Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain comes across as just another frustrating English talent.

Tipped for massive things when he completed his move from Southampton to Arsenal in the summer of 2011, the winger was hyped up to be the next best Three Lions prospect, with some ambitious fans even touting him for a place on the Ballon d'Or list.

Then he was 17, with the world seemingly at his feet. Fast-forward five years and the winger is now 22 with his career moving on rapidly. These are arguably the peak years for Oxlade-Chamberlain and he needs to finally step up and become the player that many thought he would be.

To put it simply, 14 goals in five years just isn't good enough for a £15m player.

But, against Bournemouth on Sunday, 'The Ox' showed us a glimmer of his potential and some of the skills that we fell in love with during his breakthrough season at Southampton.

He took his goal against the Cherries with an air of confidence, allowing Aaron Ramsey's pass to come across his body before rifling in a fierce shot past Artur Boruc, who stood little chance of keeping the ball out of his net. He put Arsenal in the mixer for their first win in four and a crucial victory in what is shaping into a very interesting Premier League title race.

This is Arsenal's best opportunity to win the title in years. Manchester United are off the pace, Chelsea stand no chance and Leicester are expected to dip in form at some point (even though we don't know when this will be quite yet).

Realistically, it's just Manchester City, Tottenham and Leicester in their way. This is their best chance in years, and players like Oxlade-Chamberlain will become increasingly important as the weeks roll on and the fixtures pile up.

But Thierry Henry summed it up nicely in the Sky Studio after the game, brandishing the England winger's strike as "an amazing finish" - kind words indeed from the Highbury legend.

But with kind words from one legend come harsh ones from another.

Graeme Souness suggested the winger spends too much time "laughing and giggling" and not enough time accepting "he is a part-bit player". If there are ever words that would spur someone into action, surely it would be these. Whether this is true or not is a little unclear but Souness has a point - if the 22-year-old wants to be taken seriously, he needs to grow up first and foremost.

He is not 17 anymore. He is one of the players the youngsters should be looking up to, not vice-versa. He should be setting an example and doing all he can to help his team and team-mates, and only then will he break into the first XI once again.

Who knows, a late run of form could help his plea for a place on the plane to the EUROs in the summer, but he needs to work hard. One goal is a good start but it is not the be all or end all.

Arsenal have a tricky run of fixtures on the horizon and Oxlade-Chamberlain can help.

But first, he needs to pull his socks up and sort himself out... people are expecting big things from you, Alex.

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