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Alex Song

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Alex Song
Personal information
Full name Alexandre Dimitri Song Billong
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder,Centre back
Team information
Current team
 Arsenal
Number 17
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:52, 29 October 2008 (UTC)

Alexandre Dimitri Song Billong or simply Alex Song (born September 9, 1987 in Douala, Cameroon) is a Cameroonian footballer who currently plays for Arsenal of the English Premier League. He is the nephew of Trabzonspor player Rigobert Song. He plays as a centre back or a defensive midfielder for Arsenal.

Club career

Bastia

Song joined the Bastia youth team in 2003–04 and became a part of the first team the following season with 34 appearances. During his time at Bastia, he attracted attention from numerous clubs, including Inter, Manchester United, Lyon, and Middlesbrough.[3] However, he impressed Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger as a trialist during Arsenal's pre-season training camp in Austria, and Arsenal secured his services on loan for the 2005–06 season. Arsenal agreed to a £1 million fee[4] in June 2006 and signed him to a four year contract.

Arsenal

Song made his Premiership debut during Arsenal's 2–0 win against Everton on September 19, 2005 as a substitute. He played in several Champions League matches and made several Premiership starts near the end of the season, when players like Cesc Fàbregas and Gilberto Silva were injured or being rested.

He scored his first goal for Arsenal against Liverpool in Arsenal's 6–3 win at Anfield in the League Cup on January 9, 2007.

On January 30, 2007, it was confirmed that Charlton Athletic had signed Song on loan until the end of the 2006–07 season.[5] Although he impressed, Charlton were relegated and Song returned to Arsenal.

Over the 2007–08 season, Song started at centre back for Arsenal's Carling Cup matches, but missed their semi-final elimination by Tottenham while away with Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations. He also started at centre back in Premier League ties towards the end of the season, most notably in Arsenal's crucial visit to Old Trafford against Manchester United, while regular starter Kolo Touré filled in for Bacary Sagna at right back and Philippe Senderos was emotionally shaken by Arsenal's quarter-final exit from the Champions League.

International career

Although uncapped at the time, Song was named in the Cameroon squad for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations. He made his international debut for Cameroon in their first group match, a 4–2 defeat against holders Egypt; he replaced Stephane Mbia at half time, joining his uncle Rigobert on the pitch. For the duration of the tournament he was a revelation in defense for Cameroon, earning a Man of the Match award in Cameroon's semi final, but then unfortunately going off injured in the final against Egypt. He was nonetheless named in the Tournament Best XI, alongside Newcastle midfielder Geremi.

Arsenal career statistics

(Correct as of 26 October 2008)[6]
Club Season League Cup* Europe Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists
Arsenal 2005–06 5 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 9 0 0
2006–07 2 0 0 3 1 0 1 0 0 6 1 0
2007–08 10 0 0 - - - 3 0 0 13 0 0
2008–09 7 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 10 1 0
Total 24 0 0 6 1 0 8 1 0 38 2 0

(* FA Cup, League Cup and FA Community Shield)

Cameroon career statistics

(correct as of 10 February 2008)
National Football Team Africa Cup of Nations World Cup Qualifying matches Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying matches World Cup Friendly internationals Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists
Cameroon 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 1

Honours

Cameroon

With Arsenal

Personal

References

  1. ^ "PFA Profile". PFA. 2008-11-04. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
  2. ^ "la fiche de ALEXANDRE SONG BILLONG". lequipe.fr. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Wenger moves for Song". SkySports.com). {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "Academies are not working and need big change, says Benítez". The Guardian. 2006-12-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ "Arsenal's Song in Charlton move". BBC Sport. 2007-01-30. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "Statistics". Soccernet. Retrieved 2008-10-01.

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