Topic: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

[AndyMuller]

He is a nice lad but I'm not sure if we should keep him after this season.

[Jookie]

Hard for a player coming back from serious injury when they don’t have a run of games to get match fitness and/or rhythm.

Can understand why we aren't picking him regularly at the moment and can understand the point about his injury record and this squad carrying too many injury prone players. However I think we could give AOC another season where he gets a full preseason under his belt. He offers something different in terms of playing style and he counts as a homegrown player. Something we’ve seen the importance of in the squad building process in the last few windows.

[RedForeverTT]

His forte is driving attacking runs into the oposition half, unfortunately he now just runs into the opposition. He is a talented footballer but seems to have lost his way and function in the side. I think Jurgen rates him but unless he gets games and contributes effectively he could be surplus to requirements sooner rather than later.

That part which we were so enthralled seems to be lost in his game. If this was a movie you would think some aliens sucked the mojo out of him.

[redmark]

That part which we were so enthralled seems to be lost in his game. If this was a movie you would think some aliens sucked the mojo out of him.

He's tried it a few times, but with a bit of rustiness he overruns the ball and runs straight into defenders. It will come, if he gets the game time to work out the rustiness, but clearly it's difficult for him to get that time if he contributes so little without it... You can see the frustration in his reactions when he makes a mistake, he is trying and aware of it.

[plura]

He is a nice lad but I'm not sure if we should keep him after this season.

It feels a bit so and so thinking about selling him. As you say he seems like a great lad, positive figure for the team and he's been through a rough patch here. But it's not looking massively positively for him to get match time soon and to really turn things around anytime soon.

[Fromola]

1 goal in 12 months is a misleading statistic given the fact that there were a number of months we didn't play in said 12 months and the fact that he was out for at least 3/4 months this season.

I did say in limited game time tbf. Since scoring against Southampton on the 1st Feb last year (last game before the two week break) he's played 24 games for us and scored once. Most of those appearances are either 20-30 minutes off the bench or 60-70 minutes from the start before being coming off.

He hasn't really looked like scoring or making an impact though. It's a bit like Origi. He's not really impacting the game at all.

[newterp]

It could simply be that the succession of injuries will have placed him in a position that he cannot get back to the top level.

[MiddleMan]

It could simply be that the succession of injuries will have placed him in a position that he cannot get back to the top level.

Could also simply be that the succession of injuries will have placed him in a position to need time to get back to the top level.

People always so eager to get rid or write off our players.

[RainbowFlick]

Would like him to get another run out against Leipzig. I don't think all is lost with him, it's just time and regaining confidence. At the moment he's trying those powerful runs but losing the ball too easily.

[Hazell]

It's a difficult situation with the Ox. He needs game time to improve and get sharper but at the same time, he is not contributing anything offensively to warrant it. His inclusion is also a bit disruptive to the side, as he doesn't hold shape very well or tracks back as much as our other midfielders. He is also losing possession like a madman every time he's on the pitch. Last year, he had some of these problems, but he was at least contributing offensively, with goals and assists.

He's in a very similar situation to what Lallana was in the last couple of years. Where a mixture of injuries and lack of game time means his contribution to the side is diminishing. Sady, as much as I like the guy and think he's a good player, I can't see him being here next year. I think he should want to get more game time to improve and show what he can do, but at the moment it is very hard to see where he would get it when everyone is fit. Even now, when we have two of our midfielders playing in defense and Naby permanently injured, he barely gets any time on the pitch.

I agree you in terms of him needing game time to improve and get sharper but yeah, if he's not contributing immediately then it's difficult to know when he's actually going to get that time, particularly as every game from now until the end of the season is likely to be vital.

No idea if he'll stay or not but I hope he does, I think he can still contribute.

[lukeb1981]

Would like him to get another run out against Leipzig. I don't think all is lost with him, it's just time and regaining confidence. At the moment he's trying those powerful runs but losing the ball too easily.

He looses the ball the way he has been doing against lepzig and they will turn us over , i dont want to see him anywhere near the pitch until its done and dusted.

[Egyptian36]

I agree you in terms of him needing game time to improve and get sharper but yeah, if he's not contributing immediately then it's difficult to know when he's actually going to get that time, particularly as every game from now until the end of the season is likely to be vital.

No idea if he'll stay or not but I hope he does, I think he can still contribute.

