Alex Song Biography

Name :
Alex Song

Born :
September 09, 1987

Birth place :
Douala, Cameroon

Height :
6' 0'' (1.83m)

Weight :
74 kg

Position :
Midfielder

Squad Number :
17

Previous Club(s) :
Charlton (loan)
Bastia

Joined Arsenal :
August 12, 2005

2005/06
Alex first endured a trial during pre-season where he played in three friendlies as part of a tour of Austria. He then joined the Club on loan with a view to a permanent deal in August 2005.

The midfielder made six starts and three substitute appearances during his first season in England after making his debut coming on for the final few minutes of a 2-0 Premier League win over Everton at Highbury in September.

Arsène Wenger made his singing permanent at the end of the season after an impressive start to the Cameroon man’s Arsenal career.

2006/07
First-team opportunities were few and far between at Arsenal and Alex was the loaned out to Premier League side Charlton in January.

Before Christmas he made just four starts, though he did score his first goal in an Arsenal shirt during a 6-3 victory at Anfield in the Carling Cup. He grabbed the Gunners' third in fortuitous fashion as Sami Hyypia's attempted clearance bounced in off the midfielder after Cesc Fabregas' corner had cleared a bunch of players at the near post.

He spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Charlton where he impressed greatly despite their relegation to the Championship. “It was good for me to play every week. I played maybe 12 or 13 games,” he said of his time with the Addicks.

2007/08
Alex made further inroads into Arsène Wenger’s first team as he featured 15 times throughout the season. Although playing the majority of those matches as a holding midfielder he also operated in defence.

He impressed in Arsenal's run to the Carling Cup Semi-Finals and having earned a late call-up to Cameroon's squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, was named in the tournament's Best XI.

Injury sidelined Alex on his return from that competition though he was a surprise inclusion to face Manchester United in a vital title clash in April. He barely put a foot wrong at Old Trafford and went on to play every minute of Arsenal's last five Premier League fixtures.

In June, he signed a new long-term contract with the Club.

2008/09
2008/09 was Alex’s breakthrough season. The then 21-year-old established himself as a key member of Arsène Wenger’s squad, making 48 appearances in all competitions.

He enjoyed his most productive and eye-catching campaign yet as he emerged as a genuine midfield enforcer - the perfect foil for Cesc Fabregas in the Arsenal engine room.

If anyone ever doubted Alex’s ability, he had proved his worth to Arsenal fans according to Arsène Wenger. “I brought him here aged 17 and worked very hard with him, we worked hard because I felt he had the talent to become a good player. I know that the opinions are changing about him now.”

2009/10
The appearance of Alex's name on the team sheet used to raise a few eyebrows among supporters. In 2009/10 the fans are worried when he was NOT in the starting line-up.

A sizeable chunk of voters - 12.7 per cent - picked Alex as their Player of the Season, Arsène Wenger suggested that he is the Premier League's most improved player and Frank McLintock compared him to Double-winning midfield enforcer Peter Storey.

And you can see why. In the past two seasons Alex carved himself a niche as Arsenal's No 1 defensive midfielder. Strong in the tackle, positionally aware and a good distributor of the ball, Alex is becoming a master at protecting his back four, breaking up opposition forays and initiating attacks.

Arsène Wenger's 4-3-3 formation allowed Alex to flourish in 2009/10 season in his preferred position behind the more attack-minded midfielders but he did get forward to score one goal - a thumping header against Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

That was his final Premier League contribution before heading to the Africa Cup of Nations and Alex was missed. His absence was also keenly felt when injury ruled him out of vital trips to Barcelona, Tottenham and Wigan. It's not outlandish to suggest that Arsenal would have made a better fist of those three games with their midfield rock in place.