Arsenal Wunderkind Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Announces His Arrival

You might have forgiven the Arsenal XI for drifting off during the ending stages of their 3-1 victory Tuesday against Shrewsbury Town in the Carling Cup third round, perhaps bandying about potential puns on a certain Shakespearean play.

This was nowhere as enthralling as the Gunners' match in this round of the competition a season ago, when they traveled to White Heart Lane and proceeded to thump hated rivals Tottenham in a 4-1 romp.

Thankfully, the Gunners avoided a repeat of previous defensive breakdowns, and held on for the 3-1 victory. Shrewsbury were always going to be a tricky customer, having already dispatched Swansea City and Derby in earlier rounds, and after going up 1-0 in the first half on a well-taken James Collins header they looked rampant.

For an Arsenal team that often appears to deteriorate as games go on, Tuesday was a promising break from this all-too-often rule of thumb.

17-year-old winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose pricey (£12 million transfer fee + £3m in add-ons) signature raised a few eyebrows, stood out among the rest with a very impressive performance. Manager Arsene Wenger applauded the youngster, citing the way he came on strong in the second half after a "timid" first period.

Oxlade-Chamberlain would score Arsenal's second goal on the night with a screaming 25-foot low drive across Shrews keeper Benjamin Smith, who didn't even manage a touch, so fierce was the strike.

It was just the type of ingenuity once seen from another diminutive frontman, former Chelsea great Gianfranco Zola, a player Oxlade-Chamberlain (or AOC) has referenced as a source of inspiration for his own game. He lashed another stinging drive later on in the game, and looked to be flowing with that singular blend of youthful exuberance.

He certainly has a long way to go before he's at the stage of a great like Zola, but tonight certainly announced his arrival as a senior member with his new club.

It will take time for him to polish the "things he has to work on," as Wenger put it, but we've seen Wenger play teens in major competitions before, especially in Champions League group stage play. Chances are good that AOC could get some time this fall.

Tuesday was a vital engine kick for an Arsenal side that has been sputtering in recent weeks. A win is a win, and this side was in desperate need of some good news.

Oxlade-Chamberlain certainly helped usher in the good tidings on the night. And it doesn't look as if he's anywhere near finished.