I hope not. We need to be ruthless and get rid of all injury prone players . He is on 140k salary ? it can help bring a good player who is fit most of the time.

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[Fromola]

I hope not. We need to be ruthless and get rid of all injury prone players . He is on 140k salary ? it can help bring a good player who is fit most of the time.

When it's pointed out that our net spend under Klopp is pitiful for a team at the top, the line of defence is often that the wage bill is high. It is a competitive wage bill, but we're carrying a fair few players on big money who either aren't offering enough or are never fit.

[macmanamanaman]

I think he may do better at right full back than anywhere else, at the moment.

Not that it's ideal, but may rediscover a role in the team, and offer us a variation from Trent sometimes in that position.

[Sangria]

I think he may do better at right full back than anywhere else, at the moment.

Not that it's ideal, but may rediscover a role in the team, and offer us a variation from Trent sometimes in that position.

You want an injury prone player to play in possibly the most physically demanding position in the team?

[TepidT2O]

Blimey, with support like this, he must feel great.

What a sewer

[Bangin Them In]

Well that's it then, have him pack his bags even though it's February so we can do fuck all, as he's on a contract WE gave him

Most of our team has been way below their normal standards so we start to feed on our own one by one before the Derby

Classless clown show, turn on anyone

[BTGH]

He needs a much more game time to get his mojo back.  Aren't there U23 games where Ox can play himself back into fitness and form,  rather than playing in first team games and barely contributing at all.  Seems like we are handicapping ourselves every time we put him or Origi in the starting line-up

[Ciara (with a capital "C")]

I think it's really harsh to write him off given how stop start his career has been with us. When he has been fit and has had rhythm, he has offered something different to all of our midfielders.

You can't blame the guy for being rusty based on 10-20 min appearances here and there, the odd start in a game, maybe a cup start in a weakened Liverpool side.

The biggest question for me is if we can give him the sustained period he is going to need in the side to get back to the level he was at. Looking at his best form before the big injury, our midfield was quite limited. Since then we have brought in Fabinho, Keita, Tiago and Curtis Jones has established himself as a first team choice. I think a lot will depend on him too, what he wants and feels is best for his career. He might be looking at someone like Lingard and wondering what it would be like to drop a level and play regularly again. Or his mate Jack, whose career looks to have peaked at 29.

He has always given us everything - I think he deserves a bit more respect to be honest.

[Hazell]

I hope not. We need to be ruthless and get rid of all injury prone players . He is on 140k salary ? it can help bring a good player who is fit most of the time.

I generally don't worry to much about his wages, the club is pretty prudent in that respect and I'll let the number bods think about that aspect.

He's been really unlucky with the injuries he's suffered but he's fit now and just needs to be on the pitch. He's shown his ability when he has played, he just needs to get a run of games IMO. I hope that it's here.

[ToneLa]

I was thinking recently the best thing to do is throw him on at the end of already-won games so he can have as ineffectual a 20 minutes as he wants, it's game time and time with the first team while he works his way back to fitness

The "already won games" part was a dodgy idea in the first place but certainly doesn't feel like a goer right now

I guess he'll just have to wait on whatever minutes he can get. It's a shame for Ox, the idea of blaming someone for being injury prone is mental, but the cards just haven't fallen right for him of late and his injuries are a massive setback in every way

You back him, but of course! Just tricky to see how he gets back

[El Lobo]

I generally don't worry to much about his wages, the club is pretty prudent in that respect and I'll let the number bods think about that aspect.

He's been really unlucky with the injuries he's suffered but he's fit now and just needs to be on the pitch. He's shown his ability when he has played, he just needs to get a run of games IMO. I hope that it's here.

Don't be fooled by their job descriptions, they're absolutely mad. All of em.

[Hazell]

Don't be fooled by their job descriptions, they're absolutely mad. All of em.

The only reason to get rid of Oxlade-Chamberlain is if he forgot to get batteries for Billy Big Mouth.

[number 168]

You want an injury prone player to play in possibly the most physically demanding position in the team?

And a position Wenger thought would suit him but convinced him he needed a move.

[El Lobo]

And a position Wenger thought would suit him but convinced him he needed a move.

Frankly though he might have to suck it up. Not that it seems likely to be a consideration as he's not played even close to that position for us, but Milly had a season at LB for the good of the team and probably even improved as a result of the experience.

[killer-heels]

You want an injury prone player to play in possibly the most physically demanding position in the team?

