Of course, we need to bin this crap 3-4-2-1 formation,as it was just an emergency solution. Time to find our attacking flow again with a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain | Set to miss the 2018/19 season
- Thread starter Gandalf Greyhame
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Not necessarily he's made several comments on needing more depth dating back to last November. If we weren't going to acquire his choices for this season he likely realised it would be ridiculous not to bring another player in. I'd say that goes for Conte too, he wasn't exactly successful this summer in the window in terms of his targets.
By all accounts, we've wanted chamberlain from the start of the window.
Interesting theory about why he tends to run forwards but pass sideways (badly)Tweet
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Perhaps, but if that's the case, then it makes even less sense that we haven't bought a CB.
I know, but it was always touted as a depth signing on top of VVD/Keita/Salah. Most people ended up thinking by the end of the window it was a straight choice between Ox and Lemar with VVD. Given we weren't spending the VVD money we could have easily gotten both the other two albeit for vastly inflated fees. He's also been mentioned as a long term Milner replacement. The problem is though he's now one of our main signings. Keita won't be here till next year, no VVD either. Coutinho will likely depart next season so we still need a replacement for him too. ( Lemar ?) We're short of where we wanted to be and we had the most to do prior to the window and the teams around us have only gotten better.
It's clear the money is there, but either FSG are reluctant to pay the really big fees or the negotiating team struggles to get deals over the line. I suspect it's a little of both. Ox will play a lot of games for us this season but it's no use pretending we had anything resembling a successful summer particularly in relation to our situation. The Can and Coutinho thing is still lingering overhead. The best thing we did was agree the Keita deal.
Those two only wanted him as a wingback where his style of kick and run dribbling is most effective and lack of end product isn't really an issue.
Klopp has pretty much nailed all the +20M signing so far, but this one makes no sense at all. For 35-40M I expect a starter, not a luxury depth player, and worst of all he´s in the last year of his contract. Liverpool signed four players for this summer and he looks the least talented to be honest. I´d want Coutinho, Lallana, Can, Wijnaldum and Henderson to start before him in midfield and he´s also not in the class of Salah, Mane, Firmino and Sturridge. I´m not sure he´s better than Solanke and Woodburn right now, certainly not in two years. It´s not a bad depth signing, but I´d have just waited till next summer.
I think he could work OK for Liverpool and their style, but man he was awful yesterday. Worst player on the pitch.
Can't see him displacing anyone in the current Liverpool midfield?
Maybe Klopp's got a new plan that only he knows about. I wasn't impressed with the Ox last night, but then again he wasn't on his own, with the curse of poor decision-making, seeming to jump from player to player, especially when bearing down on goal.
Maybe Klopp's got a new plan that only he knows about. I wasn't impressed with the Ox last night, but then again he wasn't on his own, with the curse of poor decision-making, seeming to jump from player to player, especially when bearing down on goal.
Also people severely underrate Milner. They seem to think the comparison is an insult to AOC, when it´s the other way around. 48 goals and 75 assists in 456 games are impressive career numbers. Ox had 9 goals and 14 assists in 132 games. So that comes out to 31 goals and 48 assists in 456 games, and therefore well short of Milner.
Interesting read. He is an instinctive ball carrier, who is better at getting the ball to final third, than someone who will do something with it there. In that aspect, maybe he can contribute to CM without the pressure of numbers.
His descion making will need to improve. If he starts shooting on sight and consistently taking the wrong options when he gets to the final third he'll quickly find himself out of the side. Obviously he needs to learn our attacking patterns/combinations and pressing triggers. Lallana thrived when moved back, it actually made him a more effective finisher arriving from deep. Ox is strong quick and great at carrying the ball. It's easy to see where he fits as an 8 especially if Klopp improves the aspects he struggles massively with. I really don't know how he fits on the wing though, ours are goalscorers, it might work better with a traditional striker but that would be at the detriment of the team. We'll see though.
His physical attributes excite me. Very powerful runner.
Struggling to understand why so many are saying this. Depth is key - he offers another option to a squad that isn't the deepest.
Let's keep this clean, please.
Perrie?
Yes, I can understand that perception, but what alternative does he actually offer in terms of depth, that is better than what you have got? Also after so many not very fruitful years at Arsenal is Alex going to be happy with being dusted off now and then and sent out to play?
That's why I suggested Klopp may have some alternative, a plan B which he has often been accused of not having, because Plan A has been so good. If this is the case then he will have explained it to the 'Ox' and got him onside, if not then the lad could become very disappointed to have swopped the Arsenal bench, for the Liverpool one!
I think part of the reason is that basically every football fan is still struggling to get their head around the new standard prices for transfers. I am the same, when I see £40m I still picture that getting you a top class player who will win you games consistently. Not the case anymore.
Given Klopp clearly wanted him, and the player wanted to join LFC (especially given Arsenal wanted to keep him and Chelsea wanted him), I assume the dialogue between Klopp and the player were sufficient on both sides to assume he has a role to play with us.
