Patience paying off as Jenkinson comes good for Arsenal

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ZonalMarking.net's Michael Cox uses FourFourTwo's StatsZone app â now FREE â to asses Arsenal's rapidly improving fullback

For anyone yet to watch Arsenal so far this season, it will come as a surprise to learn that Carl Jenkinson has been linked with a full England call-up this week.

With an English father and a Finnish mother, Jenkinson has options at international level. After a single game for EnglandâÂÂs U17 team, heâÂÂs since played for the Finnish U19 and U21 sides, and Roy HodgsonâÂÂs supposed interest is probably because he wants to tie Jenkinson to the country of his birth. One competitive minute for England, and heâÂÂs committed to the Three Lions for life. Like Jamaica-born Raheem Sterling, he might be fast-tracked into the full side â although the last player England did this with was Andy Johnson, eligible for Poland, who had an underwhelming international career.

Jenkinson was thrown in at the deep end last season. He was signed for around ã1m as a back-up for Bacary Sagna, and less than a year after playing on loan at Eastbourne Borough and Welling United, suddenly found himself in ArsenalâÂÂs first team due to SagnaâÂÂs injury, and Emmanuel EboueâÂÂs departure.

Understandably, after such a quick jump up the football pyramid, JenkinsonâÂÂs game was very raw. On the ball he was decent, and when it came to physical challenges he coped. It was his positioning that was the problem â he didnâÂÂt overlap frequently enough when Arsenal had the ball, and he didnâÂÂt tuck in enough when the opposition were attacking. His red card at Old Trafford in ArsenalâÂÂs embarrassing 8-2 defeat summed up his performance that day â by no real fault of his own, he was completely out of his depth.

Gibbs got into the final third consistently, to great effect â two of his crosses were turned into the net by Southampton players â but he actually attempted half as many passes as Jenkinson throughout the game, with the right-back playing a steady role, keeping ArsenalâÂÂs passing moves going.

That game might be something of an anomaly this season â few clubs will, or should, arrive at the Emirates in such an open manner as Southampton, whose wide midfielders did little defensive work. It was a completely different situation last weekend against Manchester City, where the Arsenal full-backsâ defensive game was given a far sterner test.

Gibbs got through more defensive work than Jenkinson, making more interceptions near the halfway line, but also intervening more frequently in the penalty box. The two players have made exactly the same number of tackles this season â 16 â but Gibbs has made 18 interceptions compared to JenkinsonâÂÂs four, the major difference between the two. While Jenkinson sits back, Gibbs shares his predecessor Gael Clichy âÂÂs knack of nipping in front of opponents to win the ball cleanly.

The duo will get another chance to impress Hodgson in SaturdayâÂÂs early kick-off at home to Chelsea. In truth, both would benefit from a season concentrating on club football â Gibbs needs an injury-free campaign, Jenkinson will want to consolidate his place. With Ashley Cole, Leighton Baines, Ryan Bertrand, Glen Johnson, Kyle Walker and Micah Richards all contenders at international level, England arenâÂÂt short of full-back options â but the Arsenal duo should be competing for a place in years to come.

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