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Alex Song

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Alex Song
Alex Song
Song for Arsenal in the 2009–10 season
Personal information
Full name Alexandre Dimitri Song Billong[1]
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder, Centre back
Team information
Current team
 Arsenal
Number 17
Youth career
2003–2004 Bastia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2004 Bastia B 24 (0)
2004–2006 Bastia 32 (0)
2005–2006 → Arsenal (loan) 5 (0)
2006– Arsenal 96 (6)
2007 → Charlton Athletic (loan) 12 (0)
International career‡
2002–2003 France U16 6 (0)
2003–2004 Cameroon U17 3 (0)
2008 Cameroon U23 3 (0)
2005– Cameroon 24 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:42, 12 February 2011 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:42, 12 February 2011 (UTC)

Alexandre Dimitri Song Billong (born 9 September 1987), more commonly known as Alex Song, is a Cameroonian footballer who plays for English Premier League side Arsenal and the Cameroon national team as a midfielder. He is the cousin of Rigobert Song though refers to him as an uncle.[3] He plays as a defensive midfielder in front of the back four and has also played as a stand-in centre back and right back. Originally a utility player on the fringes of the first team, he quickly became an integral part of the first team during the preseason to the 2008–09 campaign. He played for the Cameroon national football team in 2010 FIFA World Cup.[4][5] Song also possesses a French passport.[2]Song is regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world along with the likes of Michael Essien,Gilberto Silva and Claude Makélélé.[6]He also proved to have a good a good eye for goals scoring 3 goals in 3 matches in 2010-2011 season.

Background

Song was born in Douala, Cameroon and lost his father at the age of three. Since then, his cousin Rigobert Song has been like a second father and was a major influence in choosing football as a career.Unable to find a club or academy where he could hone his skills, Petit Song, as he is known in the Cameroon side, opted to move to France, joining SC Bastia at the age of 16.[4] One of the players who inspired Song the most when he was young was Michael Essien.[7] Alex Song wanted to give his children a good upbringing in life, which he claims eluded him; he married at the age of 18 and is now father to two children, the oldest being two-year-old Nolan.[8] Song is one of 28 children in his family, he has 17 sisters and 10 brothers.[9]

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. Bastia was playing in French Ligue 1 during the time Alex Song had a stint there. Song was noted for his high versatility[10] While playing for Bastia, he was selected as a part of French U-16 football team. He later chose to represent Cameroon his country of birth. He played as a centre back but later made several appearances as a defensive midfielder. He was highly regarded in this position by numerous coaches and supporters of Bastia. During his time at Bastia, he attracted attention from numerous clubs, including Inter, Juventus, Manchester United, Lyon, and Middlesbrough.[11] Unwilling to sell their prize asset, Bastia agreed to loan him to the Gunners for one season only in 2005.[4] Despite being linked heavily with Lyon, he was sold to Arsenal for £1,000,000.[12][13] During his time at Bastia Song made a total of 32 league appearances.

Arsenal

Song 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 on 11 August 2005.[14] Arsenal agreed to a £1 million fee[15] in June 2006 and signed him to a four-year contract. Song made his Premiership debut during Arsenal's 2–0 win against Everton on 19 September 2005 as a substitute. He played in several UEFA Champions League matches and made several Premiership starts near the end of the season, when first team players 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 9 January 2007.[16]

On 30 January 2007, it was confirmed that Charlton Athletic had signed Song on loan until the end of the 2006–07 season.[17] 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.

2009–10 season

Song scored in Arsenal's 5–2 away win over Fenerbahce in the Champions League.[18] Song's first league goal, and third in all competitions for the Gunners, was scored against Wigan Athletic on the 11th of April 2009 in which he took on several players and then coolly finished in the bottom corner. Arsenal won the match 4–1.[19]

Song began the season well, playing in all but one of Arsenal's first 12 league games. He was voted third in the Arsenal.com player of the month award for October, behind winner Cesc Fàbregas and runner-up Robin van Persie. After putting in consistently commanding performances at the heart of midfield, allowing Arsenal's creative attackers to operate effectively, Alex Song is now one of the first names on the team sheet.

Alex Song (behind) marking Javier Mascherano

On 25 November 2009, Song signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal, lasting until 2014. On 30 December 2009, he scored his second goal in the league for Arsenal when he completed the scoring in a 4–1 win over Portsmouth.

