the big kick off 2015 -2016

AUGUST 6 - 12, 2015 THE VOICE | 33

voicenewspaper www.voice-online.co.uk@thevoicenews FOOTBALL

THE BIG

2015-16

The Voice in association with Sky Sports brings you…

• Premier League Journal on the weekend’s opening fi xtures• Your defi nitive season preview • Six young players to watch • Premier League chief’s message of hope

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2015-16O FF

| THE VOICE AUGUST 6 - 12, 201534

FOOTBALL voicenewspaper www.voice-online.co.uk@thevoicenews

TUNE INTO THE ULTIMATE SOAP OPERA

FORGET EASTEND-ERS and Corona-tion Street, the greatest soap opera

of them all kicks off this weekend. After a glori-ous summer of sport, the Premier League is back and it promises to be yet another top-fl ight roller-coaster.

Champions Chelsea quite rightly start the campaign as favourites. They have a skillful and experienced set of play-ers and one of the best coaches the world leading them in the shape of Jose Mourinho.

The Portuguese, while not losing any sleep, will have been given some-thing to think about hav-ing lost the Community Shield to Arsenal at Wem-bley last Sunday.

Arsene Wenger’s FA

Cup winners have enjoyed a good pre-season which can only have them in good stead as the serious business gets under way.

The title fi ght will be a straight fi ght between London and Manchester, with both City and United having made some astute purchases in the summer.

SURPRISE

The great thing about the Premier League is that you can guarantee that during the course of the season, there’s a surprise or two around the corner. On any given day, a David and Goliath scenario will arise.

The relegation issue, if last term is anything to go by, will be just as in-teresting as the battle for supremacy.

My money is on all three promoted sides to go

back down immediately. Only Norwich, with recent Premier League experi-ence, may have the savvy to survive.

INJURIES

The trio may be buzzing at the start of the season when the weather and pitches are good, however, injuries and suspensions will eventually kick in to scupper their ambitions.

A big thanks goes to Sky Sports for sponsoring our preview pages. The broadcaster has been piv-otal to top fl ight football for over 20 decades, and are still investing in the beautiful game.

The Voice of Sport will once again be bringing you the very best of the action.

Enjoy the season!

Rodney Hinds, sports editorPremier League: Manchester CityRelegation from Premier League: Bournemouth, Norwich, WatfordFA Cup: Manchester UnitedCapital One Cup: ArsenalChampions League: Barcelona

Joel Campbell, chief football writerPremier League: ChelseaRelegation from Premier League:

Bournemouth, Leicester, WatfordFA Cup: Manchester CityCapital One Cup: EvertonChampions League: Bayern Munich

John Portch, football writerPremier League: ChelseaRelegation from Premier League: Leicester, Norwich and WatfordFA Cup: Manchester UnitedCapital One Cup: ChelseaChampions League: Bayern Munich

GOOD PRE-SEASON: Arsenal boss Wenger

CHIRPY CANARIES HAVE A BATTLE ON THEIR HANDS: Norwich City’s Cameron Jerome (left), Martin Olsson and Nathan Redmond (centre)

THE VOICE OF SPORT PREDICTS…

The Voice’s sports editor, Rodney Hinds, says that season

2015-16 is set to be a thriller



OF THE BESTThe Voice of Sport casts an eye towards the future, looking at half a dozen young stars who could light up the Barclays Premier League during the 2015-16 campaign

By Terrelle Iziren

1 - AMBITIOUS: Mings

2 - INJURIES: Toon star Aarons

3 - LOAN STAR: Young gun Akpom

4 - DEBUT DAY: Blues brother Loftus-Cheek

5 - EYE CATCHING: Ibe is set to be an Anfi eld star

6 - SETBACK: Moore

1 - Tyrone Mings (AFC Bournemouth)

He has never played in the Premier League but Tyrone Mings certainly per-forms like a player destined for the highest level. Released by Southampton at 16 for being too short, Mings has certainly grown in stature since. The 6ft 3in defender spent three years in the Championship with Ipswich Town and in May 2015 helped his side to a play-off semi-fi nal. Mings, 22, joins a growing band of players – which includes Ian Wright, Dwight Gayle and Chris Smalling – who have made the meteoric rise from non-league to the Premier League. De-scribed by Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe as “ambitious”, there’s no reason why the fl ying full-back can’t take the top-fl ight by storm on Bournemouth’s shores.

