The guy needs an extended run.
Probably not gonna happen here.
Given heās not competing against the likes of Salah, Mane, Trent, etc and for a midfield position this was actually the right time for him to get an extended run. We had likes of Elliott and Jones playing and we have many midfielders out injured during these initial set of games. Heāll have to show the discipline and patience to not rush into things and do what is expected in Kloppās midfield to start featuring more. My guess is thatās not happening currently.
Klopp is surprisingly conservative about chopping and changing and I think people often over estimate how much how he rates the subs factors into that. I think the fact he called on Ox in such an in balance key game is an indication that he currently trusts him more than his minutes played would otherwise suggest.
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Really hope thatās true. Missed the Atletico game so wasnāt aware. If he remains fit and starts performing, lot of our midfield problems will be addressed.
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I donāt think thereās anything in that at all personally.
He was brought on against 10 men. One of the major problems with Chamberlain is how we tend to lose control of the game with him on the pitch, less of a factor against 10 players.
Milner was also on a yellow card, he was lucky not to get sent off against City. It was a choice between Chamberlain or Minamino to replace him.
I donāt see it meaning much of anything really.
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Yeah, donāt give much meaning to it. We overdramatize sometimes some of Kloppās moves. When Ox starts, he generally plays a bit too direct and/or gasses out after 60 minutes or so. Thatās why this season I see him mostly coming on off the bench. He can cover 2-3 positions. We should not present him like a footballing god for the period he had all the way back in spring 2018. That was a good run of form, maybe also a little bit overhyped because heās likeable and weād like him to do well. That was also a long, long time ago. We have evolved since then and became better. It takes more to play, not to mention to start regularly in our midfield, than mainly looking at taking on players and taking shots. Thatās what fans like much more than coaching staff. Of course, itās good if it works, but Ox needs to realize that to play in this team (midfield especially) now you also needs to take care of the ball better, not lose it as much, share the game more, less touches, defensively more disciplined.
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His thread deserves a bump after tonight. Good performance. He sometimes makes the wrong decision in possession but heās still got those explosive little bursts in his locker that allows him to commit players and get out of tight situations. Didnāt work out for him on Saturday and he got some stick for it but it didnāt affect his confidence tonight.
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Yeah much better than his recent showings. Itās now about bringing consistency, both in the course of the game and for a stretch of few games as well. His decision making as a midfielder can improve a lot. He needs a run of games, where he no longer has to prove his selection and try to impress in few cameos here and there. I feel confident if we would have two of Hendo/ Thiago/ Fab behind him when he starts.
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Yeah, good performance. Especially since it was Iām pretty sure his first ever start for us at LCM, not RCM. I didnāt think he would last more than an hour or so, but it was also different with the result and having a player more than Atletico. Could easily keep his place for West Ham, weāll see between him and Jones.
I was desperate for him to score
Iām not really too fussed about him scoring. Everyone knows he can put in a banger every now and then. The main question is, can he perform reliably as a cog in our midfield to keep possession, play the right balls, and provide the useful press? Thatās what we need the most right now.
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Agree but I think he is a player who when he scores it will do him wonders
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Yes me too. Iād forgotten what an exciting player he can be on his day. He has had a run of games now either starting or as sub so maybe the confidence is gradually returning.
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Totally agree with that. And the thing is , if he stopped trying so hard to score a screamer and concentrated more on just keeping possession and keeping the ball moving then he would probably get more starts.
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He was good, over complicated it a little in the first half especially when he took the extra man on, lost the ball etc. But generally the best heās played for a long time.
The problem is heās taken this long to up his game heās now competing with Thiagoā¦ Who I think is part of our first choice midfield - Hendo : Fabinho : Thiago etc.
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Was really nervous about him starting last night.
Two lengthy games, two decent performances; keep it up Ox 
Any news on the knee thingy he had last night?
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain:
ā Iām regaining my rhythmā -
Well Iād like to fucking think so after 3 years at Ā£150k per weekā
āā¦and thereās more to comeā
Well there couldnāt be any bloody less could there?
Footballers talk some shite
Disappointing from him yesterday.
First half he took 0 chances with the ball. Itās all well and good being able to take on players against Atletico when theyāre down to 10 men and thereās space all over the place and thereās little pressure on us because weāre well ahead, but on the occasions yesterday where a little bit of space opened up for him to run in to he just passed the ball on to someone else.
I pointed this out in the in game thread and had a couple of responses that he was playing the āGiniā role and was told to just keep it safe. Nah, I donāt think Klopp would have told Ox not to run with the ball, itās about the only good thing he does. And his pass completion was below 80% as usual, Giniās was in the 90s. Ox also does very little to defend a counter attack.
There must have been a word said at half time because he did it once or twice before being taken off. Not enough though. He had a chance to establish himself after having a little run of performances but he will almost certainly go to the back of the line again now.
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Game of opinions and all that but I thought he was the best of the three midfielders although thatās not saying much. Moved the ball on quickly and played it through the lines a couple of times first half. Second half one or two good runs which threatened to open them up but I thought our movement generally in the final third yesterday was poor. My one criticism of him would be that there was a chance to make a tactical foul to prevent the second goal and he passed up on it. Just bring him down and take the yellow. He was going off anyway.
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