‘Dynamic’ Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain static vs Arsenal
Liverpool man Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been static.
The former Arsenal man was chosen to start ahead of Naby Keita, a decision Reds gaffer Jurgen Klopp described before the game started.
Klopp mentioned that Oxlade-Chamberlain would be able to provide the dynamic needed to break down Arsenal, who appeared to start the game with five at the back in an attempt to nullify the threat from Liverpool’s front three.
While Gunners’ boss Mikel Arteta may have been able to stop the rot for the first 20 minutes, it wasn’t long before Sadio Mane broke the deadlock after Andy Robertson got down the byline and squared it to the Senegal international.
The role of Roberto Firmino in creating the goal shouldn’t be understated either, as he played a smart pass into the path of Robertson.
But while all the action was going through other players, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain struggled to get into the game and make that ‘dynamic’ nature shown.
On his day, the Ox is a brilliant player and he’s definitely improved under Klopp. Leaving Arsenal was the correct decision but that horrendous knee injury set things back and you could argue that the midfielder is still trying to make a place for himself in the squad.
According to WhoScored, Oxlade-Chamberlain is yet to make a tackle, dribble and he made just one shot. Who knows if Keita would have been able to do more, but the Guinea international has been in excellent form and leaving him out for this game seems counter-intuitive.
With just two games left, after the Arsenal one, maybe this is more about giving the Ox some time on the pitch so he can take a running start at preseason.
Next. Something is rotten in Lausanne. dark
With Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain fully fit and ready to go for 2020/2021, this Liverpool squad will be stronger than ever.