2 - Rolando Aarons (Newcastle United)

After a shocking second half of last season for Newcastle United, looking to youth may be the sensible option especially when club owner Mike Ashley appears reluctant to spend any money. Jamaica-born Aarons, 19, is no stranger to the fi rst-team. While he has many years ahead of him, injuries have stalled his progress at times. In October 2014 he made his League Cup debut, scoring in a memorable 2-0 fourth-round victory against Manchester City. If the protege can remain injury free this season, he can surely add more creativity to Newcastle’s attack.

3 - Chuba Akpom (Arsenal)

Arsenal do have an abundance of attacking talent including Alex Oxlade-Chaimberlain, Theo Walcott and Welbeck but Chuba Akpom is a gifted individual and graduate from Arsenal’s famed academy who cannot be ignored. At 19, Akpom is no stranger to competitive football having been loaned out three times, most nota-bly to Nottingham Forest in the Championship in March where he featured seven times. However, the striker will have to add goals to his game. At the time of writing, the young talent was concluding as a season-long loan move to Steve Bruce’s Championship outfi t, Hull City.

4 - Reuben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea)

A central midfi elder blessed with an accurate passing range, the highly-rated Loftus-Cheek made his mark in the Chelsea team during last season’s climax. Making his league debut against Liverpool after the Stamford Bridge outfi t had just secured the Premier League crown, Loftus-Cheek, 19, performed as though he’d been playing top-fl ight football for many seasons. It’s true that he was part of an England U21 squad who un-derperformed during the European Championships this summer but that doesn’t stop Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho singing his praises. With Chelsea’s midfi eld requiring a bit more depth and the club looking to boost their quota of homegrown players, expect to see a lot more of Loftus-Cheek.

5 - Jordon Ibe (Liverpool)

The skilful winger has already made his mark in Liver-pool’s fi rst-team with some eye-catching performances and with the departure of Raheem Sterling, things can

only get better for Ibe. Making his professional debut at 15 for Wycombe Wan-derers in 2011, just like Sterling, Ibe has the versatility to play on either fl ank and will undoubtedly be keen to hit the ground running and have a successful Premier League campaign with Liverpool after a disappointing European U-21 Championships with England.

6 - Luke Moore (Leicester City)

After an unsuccessful spell with Championship side Brentford, who narrowly missed out on a play-off fi nal and subsequent Premier League promotion, cen-tral defender Luke Moore can be forgiven for feeling disappointed at a lack of fi rst team opportunities. He appeared only three times for Brentford before his loan period was cut short. Despite that setback, the talented 22 year-old can take comfort from the fact that new coach Claudio Ranieri has taken up the reins at the King Power Stadium. Should the Italian boss be looking for options to his senior centre halves, he can always turn to Moore.

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CHELSEA STILL THE TEAM TO

BEAT

The Voice of Sport’s John Portch looks at the runners and riders in what will be an-other Premier League classic

CHELSEA ARE there to be shot at but can an-yone usurp the Pre-mier League champi-

ons? Jose Mourinho’s charges remain the side with the few-est weaknesses and have a strength running through their squad, from Thibaut Courtois to the reigning Player of the Year Eden Hazard, that exceeds their domestic rivals. Nemanja Matic may need greater mid-fi eld support in Champions League matches and Diego Costa’s fi tness problems are a concern but the Blues are clear Premier League favourites.