2010–11 season

Now complete with a blonde hair styling, Song has continued to be one of the first names on the team sheet, making a superb start to the 2010–11 season. He scored the 1000th Arsenal Premier League goal under Arsène Wenger in a 4–1 win against Bolton Wanderers on 11 September 2010. On the downside, the following game he was sent off for two bookable offences. The strong midfielder has become a more adventurous element in the Arsenal midfield, helping the forward line with his movement. On 19 October 2010, he scored the first goal of the match for Arsenal against the Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in a 5–1 win for Arsenal. On October 24, 2010, Song scored his third goal of the season, the second goal at Eastlands stadium against Manchester City for a 3-0 Arsenal victory. On 30 October 2010, he scored a vital 88th minute diving header for Arsenal from a cross by Gaël Clichy against West Ham United in the league, leading to a 1–0 victory for Arsenal. On 27 December 2010 Song scored the first goal in a 3–1 victory over Chelsea.[20] The 2010–11 season has been so far the most successful season in terms of goals scored and performances for the Cameroonian international.[21]

The Arsenal fans have dedicated Alex Song the chant "One song, we've only got one song" which is increasingly heard in away games and at the Emirates stadium.[22]

International career

Song was first capped by Cameroon in 2005.[23] He was named in the Cameroon squad for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations. He played for Cameroon in their first group match, a 4–2 defeat against holders Egypt; he replaced Stéphane Mbia at half time, joining his uncle Rigobert on the pitch. For the duration of the tournament he was a revelation in defence for Cameroon, earning a Man of the Match award in Cameroon's semi final, but then going off injured in the final against Egypt. He was nonetheless named in the Tournament Best XI, alongside Newcastle midfielder and compatriot Geremi.

Song was called-up for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and was the only Cameroonian named in the Team of the Tournament.

Club career statistics

As of 1 February 2011
Club Season League Cup* Europe Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists
Bastia 2004–05 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 32 0 0
Total 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 32 0 0
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 9 0 0 3 0 1 3 0 0 15 0 1
2008–09 31 1 1 6 0 2 11 1 0 48 2 3
2009–10 26 1 1 2 0 0 10 0 1 38 1 2
2010–11 24 4 3 4 0 0 4 1 2 32 5 5
Total 97 6 5 20 1 3 31 2 3 148 9 11
Charlton Athletic (loan) 2006–07 12 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 0 1
Career total 138 6 6 20 1 3 31 2 3 189 9 12

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

Honours

International

Cameroon

Individual

  • African Cup of Nations Best XI: 2008, 2010

References

  1. ^ "Statistics" (PDF). Premier League. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
  2. ^ a b "Song". FootballDatabase. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
  3. ^ Barlow, Matt (17th april 2009). "Arsenal star Song so happy to sing the praises of family values". Daily Mail. London. Retrieved 24 july 2010. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  4. ^ a b c http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/southafrica2010/players/player=200261/profile.html
  5. ^ http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player/_/id/43447/alexandre-song-billong?cc=3436
  6. ^ http://bleacherreport.com/articles/295619-is-alexandre-song-one-of-the-best-defensive-midfielders-in-the-world
  7. ^ http://www.sport.co.uk/news/Football/49090/Song_Essien_inspired_me_to_succeed.aspx
  8. ^ Barlow, Matt (2009-04-17). "Arsenal star Song so happy to sing the praises of family values". Daily Mail. London.
  9. ^ http://www.arsenal.com/first-team/players/24021/alexandre-song/trivia
  10. ^ http://www.footballfancast.com/2010/11/football-blogs/the-liberation-of-alex-song
  11. ^ "Wenger moves for Song". Sky Sports. Retrieved 10 August 2006.
  12. ^ http://www.goal.com/en/people/cameroon/5927/alexandre-song-bilong
  13. ^ http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=292220&plid=41116&clid=3&cpid=8
  14. ^ "Arsenal take Song on season loan". BBC Sport. 2005-08-11. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
  15. ^ Fifield, Dominic (2006-12-09). "Academies are not working and need big change, says Benítez". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
  16. ^ "Liverpool 3–6 Arsenal". BBC Sport. 9 January 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  17. ^ "Arsenal's Song in Charlton move". BBC Sport. 2007-01-30.
  18. ^ "Fenerbahce 2–5 Arsenal". BBC Sport. 21 October 2008. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  19. ^ "Wigan 1–4 Arsenal". BBC Sport. 11 April 2009. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  20. ^ McNulty, Phil (27 December 2010). "Arsenal 3 – 1 Chelsea". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
  21. ^ Ornstein, David (30 September 2010). "Arsenal 1 – 0 West Ham". London: BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  22. ^ . Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuoPm9P9cVA. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  23. ^ "Song Billong, Alexandre". National Football Teams. Retrieved 2011-01-27.
  24. ^ "Song won U-17 African Championships".
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