest things”.
Don’t really think he was ever that talented tbh. Think he got what he got out of his career because he was quick but in pure footballing ability terms he didn’t really have much about him.
Don’t think he was very intelligent with much outside of his runs and he had a nice finish in certain spaces.
He wasn’t great at beating players with anything other than pace so against teams that didn’t give us loads of space he really struggled to make an impact.
Purely based on numbers he had a solid career but to me he was someone we should have moved on a lot sooner than we did.
He also broke through as a teenager. It’s gotta be weird to live your adolescence into your 30s in that kind of professional bubble. I wonder if these guys feel a little institutionalized.