A confi dent Arsenal lead the challenge with their most sta-ble squad in years. The Gun-ners must build on last week-end’s defeat of Chelsea in the Community Shield. Arsene Wenger’s side were 11 points behind the eventual champions after six matches last time and never caught up.

Olivier Giroud, Theo Wal-cott and Danny Welbeck must answer concerns about their effectiveness against the best teams, while questions remain about their midfi eld security

should Francis Coquelin, one of last season’s revelations, be unavailable.

This appears to be Manuel Pellegrini’s fi nal season at Eastlands and even the £49mil-lion signing of Raheem Ster-ling cannot dismiss the feeling that Manchester City are biding their time.

An ageing defence has not been renewed, nor has much been done to ease the bur-dens on David Silva and Ser-gio Aguero. A top four fi nish seems certain but a title push remains in doubt.

CHALLENGE

Of more interest are events across Manchester at Old Traf-ford, where Louis van Gaal continues to shape his Man-chester United team. The Red Devils still seem short of crea-tive impetus but a top four fi n-ish could transform into a title challenge if their Dutch coach fi nds the right alchemy.

The sides jostling on the oth-er side of the velvet rope face an ordeal to prevent last sea-son’s top four from renewing their membership.

There is tremendous pressure on Brendan Rodgers to prove that last season was a blip in Liverpool’s progress, but the Irishman was given time as the transfer follies of last sum-

mer could not be entirely laid at his door. Sterling has disap-peared up the M62 but his loss was not as devastating as the 2014 departure of Luis Suarez. Should summer signings such as Christian Benteke and Rob-erto Firmino gel with Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Hender-son then the post-Gerrard era could prove fruitful. Still, the Reds seem short of a top four challenge.

Harry Kane has been at the

centre of a summer-long de-bate about his ability to repli-cate his stellar campaign from last season. An equally press-ing concern for Tottenham is the general strength of the squad, with progress being hinged on the continued devel-opment of young talents such as Ryan Mason and Nabil Ben-taleb. European qualifi cation seems to be the limit of Mauri-cio Pochettino’s men.

Southampton have once

again been subjected to squad raids but the Saints’ adroit in-frastructure all but guarantees a solid campaign. The biggest challenge for Ronald Koeman could stem from Europa League participation.

Everton endured a dismal season last time and must im-prove, with Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley expected to renew confi dence in Roberto Martinez’s regime and push the Toffees into Europe. The return of Gerard Deulofeu is wel-comed at Goodison Park.

Swansea and Stoke epito-mise the comfortable mid-table security that those squabbling below them aspire to, not that either will settle for such status in August.

TROUBLE

Garry Monk’s Swans will need to plunder more goals if they are to match last season’s high-est-ever Premier League fi nish of eighth, while Mark Hughes faces a challenge to build on last season’s ninth place in the absence of the departing Ste-ven Nzonzi despite the Potters’ evolving style.

Former Stoke manager Tony Pulis seems certain to keep West Brom clear of relegation trouble and may be kept com-pany in mid-table by another former club in Crystal Palace, if

Alan Pardew is able to build on his promising start at Selhurst Park.

As ever, the three promoted clubs will struggle, even if Eddie Howe’s Championship winners Bournemouth make friends along the way with their attractive style.

The biggest doubt about Watford is their stability under Quique Flores, their fi fth head coach in under a year.

To complete the trio, Norwich may lack the requisite strength despite their ascendency under Alex Neil but what gives these sides hope is the lack of quality in their immediate rivals.

The north east duo of New-castle and Sunderland could feasibly be dragged into a dogfi ght should they fail to sparkle in the opening weeks, while West Ham seem an un-known quantity under Slaven Bilic and may either fl ourish or fl ounder.

Tim Sherwood ignited the fi ghting qualities that ensured Aston Villa’s survival last term but the sales of Benteke and Fabian Delph will limit expec-tations.

