- Arsenal attacker Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain says he won't get carried away with his two-goal performance in victory over Blackburn Rovers.
The 18-year-old admits he sometimes has to have a double-take at how far he has come in such a short space of time after notching up his first Premier League goals.
Oxlade-Chamberlain said: "I have been waiting for a day like this.
"That [playing with Thierry Henry and Robin Van Persie] is something I have always wanted to do, but making it happen is a different thing.
"I know I have a lot more work to do to stay in this team and to improve my own game, to push on.
"I listen to everyone, and people like Thierry and Robin, who score goals and are attacking players like myself, you can always learn a lot from them."
- Arsenal captain Robin van Persie is backing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to make England's Euros squad.
Van Persie admitted he would want Oxlade-Chamberlain to play alongside him this summer if he were Dutch.
"Yes, why not?" he said. "We've got a really strong team (and) there are lots of good attacking players there, but why not? I really like him.
"In the future, (he can) definitely (play for England). He's a big prospect.
"Everyone is enjoying watching him. I do, you do and he brings something extra to the game and people just love it.
"He's not someone who thinks about negatives, just positives, and you can enjoy the game like that."
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has concerns asking too much too soon from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The Frenchman is anxious to avoid a repeat of Jack Wilshere’s first full season in the first team, which meant he could yet miss all of this campaign with an ankle injury.
Wenger said: "At the start of the season you think: 'I will play him 20 games, maybe 25.' That’s what happened to us last year with Wilshire.
"When they deliver a performance they play 45 (games) and then they play for the national team and then they get injured.
"It's about trying to find the right balance between having confidence and not being too early and too much under pressure."
- Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain says he won't get distracted by England talk.
Oxlade-Chamberlain's rising profile has led to the inevitable calls he should be fast tracked into the senior England squad ahead of this summer's European Championship.
The teenager, however, is taking things one step at a time.
"I am focusing on Arsenal at the moment, and am in the Under-21 squad," he said.
"All I can do is concentrate on what I am involved in.
"Obviously it [England call-up] would be very nice, but I have just got to keep my feet on the ground and take it step by step."
- Mikel Arteta was all smiles after scoring his fourth Premier League goal of the season against Blackburn on Saturday.
The midfielder hit Arsenal’s fourth of the afternoon in the comfortable 7-1 win over Rovers - his second of the campaign against Steve Kean’s side.
“Sometimes I can't really get forward because we just have too many talented players up there!” he said.
“I had a few chances in this game though and I am just pleased to score again.
While Arteta had one goal to his name, it was captain Robin van Persie who stole the show with another hat-trick.
The Dutchman clocked up his 22nd Premier League goal of the campaign with his treble, a contribution Arteta was delighted with once more.
“I think he was just fantastic again to help the team and make them play really well,” he said. “But it is not just his goals; it is his attitude in the game.
“We are really pleased to have him in the squad.”
- Arsenal legends Dennis Bergkamp and Tony Adams are squaring up for a head-to-head clash – with the winner securing a coaching role at the Emirates.
The former Gunners are frontrunners to replace Steve Bould within the coaching staff at the club at the end of the season.
Bould is poised to replace the retiring Pat Rice as Arsene Wenger’s No.2 in the summer and his promotion to assistant manager will leave a void within the ranks. Bould was tipped to step up a year ago but AW persuaded Rice to stay another season. Now though he must find a replacement for the 62-year-old who is calling it a day after 43 years at the club.
Bould’s expected elevation gives AW the chance to shuffle his pack and perhaps, rather than a job coaching the kids as was Bouldy’s role, he can bring in a legendary former Gunner to offer specialised coaching to the first team squad.
And former team-mates Bergkamp and Adams have emerged as favourites for the position. Both are currently coaching and both have expressed a desire to return to north London to work under Wenger and to rejoin the Arsenal family.
Wenger has for some time toyed with the idea of bringing in specialist coaches for both the strikers and the defence and both candidates could certainly pass on huge experience in these roles. Martin Keown was drafted in for some coaching of the back four a few years back but for whatever reason he didn’t hang about more’s the pity.
Bergkamp is currently the assistant manager to Frank de Boer at Ajax at his former club back in Holland. He has gone on record stating he would return to N5 if the chance came up. He said, admittedly a couple of years ago: “I wouldn’t rule out working for Arsenal. I really love this club and the country.
“I want to work and train a team in England. Not as a head coach, but, instead, as a member of staff, where I could work specifically with the strikers.”
Meanwhile, Adams, who recently had a stint coaching in Azerbaijan, is preparing to manage one of the six teams set to form the new Indian Premier Soccer League, set to last six weeks.
Speaking after he had a statue unveiled at the Emirates, Adams said: “Coaching is what I love. But back in England? There is only one club I would want to go back to and be No.1 or even on the backroom staff – and that is Arsenal. If Arsene Wenger wanted me to join in some capacity, that would interest me a lot.”
It could be argued that the defence would benefit most from a new drill-master in the shape of Adams but, equally, imagine the Oxo Kid learning from one of the greatest players of all time.
However AW works it a return of either the Iceman or Ooh-ooh would give the club and fans a huge boost.
- Arsenal winger Ryo Miyaichi is confident settling in at Bolton Wanderers.
The Japan international joined Bolton on-loan last week.
“I think it will be different and my first impression is that it’s a bit colder in Bolton,” he said.
“London is busier but here there is more countryside. It will be a new experience as well as playing football, I’m looking forward to living here.
“I want to get to know the Bolton people and find out more about the town.”
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