Quite where he fits in I am not sure but at least we have added some depth to the squad. I agree though I can't see him in front of Mane and Salah, so maybe more of a midfield role perhaps.
I agree that £40m is over priced but the transfer market has gone crazy.
What I do know is Salah in comparison looks like a bargain and one of the best pieces of business any club has done in the last window.
I think most would agree with you regarding Salah. There is a premium on players moving from the Premier League of course, especially from a club who would consider themselves a direct rival.
I find it surprising that no English club picked up Bernardeschi before Juve moved in for him. There are definitely some bargains to be had buying from Serie A.
I agree, and it's fair to say we paid over the odds for the Ox, I guess late in the window and we had a big budget available, missing out on Van Dijk, but also getting good late money in for Sakho and Wolfsburg paying a hefty loan fee for Origi meant the club felt it was worth paying
more to get a player Klopp really wanted.
Suppose we also were competing with Chelsea too.
That's like saying why does any club have players in their squad whom are not as good/established as the ones in the first eleven.
Why do United have Ibra, Mata and Rashford? Why do City have Sterling, B.Silva and Sane? etc etc
Chamberlain will receive plentiful minutes this season - the likes of Mane and Salah can't play every game. From there, it's up to him to prove his worth to the team. And that is how a strong, successful squad works.
No, that's not what I'm saying, you are making it out that the 'Ox' has been bought as some sort of 'cover', or squad filler, that he's not as good as the current first team players, but will get some games, presumably when others are injured, or when facing poorer opposition!
My question was what does he offer that is different that adds extra depth to what you've got? I had assumed from the media hype, that he had not gone to Liverpool to play second -fiddle, as he did at Arsenal but was part of some Klopp plan B to alter (presumably strengthen) the way the team plays, for certain games, against certain (Probably major) opposition and in that situation his purchase represents a tactical move by Klopp to allow the manager to set a 'puzzle' or perhaps more precisely an alternative problem for the opposition, that the Ox's arrival is not just a bench-filling exercise?
What you seem to be saying is No, he's not as good as what we've got and he's just making up the squad numbers, primarily for when we get injuries, in which case I suspect Alex will be mightily disappointed young man, if that turns out to be the case.
he'll be in and around the first team, same way Can has been for a good while. There are games enough to go around without anyone of them being 'mightily disappointed'.
I am so glad they signed him, they have wasted £35m. He is average and will be lucky to make 20 starts in all competitions. And if he does start, he will do nothing. He was terrible in both England's games this last week or two.
What does this even mean?
Nah that's not what I'm saying at all. You seem to be failing to understand the concept of a squad.
As I said - Chamberlain will get plenty of playing time. In big games and smaller games. It's really not hard to understand.
Are you sure you are a Liverpool fan?
It means what particular playing attributes does he have that are different to what you believe you already have? This can mean; his range of technical/ball skills,(Shooting, dribbling, ball control etc.) his speed/pace, has he good vision, will that allow him to link better with front players, does he have good decision-making in all situations, i.e. can think rather than just react to situations, is he good 'off the ball', can he create his own space (important for AM's) can and does he get up and down the pitch (often referred to as 'box to box'), can he give the right cover to fullbacks, can he play as a centre mid or as a wing back, or out and out winger, can he man-mark effectively, does he have exceptional heading ability, what's his passing ability like, long or short.. basically where does the 'Ox' add to the team any of the above attributes, that are possibly not adequately covered now and has Klopp bought him to add a different dimension so as to adopt to different styles of play, if necessary?
In other words has the attributes of Liverpool's first team squad 'footballing gene-pool' gained additional 'footballing-genes' or is it basically the same set of such genes. but there is more of the same now?
Why will he get plenty of game time?
Because he provides something different, or because he's a back-stop to cover injuries. If its the former, what is the difference he provides, that was all I was asking from the earlier post?
I think he is an around player that combines all of the skills of the entire Real Madrid team..... And then he turns off FIFA
I'm not sure you can say under or over rated, just unrated. He hasn't lived up to early hype, but is probably too early to really judge him.
So far so meh!
I'm not sure you can say under or over rated, just unrated. He hasn't lived up to early hype, but is probably too early to really judge him.
So far so meh!
To some extent length of contract is irrelevant. If more than one club is interested you can very quickly get to market rate. The only difference the last year of contract piece does is move the price from a no one would buy price of £70m, I. E. Priceless or £40m which is maximum market value. I can't see anyone paying more than that even if he had a 10 year contract!
"Sorry Alex, I'm struggling with my English a bit, when you said you wanted to play midfield I thought you meant beside the middle of the field sitting on the bench" - Jurgen
4-0 one week, 4-0 the next.
FS lad, you've no luck.
FS lad, you've no luck.
Oxlade Chamberlain went from a 4:0 to a 4:0
Honestly, think Nelson is already better than him.
It's a FOUR followed by a ZERO.
Chamberpot
He'll feel right at home now.
Least it's 5 now. Papers just lost a neat little headline.