Alex OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN: 2020/21

He takes forever to get back to his best after injury, Matip and Keita just seen to be back up to speed straight away.

4 Likes

True. Heā€™s been back for 2 and a half months and people are still saying itā€™s just match fitness thatā€™s thatā€™s issue.

Maybe this is just his level.

5 Likes

To be fair he isnā€™t going to get back to the pace with roughly ten minutes every fortnight.

Iā€™ve stopped think about him as an option for this season. Maybe if we have any meaningless games at the end of the season. But itā€™s all about pre-season for him I think.

2 Likes

I feel he got the Sturridge Syndrome. He is now afraid, tentative, to push himself (fearing another injury).

1 Like

With an injury depleted squad he mustnā€™t be doing anything on the pitch or in training to earn more. And Klopp clearly doesnā€™t feel like heā€™ll get a better player by taking the hit of playing him a bit more like he seems to be doing with Kabak.

4 Likes

Itā€™s not his fitness itā€™s his sharpness and for that he hasnā€™t had enough minutes, he needs to start and play 60 mins imo.
Letā€™s face it he is not the player we need to pull us through the situation we are in just hasnā€™t the mental or ability for that imo
However if he pulls his socks up he can help!

2 Likes

He got two starts against Southampton and Burnley and was dreadful in both. Heā€™s looked terrible off the bench in every game apart from West Ham. Against Leipzig he did his best to let them back in the game.

He needs minutes to improve but heā€™s not good enough to get those minutes. I think Joseph Heller coined a phrase for this scenario.

3 Likes

Beggars can not be choosers! :wink:

Please do tell.

EDIT: The ā€˜catch 22ā€™ guy.

:+1:

Right ho

1 Like

He doesnā€™t really have any choice with Kabak. He still has some options in midfield.

All players are different and I think Ox is one who need to play himself into form. Other donā€™t. Thatā€™s why I think itā€™s about pre-season for him, because I donā€™t think weā€™re going to be in a position to carry him through a few tipsy games.

He does, Henderson only JUST got injured but he had Davies to try, Phillips, Williams and Gini who has covered CB for him before. Not sure I 100% agree with them but many believe Phillips was the better of the two at this stage. But Kabak has clearly got the higher potential so Klopp has been playing him even though it could have arguably harmed us in the short term to do it. If Klopp had real belief Ox was just in a slump that required game time to get him through thatā€™s what heā€™d be doing to unleash the better player later on. Its not like our CM has been at stellar levels and all fit and fresh as a daisy and allergic to being rested. Klopp could have easily given Ox more playing time. Shaqiri has played more recently.

2 Likes

Great cameo when he came on against Wolves, looked pacy and up for it, especially compared to his recent performances

1 Like

But thatā€™s what Ox is, an explosive player. If heā€™s normally fit, youā€™ll get that from him and fans will immediately like him because of that particular aspect of his game. Plus, he went to the false #9 role and had a bit more freedom. The mission was and still remains if he can put in performances from the start that last longer than 60 minutes or so. His central midfield evolution and capability to keep it up for longer periods in the game and then a few games in a row hit a certain point.

1 Like

I have two concerns about Alex

  1. Can he stay fit over long term.
  2. He seems to play in patches during games.
5 Likes

Looked up for the game on Monday night for a change.

2 Likes

Staying fit since December 2020 :grinning:

Been on the bench or picked up odd minutes in last 22 games. Needs games to get sharpness but canā€™t get games cause he doesnā€™t have sharpness.

In the good old days he would get games in the reserves shame they got rid of them.

He could still play for them if we wanted. The u23s can field 3 over age players.

2 Likes

Yeah itā€™s usually how Man Utd stay at the top of it

2 Likes

Its a shame our fringe players donā€™t get game time some other way.

1 Like