Drafted in initially in the Champions League qualifier against Udinese, he then had to endure the shock and humiliation of playing against Manchester United. Even in the Udinese game, when he gave a broadly satisfactory performance given it was his first outing, he had the embarrassment of Bacary Sagna offering to swap sides (when he came on as a replacement for Gibbs, Sagna came running across the pitch suggesting that Carl might prefer to move across to his favoured right-back position).
After a start like that, any other 19 year old (with one notable exception) might be forgiven for feigning an injury, or putting in a bid to be loaned-out to another club.
But, credit to Jenkinson, he's stuck in there and - with Sagna now sadly sidelined for a few months - he's been given another opportunity to show his worth as a first-team player.
His talent is still raw, and he doesn't have the confidence of the other new (but much more experienced) full-back, Santos. But on Sunday, against Sunderland, he surely showed us Gooners that he's here to stay and is determined to make a real mark.
More crosses than Walcott
Initially erratic and occasionally soft in the challenge, his confidence in tackling and in distribution grew as the match wore on, and there's no doubt that Mertesacker is an incredibly strong and calming presence for him.
But what impressed me most was his energy and enthusiasm in the second half.
From the off, he raced up and down the touch-line, often out-pacing Walcott, to get to the bye-line and put in a cross. I don't have the Stats but I'd bet my house that he put in more crosses than Theo in the second half. And with both feet.
(The Guardian Chalkboard doesn’t distinguish ‘passes’ and ‘crosses’ but shows the following:
Jenkinson: 74 passes, 62 successful (83%) Including 8 across and into the penalty area from an offensive position
Walcott: 32 passes, 24 successful (75%) No crosses reaching a player (home or opposition) in the box.
That showed me that he has a passion for the side - determined to do well, determined to work for the team.
By the end of the game, he was showing a much surer touch, and clearly enjoying his performance.
Backing the back-line
Arsene has said today that the side's defensive frailties have not been all down to problems or gaps in the back four. That might be under-stating the problems felt at the back as a result of injury problems and bedding-in the last-minute signings (not to mention the fact that neither Mertesacker or Santos were around at the beginning of the season), and was probably intended as a vote of confidence in a line-up plagued by injuries. If it was meant as a compliment to Carl Jenkinson, then I'll second that.
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