It is diffi cult to see Leices-ter surviving without Nigel Pearson and the bizarre ap-pointment of a waning Claudio Ranieri does not inspire confi -dence.

Champions need to be wary of Arsenal’s

capital gains

MASTER MOURINHO: His Chelsea team have few weaknesses

NEW RED: Liverpool’s Benteke

SECURITY: Arsenal enforcer Coquelin (left) in action against Man United

“ Chelsea are there to be shot at but

can anyone usurp the Premier League

champions? ”



‘FOOTBALL HAS THE ABILITY TO INSPIRE’

The Barclays Premier League kicks off this Saturday. There will be hope and anticipa-tion in equal measure as fans

throughout the country, and in-creasingly across the globe, welcome back the football.

Some of the fi nest talent in the game, playing for clubs known the world over will be putting on a competitive and compelling football spectacle in full and vibrant stadi-ums. Players like Hazard, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Depay and Sterling will be exciting crowds and playgrounds alike.

Which is why we are launching the 2015/16 season today at Southfi elds Academy in south-west London.

As well as having the managers and captains from four Premier League clubs there to talk about their hopes for the football in the coming nine months, it is not incidental that we have chosen a secondary school in an urban setting.

Football, like virtually no other sport, has an ability to inspire and

engage young people. Often in areas where the routes to success are not al-ways as clear as they should be. These are places where professional football clubs have strong links and an ability to make a real difference.

Southfi elds Academy is a school with a vibrant ethnic mix that has chosen to be a sports focused institu-tion.

DEVELOP

This is because it believes it can act as a beacon for its own pupils and those in feeder primary schools not just to excel in a sporting sense, but to utilise the attributes required to achieve in that fi eld right across the curriculum.

This decision has led to investment by the Premier League and FA Facili-ties Fund into an artifi cial grass pitch, which is also available for community use. Chelsea runs its Premier League Kicks scheme, a participation and so-cial intervention programme, there.

Southfi elds Academy is a living breathing example of how profes-sional football can develop and de-liver a community hub, helping forge

those important links between a foot-ball club and its communities, create sporting habits that last a lifetime and be used to bring people together.

Football’s power to bring people together is something that tends to

be forgotten at this point, just ahead of the start of the season, when the airwaves, the papers as well as the digital and social channels are full of rivalries renewed and predictions of success or failure.

The Premier League and our clubs recognise our responsibilities in this area. English football has had a strong track record of being at the forefront of raising the issue of rac-ism and tackling it.

DISCRIMINATION

The work of Kick It Out for many years set the standard for all sports and other countries to follow. Other areas of discrimination have not al-ways been recognised or addressed quickly enough.

As society changes and progresses, so must the game, and while we may not always get it spot on straight away there is no shortage of will in making sure we end up in the right place.

The profi le and popularity of Pre-mier League players, managers and clubs provide a platform to inform and educate, from the formative stages of a child’s development right through to challenging established prejudice.

Providing pathways to professional football for BAME and female coach-es through our Elite Coaches Appren-tice Scheme is another example of the

Premier League recognising an issue, working with those affected and de-livering a solution. The key is to keep communicating and keep learning.

The League has been blessed with some wonderful footballers from all cultures and backgrounds – last sea-son Victor Wanyama, the Kenyan midfi elder, became the 91st national-ity to score in the Premier League.

Modern players recognise their role and ability to set standards of behav-iour and campaign on issues close to their hearts, or on those that have af-fected them.

CONTACTS

Individuals like Rio Ferdinand and Didier Drogba, both of whom left the Premier League last season, will con-tinue to use their name, contacts, ex-perience and intelligence to positive effect – much like Thierry Henry and Marcel Desailly before them.

The Premier League, more and more, will continue to attract and cre-ate players of that calibre.

Those who see it is as their duty not only to entertain and thrill crowds and TV viewers with their skill and physical prowess, but also to use that profi le to educate and include.

The Premier League and our clubs already encourage and facilitate where we can, but must learn to do more if football is to do more than re-fl ect society and start shaping it too.

