Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Player Thread (M)

Storming up steps doing dance moves with his 'celebrity' missus is all the storming Ox has done in the last few years

You must have been watching a different Liverpool, a different Klopp and a different Ox if you think the formation has changed from the 4-3-3 we've been playing for abar 4 years now

Ox as a 10? A player who can't position himself on the field, can't spot a pass, and couldn't play that pass even if he could spot it? 

There are many reasons 2 coaches as impressive as Wenger and Klopp couldn't/can't seem to fit Ox into a football formation.

All he's got is a long-range strike on him, and statistically these almost never go in. The game is run on xG these days. We employ analysts with degrees in maths from Cambridge and Oxford looking at this sort of stuff, Klopp brought them in. And they tell the lads not to take long-range potshots because statistically it is almost a total waste of time. Yes it makes football more predictable and boring, and if that'd been the script in 2006 and Stevie had followed instruction, he'd never have lashed in those goals against West Ham and we'd have lost the cup final.

But that's how the game is run these days whether you or I like it or not (long range shooting was my best attribute when I played so I'd hate to see it disappear from the game). We've got an injury-prone player who barely ever plays, doesn't fit the system no matter where you try to fit him in, and whose best asset is long shots which the players are told by the analysts not to be arsed with.

And people want to keep him at the club? 

Can anyone remember the last time one of our players took a shot from more than about 22 yards? I can't. It might even be Ox all the way back in that City game. I don't think I've ever seen Gini take one and that's cos he plays to his instructions. Fabinho's clearly got a good long ranger on him but hardly ever uses it, again because he plays to instructions.

Sadly it's the way football is going, tactics determined by people with rocket science degrees. Most of my favourite moments in football over the years have been people lashing shots in from miles out. First one and still hard to beat was Arie Haan for Holland in the 1978 World Cup. That's some strike. But the analysts would say "ah but that's a one-in-a-million shot, you need to be playing a simple pass out to the wing". And that's why we've got Gini Wijnaldum, doing exactly that, and people pissing and moaning that "he doesn't do anything". Nope he doesn't do anything except play to instruction for a team that clocked up the highest number of points in LFC history for 2 years running. That's still not enough for some people.

We might need someone to have a dig from distance tomorrow, when Fat Sam parks his buses, but it won't be Ox as he's injured again. Maybe Trent if he's in the sort of mood he was in in the second half against United.

What did Alex do to you brother?? Let it out, we're all here for you.

Very pleased with his goal last night, feels like to me that is a pure distillation of what he provides that the rest of the midfield doesn't, great striking off both feet and a bit more trickery in the box.

Hopefully, he can stay injury free.

Thought the Ox looked toothless yesterday

Thought the Ox looked toothless yesterday

Completely.
Barely on the ball. And even when got a chance to shoot, which he can do, he skied it.
Will give him benefit of the doubt though for game 1 of the season.
At least he was fit, which is something.

Will Ox ever rediscover his form?

He looks fit and appears not to have lost his pace (always a worry after a couple of big injuries) but he has looked woefully out of sorts. Heavy touches, too many touches, bad decisions on the ball and devoid of any confidence.

I like him as a player, he's not afraid to shoot from distance, he's vocal on the pitch, and puts a shift in defensively. Given the injuries ton Keita and Thiago he might have an opportunity.

Do people think he can bounce back and regain form?

Will Ox ever rediscover his form?

He looks fit and appears not to have lost his pace (always a worry after a couple of big injuries) but he has looked woefully out of sorts. Heavy touches, too many touches, bad decisions on the ball and devoid of any confidence.

I like him as a player, he's not afraid to shoot from distance, he's vocal on the pitch, and puts a shift in defensively. Given the injuries ton Keita and Thiago he might have an opportunity.

Do people think he can bounce back and regain form?

My brother is an arsenal fan 

So used to watch a lot of arsenal games on the TV, he was like this often for Arsenal, he always seemed to be out of place from the Arsenal pass and move and wanted to be more direct

I think genuinely this is his level, the great performances you do get are temporary, unfortunately this is exactly what I expected when he signed, a lot of Arsenal fans were glad to see him go for 40 million

He needs to be at a mid table club, he looks like a player who knows his time is up, i wouldn't be surprised if he was told this summer, if a decent offer comes in, he will be sold

Am convinced Klopp is using him sparingly in ways to highlight he isnt injury prone and has that spark to get potential buyers rather than getting him up to speed ASAP, hence why Jones, Elliott are preferred

He will come on and score a rocket against City!

Thought he played well tonight.

Good cameo but don’t think he is the answer to our issues in midfield.

Played his part think his time left will.be mainly as impact Sub

His time is up in my opinion ... should really cash in on him if a big offer from Newcastle arrives.

His time is up in my opinion ... should really cash in on him if a big offer from Newcastle arrives.

😂😂


Has come on during the last couple of games and done well


I would actually like to see him start at the weekend along with Fabinho and Henderson

His time is up in my opinion ... should really cash in on him if a big offer from Newcastle arrives.

Why would a big offer from Newcastle arrive? I'm not even sure where you might have got this idea.

I rooted hard for Ox to succeed here but right now he is what 8th (Hendo, Fabinho, Thiago, Ketia, Milner, Jones and Elliot) on the depth chart for the middle so is he stays probably limited to sub appearances and odd start out of wing so sadly his days are numbered.

Always picture him going back to Soton where he started but I would think mid level club will take a chance on him for a decent price.

He will get more games, main thing is staying fit and being available when needed.

But if hes keen on getting back into the England setup, he may well be looking at a January move.

Newcastle would be a great move for him I reckon.

😂😂


Has come on during the last couple of games and done well


I would actually like to see him start at the weekend along with Fabinho and Henderson

I'd go Jones if he's fit

If we're down to starting AOC in a PL match, we're in trouble - he's a sub for one of the front 3 and that's about it imho.
Should start against Preston though.

I think Ox is gradually playing himself into a little bit of form. Hopefully the knock on his knee doesn't keep him out and perhaps if we will rediscover some of the form we saw 3 seasons ago

Thought before the game he would be a lie ability but thought he had a tidy game

Thought before the game he would be a lie ability but thought he had a tidy game

Tidy game but was one of our worse performers on the night, gave the ball away cheaply far too many times.

Still a vast improvement on recent showings though, so a step in the right direction.

Tidy game but was one of our worse performers on the night, gave the ball away cheaply far too many times.

Still a vast improvement on recent showings though, so a step in the right direction.

Funny how we all see it differently. I thought he was excellent. Couple stray passes but the whole of the forward line did that.

Motm with Sadio for me......

Funny how we all see it differently. I thought he was excellent. Couple stray passes but the whole of the forward line did that.

Motm with Sadio for me......

I thought he was good the other night too.

Some stray passes, but most players have some stray passes in every game.

He was good v Atletico, worked his arse off