Stan Collymore has claimed that Arsenal attacker Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is not good enough to hold down a regular first team spot for club and country.
The former Liverpool striker made the comments after England produced a poor performance during their 3-2 defeat against France on Tuesday night in an international friendly.
Winger Oxlade-Chamberlain was selected to start that match in the middle of the park, with Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate making a number of changes from the 2-2 draw against Scotland at the weekend.
During that crucial World Cup qualifier at Hampden, Oxlade-Chamberlain came off the bench to open the scoring for his side with Tottenham forward Harry Kane netting a stoppage time equaliser.
Nonetheless, after the Southampton academy product was offered the chance to start for his country, Collymore clearly wasn’t impressed with what he saw.
“Ox [is] slightly too good for the bench,” Collymore wrote on his personal Twitter account. “[But] not quite good enough to hold down a spot. Same with club.”
Ox
Slightly too good for the bench , not quite good enough to hold down a spot. Same with club.
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) June 13, 2017
For his club, manager Arsene Wenger has utilised Oxlade-Chamberlain in various positions from a right winger, left winger and a midfielder.
Throughout the 2016/17 campaign, he played 45 matches in all competitions for his side, scoring six goals added with his 11 assists.
Despite the Gunners missing out on a top-four spot to Liverpool on the last day of the Premier League season, the London club did beat English champions Chelsea in the FA Cup final at Wembley.
Nonetheless, Oxlade-Chamberlain has played 27 matches for England during his career, finding the back of the net on six occasions.