MESSAGE OF HOPE: Richard Scudamore

The chief executive of the Premier League, Richard Scudamore, writes for the Voice of Sport



CRÈME DE LA PREM

AS MY colleague and I sat in the press box watching the season opener between Arse-

nal and Chelsea, I mentioned that I believed Branislav Ivanovic� is the best right back the Premier League has ever seen.

This prompted the debate over who exactly would fi t into that elite starting eleven. With so many great players to have graced the top-fl ight, there will always be a debate over who plays and who gets overlooked.

So here is my starting elev-en that would, if I dare say so myself, beat any other starting eleven you can think of!

☛ Peter Schmeichel – Longev-ity, honours won and a weirdly amalgamated accent are what endear me most to the great Dane. A fantastic leader, United would not have dominated the way they did if it wasn’t for Schmeichel. A wonderful player

in his pomp, the Manchester United faithful can only dream about unearthing another gem like this in the future.

☛ Ashley Cole – Simply the best and if he’d been universally loved like David Beckham, Alan Shearer and Steven Gerard he would still be the best. I don’t have enough superlatives for this player. On pitch few had what he had. The league is a poorer place without him as is the England team.

☛ Rio Ferdinand – What I call a true don. Rolls Royce in the way he read the game, pre-emptive and dynamic. They don’t make defenders like Rio that often in this country. Walks into my starting eleven every single time.

☛ Jaap Stam – If only we had got to see more of this man mountain. One of the most ro-bust defenders I have ever seen

in the Pemier League and United struggled to fi ll his boots once the Dutchman had been ousted by then boss Sir Alex Ferguson. He taught those around him a heck of a lot in only 80 games for the club but the effects of his les-sons were long lasting.

☛ Branislav Ivanovic� – First off defenders should be able to defend, only then can I begin to appreciate any-thing else they do. While the league has seen some very good full-backs over the years none encapsulate the full armoury of attributes that Ivanovic� pos-sesses. A rock at the back, an attacking threat both aerially and from free kicks, the level that the Serbian operates at for me makes him the best right back ever to play in the league.

☛ Patrick Vieira – Boss. True leader and a player, who de-

spite his indiscipline at times, always improved. I don’t think there was a year when Vieira didn’t get better and better. For those who don’t understand why Arsene Wenger perse-veres with players when all and sundry are calling time, look no further than the rise and rise of Vieira. His battles with Manchester United’s Roy Keane were legendary. His presence in the middle of the park struck fear into others.

☛ Roy Keane – In this new age of two holding midfi elders, can you imagine Roy Keane and

Vieira at the peak of their pow-ers protecting the back four? It would have been immense. Keane was a warrior, the type of player who operated on the edge. Took no prisoners and in-spired a winning mentality in all around him.

☛ Gareth Bale – Hopefully this Welsh gem is back in the Pre-mier League one day. It’s true, he didn’t have enough ‘hot’ years to be included in a Pre-

mier League best ever eleven but for me the years he was hot for saw him elevate above many left sided forward play-ers who have come before him. The only other player who could be picked over him is fellow coun-trymen Ryan Giggs. Of the two, I’d have

Bale every time.

☛ Cristiano Ronaldo – Will we ever see a player like Ronaldo again in this country? Excit-

ing, brash and confi dent all at the same time. It doesn’t matter who is picking their team this man will be in it. The man was a machine on a mission when he was at Man United and his meteoric growth into one of the best players in the world is an indictment on his desire. Easy selection, no brainer.

☛ Thierry Henry – An integral part of ‘The Invincibles’ Henry had that Gaelic swagger and smoothness coupled with amaz-ing ability and raw pace. An-other benefi ciary of the Wenger project, Henry blossomed into an internationally feared striker and he learnt his trade here, in the Prem.

