Topic: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

[SteveLFC]

 

We´ll see, and you could turn out to be right. But right now, to me it looks like people are pining for midfielders to have the sort of impact Van Dijk and Salah have had for us elsewhere on the pitch, and wanting Keita to the solution to the perceived problem that none of the current midfield starters offer that. When in reality what´s asked of the midfielders in our specific set-up is to be all-rounders who put out fires and offer a little bit of everything, so maybe at best what we can hope for are players who do that a bit better than what the current lot do.

So the opinions come from a perceived problem which isn´t really one, it´s just the way we play. But it leads for example to nit-picking about comparisons such as this one, when it was perfectly clear what was meant, even if the two situations aren´t exactly the same in every way. At the root of it IMO is a complete under-estimating of how good our current midfielders really are, in doing what´s asked from them in our set-up. Which leads to it being taken as digs to suggest Keita might not make it like Aquilani didn´t, or Oxlade-Chamberlain might not get back in the team, when the reason for that is just that those who now play are very effective despite their limitations.

 

[Linudden]

I think you get what i meant though. I don't want LFC to sell one of the best creative players in midfield when he is just coming back from a really bad injury. I want him to be an LFC player and win us things with the rest of the team. The money was invested in the player, not in resale value.

Lets get behind him.

I do. That being said, I don't know whether he'll have two or three years left on his contract now and he had only just worked himself into the XI at the time the injury fell. Margins are thin for the players who aren't Messi's, Salah's or De Bruyne's, who operate at a higher level compared to their positional competition. Even after a cruciate injury, having superior technique or vision to other players still allows for competitive advantages when compared to players that are good, but not world class, such as our midfield individually. Even the slightest loss of pace or stamina could prove a major blow. Football is a brutal business, but I really hope he'll have had time to build up his stamina at least when he comes back, because that's always the number one thing for a midfielder. The positive part is that usually players get more clever off the ball when they're older. Both Henderson and Wijnaldum spent quite a bit of time trying to become pacy firebrands in their youth, so maybe that's the direction Ox could head in and regain a future in our XI even if the pace was gone? Back in 2012 I thought Henderson could be a potential future DM/deep-lying playmaker on a Swedish Liverpool forum and people were laughing at me, so everything can happen 

[RedSince86]

Just seen on LFC Reddit that he's been named in the CL squad.

[jillc]

Just seen on LFC Reddit that he's been named in the CL squad.

Awesome, will be so good to see him sitting there on the bench, hope we get a few glimpses of him again soon.

[ScubaSteve]

We’re missing a player like the Ox to drive play forward and be the link to the attack!

I really get why klopp wanted Fekir so badly but Ox can do this job so the sooner he gets back the better.

I have faith in Kante but for whatever reason it’s just not happening right now.

[ABZ Rover]

I have faith in Kante but for whatever reason it’s just not happening right now.

Woah, we signed Kante?  Jeez that one went under the radar 😀

[Tony19:6]

Woah, we signed Kante?  Jeez that one went under the radar 😀

Autocorrect ? 

[CraigDS]

He is part of the squad going to Marbella - seems like a good sign.

[gjr1]

He is part of the squad going to Marbella - seems like a good sign.

Although Brewster has gone as well and I thought he was definitely out for the season?

[Caston]

Marbella

[Advil]

Happy to see him training. Any experts here feel that he might lose his explosive pace after the injury or most probably he will be the same player?

[L8Craig]

Can't wait till he is back.
Just had a watch of a youtube clip and he is just class in that central area.

[Sharado]

Marbella

Wow, is he in full training now then? Contact etc. and so on?

[Caston]

Wow, is he in full training now then? Contact etc. and so on?

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain took part in the session as Liverpool began training at their Marbella camp on Tuesday morning.

The midfielder joined his teammates in the drills in Spain as he continues to work his way back to full fitness following a long-term knee injury.

The Reds began the day with a warm up and a series of core exercises, before ball-work drills and rondos.

Rhian Brewster, Ben Woodburn and Nat Phillips also participated in the session; however, James Milner, Georginio Wijnaldum and Fabinho were absent.

