Wenger: Outstanding Teenager Deserves England Call
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has tipped Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to make England's Euro 2012 squad and believes the teenager can handle the pressure of playing international football.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has garnered plaudits for a series of impressive displays this season. The 18-year-old has made 16 appearances since joining from Southampton in the summer, scoring four goals, but Wenger cautioned he would continue to monitor his progress to ensure he remains injury-free.
The Arsenal youngster came on as a substitute in Sunday's 5-2 victory over Chelsea and Wenger admitted he has found it hard not to leave out the player after his eye-catching recent performances.
The England Under-21 international impressed against both Manchester sides, AC Milan and Tottenham this season but failed to make Stuart Pearce's squad for Wednesday match against Holland.
Nevertheless, Wenger remains adamant that the youngster will travel to this summer's tournament in Poland and Ukraine.
"Until the end of the season there is no problem and if he continues to play like this I am convinced he will go to Euro 2012," Wenger told the official Arsenal Web site .
"Physically we have to monitor him because after every game he can have a little problem.
"We know now that a large percentage of players who play a lot of games between the ages of 18 and 21 have bony stress responses. I never expected the number to be so high.
"[It happens] because your skeleton is not completely finished and the bones are not completely developed to absorb the kinds of shocks you get in the Premier League.
"We have to be cautious about that. But you are always in a trap when the player is as good as he is, like Jack Wilshere is too. You cannot take him out of the team; you have to keep him there. They can win you games."
© Copyright IBTimes 2024. All rights reserved.