☛ Ruud Van Nistelrooy – Goal machine with a fearsome pres-ence on the fi eld. Defenders had to be on their toes when Van Nistelrooy was about. Other strikers have scored more goals and command a better posi-tion in the all-time goal scorers rankings, the Dutchman was the most devastating of them all.

The Voice of Sport’s Joel Campbell names his all-time best Premier League XI

those around him a heck of a lot in only 80 games for the

“ There will always be debate over who plays and who gets

overlooked ”

Schmeichel

Ivanovic�

Ronaldo

Van Nistelrooy

Henry

Ferdinand

Vieira

Stam

Keane

Bale

Cole



PREMIER LEAGUE JOURNALThe Voice of Sport previews this weekend’s top fl ight fi xtures

WING MAN: Eagle Zaha MAIN MAN: Arsenal playmaker Ozil IN THE RED: Can of Liverpool

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Saturday, August 8MANCHESTER UTD – TOTTENHAM 12.45Last season’s notes on both of these sides would read ‘must do better.’ The hosts, at least salvaged another disappointing season with the genuine hope of Champions League foot-ball after fi nishing fourth. Boss Louis van Gaal will be un-der more scrutiny having had a season to bed in. The sign-ings of Memphis Depay, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin could be pivotal. As for Spurs, not much has happened yet in terms of transfer business. No doubt striker Harry Kane will have to again be prolifi c in order to get the Cockerels crowing. Draw.

BOURNEMOUTH – ASTON VILLAThis opening day fi xture is ideal for top fl ight new boys Bournemouth. Eddie Howe’s men will come up against a side that have sold their best two players, just staved off relega-tion last term and were walloped by Arsenal in the FA Cup fi nal. It will be a long hard season for Howe’s troops but they can land three points against the Midlanders. Villa chief Tim Sherwood will hope that his men have got over their night-mare end to the 2014-15 campaign. Happy hosts!

EVERTON – WATFORDNo doubt newly promoted Watford will be full of enthusiasm when they take on one of last season’s biggest disappoint-ments. Watford have a new boss in the shape of Spaniard Quique Flores. He will be reliant on captain, and ace goal poacher, Troy Deeney to pick up where he left off in the Championship. As for Everton, as ever, they will be hoping that Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley can sprinkle some of their magic dust. Toffees make things sticky early for the Hornets.

LEICESTER – SUNDERLANDAt one stage last season the Foxes looked odds-on to be rel-egated. But a fi ne run of form in spring saw them pull off the great escape. Since then controversial manager Nigel Pear-son has been sacked and replaced by former ‘Tinker Man’ Claudio Ranieri. It seems a strange appointment to me, but time will tell. The visitors, once again, face a fi ght for sur-vival. Striker Jermain Defoe’s goals will be key. Opening day win for Ranieri.

NORWICH – CRYSTAL PALACECity did things the hard way last season, claiming the fi nal PL berth via a play-off win at Wembley. In Cameron Jerome and skipper Russell Martin they have players with experience of the division. However, like the other two promoted clubs, Norwich will concede too many and not score enough goals. Palace were regal at times during 2014-15. Manager Alan Pardew had the likes of Yannick Bolasie, Jason Punchoen and Wilfried Zaha fi ring. The addition of French midfi eld Johan Cabaye shows just where the south Londoners are headed – upwards. Away win.

CHELSEA – SWANSEA 17.30The champions come against the team from South Wales who bloodied a big nose or two last term. Swansea put Man United and Arsenal to shame during what was a satisfac-tory season for Garry Monk’s men. Jose Mourinho’s standard bearers have it all to do again, but I fancy the serene Swans to puncture the early season optimism at Stamford Bridge by earning a score draw.

Sunday, August 9ARSENAL – WEST HAM 13.30This London derby generally entertains and I would bet this is the case on the opening day. Having secured another FA

Cup success at the back end of last season, Arsene Wenger’s men will now have their eyes fi rmly fi xed on the Premier League crown. They will have to get off to a better start than they did last year and be consistent. There’s a feel-good fac-tor around the Emirates right now and with a new contract in his back pocket, forwards Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil could prove to be the main men for the Gunners. West Ham head back to East London with no points.

