Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been slammed.
The former Arsenal man came on as a late substitute for Curtis Jones during the 1-1 draw with West Brom. Manager Jurgen Klopp was chasing three points, but the actions of his 83rd-minute swap left a lot to be desired.
With Liverpool looking to spark one last moment of panic in the Baggies penalty area, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain decided to play a short-corner. This isn’t automatically bad, but the way he executed the set-piece was.
That’s because the Ox barely executed it. Never mind execute, this wasn’t even ecute. The Ox gave the ball away, the whistle blew and the Reds had to trudge off the field knowing they were the first victims on Sam Allardyce’s path to Premier League safety.
Oxlade-Chamberlain could have fizzed the ball into the penalty area, where lads like Roberto Firmino and Fabinho were waiting. He could have turned Baggies’ nerves into Baggies panic, and the ball could have hit an arm or an armpit or a finger-end, and Liverpool could have scored or been awarded a penalty.
But could never won any games, and that’s the frustrating thing about the decision he took. There was probably a solid rationale behind it, but when you’re chasing a win with the last kick of the game, you just need to get it in the mixer.
Maybe Klopp should have sent the Ox on earlier and given him more time to influence proceedings. Waiting until the 83rd minute to make the first swap that wasn’t forced on him sends all sorts of signals.
Taking a short corner like that in the dying seconds of stoppage time. Criminal.
— Joel Rabinowitz (@joel_archie) December 27, 2020
It was a frustrating way to end a really frustrating game. Sadio Mane’s goal should have enabled Liverpool to push forward and grab the second, while Joel Matip’s injury will leave the Reds short moving into 2021.
Everton’s three points against Sheffield United means they are still three points behind Liverpool, so there’s no reason to panic about our place at the top of the table just yet.
Leicester are third, four points off the top, while Manchester United occupy the final Champions League place.