Speaking about the inclusion of Oxlade-Chamberlain in the workout, Jürgen Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com: “The boys had to do a bit of core work, passing and the rondos and it’s nice [they could be involved].

“These things Ox can do, and Rhian can do, and Ben can do and Nat Phillips could do most of them. That’s all good.

“This afternoon they will have to do their own stuff again and hopefully we can integrate them step by step.”

[gaztop08]

What are Rondos in relation to training sessions?

[ABZ Rover]

What are Rondos in relation to training sessions?

Close quarter keep ball exercises with the inner group trying to intercept the ball being passed around by the outer group.

[royhendo]

What are Rondos in relation to training sessions?

Named after Ron Atkinson, who invented the drill, it involves the players doing a sequence of 'lollipops' around cones, timed by stopwatch.

[jillc]

Marbella

What a morale boosting photo that is, welcome back Alex. 

[afc tukrish]

What a morale boosting photo that is, welcome back Alex. 

Very fucking bella...

[RedSamba]

https://www.facebook.com/LiverpoolFC/videos/624634451320186/

 

[tornado]

While he might still be some distance away from PL/CL minutes, great to have him around training - 1) he can already start to pick on the tactical adjustments we made this season and 2) the quality he brings would make standard of training session higher - if only very slightly which is great to keep the likes of Shaqiri and Keita even more razor focused.

[Sharado]

Named after Ron Atkinson, who invented the drill, it involves the players doing a sequence of 'lollipops' around cones, timed by stopwatch.

The trigger for the training was, I believe, do ron ron do's, do do ron ron.

[AmanShah21]

He'd be a big boost. Even if he just made the bench. Would also help Naby with the competition. I get the feeling he might be on the bench for the CL tie.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

He'd be a big boost. Even if he just made the bench. Would also help Naby with the competition. I get the feeling he might be on the bench for the CL tie.

He won't not according to Klopp. He said if we were to be in the semi final he'd be available.

[Cu Chulainn]

Marbella

What a sight for sore eyes that is! Brilliant player, can't wait until he's back on the field, smashing in goals from 25 yards like it's nothing. 

[alonsoisared]

Brilliant stuff. Was becoming such a key player last season, that injury was such a cruel one.

Selfishly would love him back soon but really I just hope he can move on from the injury and get back to the levels he was reaching, whether that means him playing a part this season or waiting another few months. Great player and a great lad too.

[TepidT2O]

The size of the scar down the side of his knee is massive.

Looks very painful

[spider-neil]

The size of the scar down the side of his knee is massive.

Looks very painful

Girls love scars.

[Dr. Beaker]

Named after Ron Atkinson, who invented the drill, it involves the players doing a sequence of 'lollipops' around cones, timed by stopwatch.

Yeah it was originally a complex circular dribbling drill - a bit like a maypole, only using big Ron's comb over.

[In the Name of Klopp]

He won't not according to Klopp. He said if we were to be in the semi final he'd be available.

Im sure Klopp said OX could be fit for the CL QF.

[rocco]

Im sure Klopp said OX could be fit for the CL QF.

Semi

[Caston]

Im sure Klopp said OX could be fit for the CL QF.

He did yes

[Corrie Nick]

Semi

Same here.

[Dr. Beaker]

Me too.

[spider-neil]

Semi

That quote by Klopp has me excited as well.

[jillc]

He can get a little carried away at times can Klopp, like all managers he would like his players back as soon as possible. I think we need to see how it goes, no point in rushing him back. Just being back training with the guys is a positive.

[So… Howard Philips]

The size of the scar down the side of his knee is massive.

Looks very painful

Yea, it's quite the Victor Frankenstein. Just hope the surgeon who carried out the complex knee operation was better than the apprentice who did the stitches.

[JackWard33]

Still impossible to say how he'll come back but its really exciting to see him training again

[hesbighesred]

That's great news. Still highly unlikely we'll see him properly until next season, very often the case that something else goes for a little while even if the knee is back to full strength as the body kind of overcompensates and puts more strain elsewhere.

[Zlen]

Sub at Old Trafford?

Great to see him kickabouting.
It makes me have a giddy chuckle every time I think of him along Keita and Gini in midfield.