NEWCASTLE – SOUTHAMPTON 13.30Just how Southampton proved to be so consistent last term is beyond me. After all, they sold their best players but still had enough about them to claim a Europa League spot. That said, that very same competition, could prove to be their Achilles heel this time round. Newcastle, now under the stewardship of Steve McClaren, are in for another season of woe, starting on opening day!

STOKE – LIVERPOOL 16.00The last time these two teams met, Stoke hit the Anfi eld club for six. That was on the fi nal day of last season and the Mer-seysiders have once again been shopping. Brendan Rodgers now has striker Christian Benteke in his ranks and the likes of Emre Can have more experience. Stoke, who were pleasing on the eye under Mark Hughes, should be mindful of a club our for revenge. Benteke off the mark in an away win.

Monday, August 10WEST BROM – MAN CITY 20.00West Brom boss Tony Pulis has got his team organised. The Baggies, when they get it right, will be a handful not just to-day but throughout the season. In Saido Berahino they have a match winner who is destined for bigger and better things. Manuel Pellegrini’s fallen champions have added £49m for-ward Raheem Sterling to their number and I expect him to end his fi rst PL match for the Citizens as a winner.

All matches start at 15.00 unless otherwise stated



© GV Media Group Limited, 2006. The Voice is published by GV Media Group Ltd, Unit 236 Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre, London SE1 6TE Telephone 020 7510 0340. Printed by Iliffe Print Cambridge www.iliffeprint.co.uk . ISSN 0263-8169. Distributed by Comag Distributors Ltd, Tavistock Road,West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE, Telephone 01895 433 600 Reproduction of the contents of this newspaper in any manner is not permitted without the prior written consent of GV Media Group Ltd. For circulation subscription enquiries please contact [email protected]. Registered as anewspaper at the Post Offi ce.

By Rodney Hinds

FRESH FROM his Community Shield winner, Arsenal star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has vowed to score more

goals during the upcoming 2015-16 campaigm. Oxlade-Chamber-lain scored a wonder strike as the Gunners shot down Chelsea at Wembley and he has the taste for more.

Injury problems restricted Ox-lade-Chamberlain to just 17 Pre-

mier League starts for Arsenal last season, along with six further appearances from the substitutes bench, and he scored just once over the course of the campaign.

But he is hopeful that the new season will be different.

“I’m not afraid to say that I need to score more goals,” Oxlade-Chamberlain admitted, as he re-fl ected on his side’s 1-0 victory.

“I’ve set myself that target this year on a personal level so every time I’m on the pitch it’s important

that I try and contribute in some way and a goal or an assist is what I need to do.

“It was really nice to score [on Sunday] and as it’s the winner, it’s

that little bit more special.“We did enough, we defended

really well as a team and kept them to minimal chances. That’s really positive going into the season be-cause in the big games that’s what it comes down to sometimes.”

Of Arsenal’s hopes of land-ing the Premier Leage crown for the fi rst time in 12 years, Oxlade-Chamberlain added: “I have ab-solute faith and confi dence in this team and I think that can be shared throughout the squad.

“As a group of players we’ve been together for a good number of years, so there’s a real team spir-it and sense of togetherness.”

Cole and Elliott hit landmarks

really well as a team and kept them to minimal chances. That’s really positive going into the season be-cause in the big games that’s what it comes down to sometimes.”

ing the Premier Leage crown for

“It was really nice to score”

OF SPORT

AUGUST 6-12, 2015

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RAMPANT OX HAS GOALS IN MIND

JUMPING FOR JOY: Oxlade-Chamberlain (far right) enjoys

his golden moment at Wembley

Gunners looking to give Chelsea the Blues this term

the big kick off 2015 -2016

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