Alex Oxlade Chamberlain aka "The Ox"

[baitman]

'Salah doesn't pass to us' - Oxlade-Chamberlain jokes about Liverpool team-mates

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/49775749

[Shaggy]

Don't want to be negative given we're champions but I think he's becoming a bit of an enigma and even a little bit of a problem. He's not got close to his best since that injury. He'd become a key player for us a couple of years ago, with his driving runs from the middle and big goals, but he's nowhere near.

[S-RED]

Don't want to be negative given we're champions but I think he's becoming a bit of an enigma and even a little bit of a problem. He's not got close to his best since that injury. He'd become a key player for us a couple of years ago, with his driving runs from the middle and big goals, but he's nowhere near.

Agree, he isn't fully recovered & not sure he will TBH.

Gutted for him, as he is desperate to big a big part of the team

[Exiled_red]

I wrote in the Keita thread that the only midfield that seems effective is Henderson, Fabinho and Wijnaldum. While I like both Naby and Ox as players the midfield is less effective when they are in there at the moment. I'm actually wondering what the chances are of Jones moving ahead of him in the pecking order before the season is out.

[Cormack74]

Don't want to be negative given we're champions but I think he's becoming a bit of an enigma and even a little bit of a problem. He's not got close to his best since that injury. He'd become a key player for us a couple of years ago, with his driving runs from the middle and big goals, but he's nowhere near.

I can't pretend to watch much of Arsenal but judging from a couple of people I know who do, the way he was tearing it up pre-injury was the form of his life.

I'd love it to all come back together for him but I'm starting to feel a bit doubtful that it will

[Liverpool]

I thought pre-lockdown he was pretty much getting to 100%. I think he needs a clear run but not sure he is good enough to guarantee a spot tbh.

[Irishnev]

Don't want to be negative given we're champions but I think he's becoming a bit of an enigma and even a little bit of a problem. He's not got close to his best since that injury. He'd become a key player for us a couple of years ago, with his driving runs from the middle and big goals, but he's nowhere near.

Jones could move ahead of him if he’s not at it......does t seem to be clicking right now

[baitman]

[SB]

I thought pre-lockdown he was pretty much getting to 100%. I think he needs a clear run but not sure he is good enough to guarantee a spot tbh.

Agree. He was looking sharp

[danperkins]

I thought pre-lockdown he was pretty much getting to 100%. I think he needs a clear run but not sure he is good enough to guarantee a spot tbh.

[Paul12]

Agree he has been off-the-boil since football started again. (Maybe it is all those dancing videos!!) Seems to be one of those players that plays well in patches. Annoying really because him and Naby are Klopp's way of addressing teams that sit in, so they both need to start firing consistently.

[Pablo]

He comes across as a rhythm/confidence player. He's playing within himself at the moment and doesn't seem to have that spark.

I also think he's the type of player that suffers more from a lack of crowd atmosphere.

[danperkins]

Starting to frustrate me if i'm honest. I'm just not sure what he is, reminds me of the way I used to feel about Hendo. Ox is 27 next month and I just can't see where he fits in. He can't play either right or left, he's not technically good enough to sit behind the front line even though we don't play that setup anyways. IMO he is best driving from deeper central positions and doesn't fit the mould of the versatile midfielder Klopp seems to go for.

He is never going to be more than a squad player here and I wonder is that good enough for him? I love the idea of the type of player he could be, driving defences back and shooting on sight. But he seems to be always injured, coming back from injury or being swapped around the field trying to find a place for him. We miss that type of player he could be and don't have anyone else like that.

[Sus]

Starting to frustrate me if i'm honest. I'm just not sure what he is, reminds me of the way I used to feel about Hendo. Ox is 27 next month and I just can't see where he fits in. He can't play either right or left, he's not technically good enough to sit behind the front line even though we don't play that setup anyways. IMO he is best driving from deeper central positions and doesn't fit the mould of the versatile midfielder Klopp seems to go for.

He is never going to be more than a squad player here and I wonder is that good enough for him? I love the idea of the type of player he could be, driving defences back and shooting on sight. But he seems to be always injured, coming back from injury or being swapped around the field trying to find a place for him. We miss that type of player he could be and don't have anyone else like that.

I agree - he doesn't quite fit the mould for what Klopp is looking for in an 8, and isn't quite dynamic enough to play in the front 3

And if Keita kicks on (big if) his role becomes even less clear to me

[Buzzo]

Curtis Jones has probably looked the best fit of the three in recent weeks.

Ox has played a good part this season, and was in decent form pre lockdown. He has been suffering from the general drop off as much as anyone, and should never have to fill in on the wing. Its just not his position.

I guess overall. this is not the ideal period to judge.