Isnt that the midfield?

[redmark]

Isnt that the midfield?

Central midfielders generally cover the greatest overall distance, but at a lower intensity (fewer and shorter sprints, acceleration/deceleration). Apparently. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5967838/

[killer-heels]

Central midfielders generally cover the greatest overall distance, but at a lower intensity (fewer and shorter sprints, acceleration/deceleration). Apparently. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5967838/

What about tackling and knocks and the physical attrition in midfield such as going up for headers? Not saying that you don't get that at full back but is that more the case with midfielders?

I get the physical element of sprinting but wouldn't a top class athlete be able to do that fairly routinely?

The example I think of sometimes is when Tennis players get lauded for how fit they are and how footballers should not complain as Tennis stars play multiple matches over consecutive days. I find that is overblown because they are covering a small area and they are not getting booted around and should really be able to cope with that.

[Raid]

Big pre-season ahead in the summer for the Ox. May well be that a loan spell may help, although we may well lose Gini.

[VVM]

When we signed him he wasn't great but we could sort of afford to give him a run of games and by January he was really good. It was a similar case last season when he came back from injury, he wasn't amazing for the start of the season but he got a good number of games in and by the start of the year he seemed to kick on with goals against West Ham and Southampton and then had probably his best game for us against Atletico.

Again 3 months off and he seemed a little rusty for the end of the season but generally fine. He's just back from another injury and with our current form I guess it feels like we can't afford to give him the game time he needs to get back to his level but I'm confident if he can get some games under his belt he will get back to his best.

Don't forgot Gini is probably leaving and Milner isn't getting any younger so I don't expect him to be leaving. Not sure how big of a deal him being English and helping the squad quota is but it certainly doesn't hurt his case.

[redmark]

What about tackling and knocks and the physical attrition in midfield such as going up for headers? Not saying that you don't get that at full back but is that more the case with midfielders?

I get the physical element of sprinting but wouldn't a top class athlete be able to do that fairly routinely?

The example I think of sometimes is when Tennis players get lauded for how fit they are and how footballers should not complain as Tennis stars play multiple matches over consecutive days. I find that is overblown because they are covering a small area and they are not getting booted around and should really be able to cope with that.

Muscle injuries will be a result more of intensity (sprints, turns, etc) than general contact wear and tear/attrition, though. Some very skilled footballers are not capable of it consistently/routinely without significant risk of injury - like Sturridge, say. While Ox has had specific non-muscle contact injuries with us, his problems at Arsenal included regular muscle injuries.

(And the article linked wasn't based on Liverpool; our fullbacks have a particularly demanding role even compared to most other fullbacks).

[El Lobo]

If we’re gonna launch at him all the time, you can have the decency to give him some credit when he does well. Looked very sharp when he came on

[Yorkykopite]

If we’re gonna launch at him all the time, you can have the decency to give him some credit when he does well. Looked very sharp when he came on

Yes, it was a lovely performance. Other than his strange pass to Trent in the corner, everything else was perfect. A little reminder to the football world of what a natural talent he is.

[killer-heels]

Best performance since Atletico.

[B0151?]

If we’re gonna launch at him all the time, you can have the decency to give him some credit when he does well. Looked very sharp when he came on

He really did. Looked quick still too.

[18 yard line]

Very encouraging cameo from Ox tonight. I’d love it for him and the club if he could perform at that level every week.

[Careca9]

If we’re gonna launch at him all the time, you can have the decency to give him some credit when he does well. Looked very sharp when he came on

He did didn’t he, I’ll be honest I thought his legs were gone and not through any fault of his own, injuries he sustained he has done incredibly well to make it back but tonight I thought showed pieces he could continue to build on. Still in my minds eye I remember his performance versus Atletico Madrid before covid and he was relentless driving fwd that night. I think that’s now his best role a quasi firmino role at tip of a diamond, not sure do I like seeing him in a 3 but that’s recency bias, he has proved plenty of times he can play in a 3. It’s not a bad option for rest of season him at tip of diamond, as for next season only jurgen knows if Alex will stay or not - if he could get back to his best he is defo a player the club could use, i do get an extra buzz out of seeing him do well because
Of the injuries he sustained.

[MonsLibpool]

He's back!

[tubby]

Very lively in his short cameo.

[Jm55]

Boss from him for the Salah one that was offside, deserved a goal really.