Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will bow out having gone from essential starter to an afterthought, however his time at Liverpool ought to be considered fondly.
After six years at Anfield, Oxlade-Chamberlain departs Liverpool this summer time amongst a gaggle of gamers whose contracts have been allowed to run out.
The membership’s £35 million outlay in 2017 has amounted to 146 appearances, with 18 targets and 13 assists, together with his story on Merseyside sadly blighted by accidents.
However as Oxlade-Chamberlain bids farewell to the membership he, maybe surprisingly, has spent as lengthy at as he did Arsenal, he deserves to be remembered for extra than simply his time on the remedy desk.
Liverpool’s outgoing No. 15 was, in reality, central to the ignition of Jurgen Klopp‘s success with the Reds.
A barnstorming begin
In some ways, the deal to convey Oxlade-Chamberlain in from Arsenal served as a primer for the way in which through which Michael Edwards would function as sporting director.
Edwards was formally appointed to the position in direction of the tip of 2016, months after preliminary studies of curiosity in Oxlade-Chamberlain broke within the English press, with this growing forward of the January switch window.
“Normally I don’t say something about transfers however I’ll make an exception – nonsense,” got here Klopp’s emphatic response in December 2016.
But eight months later, Oxlade-Chamberlain was a Liverpool participant, having turned down a contract provide at Arsenal together with a rival bid from Chelsea.
Liverpool’s success available in the market has come via working within the shadows, downplaying studies of curiosity whereas working to herald gamers who’re, in Klopp’s phrases, able to “push the practice.”
Oxlade-Chamberlain was the archetypal signing in that respect: a participant who felt shackled in a large position on the Emirates, with ambitions of emulating Steven Gerrard.
Like many different signings, it took the Englishman time to regulate to the calls for of Klopp’s system, however amid his bit-part appearances there have been clear indicators of issues to return.
A objective seconds after Manuel Lanzini decreased the deficit, on a go to to West Ham in November, gave Oxlade-Chamberlain a defining picture as he celebrated earlier than the London Stadium bubbles had been given an opportunity to pop.
By December, he had turn out to be a daily starter – and importantly, in his most popular central midfield position, a wildcard alongside the extra practical Gini Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson.
His grandstand second got here within the Champions League quarter-finals, when Liverpool decimated Man Metropolis over two legs – successful 5-1 on combination – with Oxlade-Chamberlain scoring a stunner within the 3-0 opener at Anfield.
“The supervisor has been pushing me all season and shouting at me for not taking the sport by the scruff of the neck at occasions,” he mirrored after the sport.
“[He wants me to be] offering these sorts of moments, being the one taking pictures and making the distinction.”
Sadly, two weeks after the second leg on the Etihad, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s progress was halted irrevocably.
One evening at Anfield
Beginning Oxlade-Chamberlain within the semi-final in opposition to AS Roma was a no brainer; he had earned his shirt and turn out to be one of the vital necessary gamers in Klopp’s aspect.
It was an evening already tinged by the surprising scenes exterior Anfield earlier than kickoff, although Liverpool have been in a position produce a defiant efficiency and win 5-2.
Earlier than Mohamed Salah had struck the primary of two targets in opposition to his former aspect, nevertheless, Oxlade-Chamberlain had been compelled off.
There have been solely 18 minutes on the clock when the midfielder was helped off the pitch at Anfield – to get replaced by Wijnaldum – after a superb problem on Aleksandar Kolarov.
Oxlade-Chamberlain thwarted the onrushing left-back as he displayed the fierce counter-pressing that helped win over Klopp, however he was left considerably worse off.
Writhing on the pitch, he required instant remedy by medical workers and after the sport Klopp accepted his season was seemingly over.
“We misplaced a unbelievable participant tonight and that isn’t excellent news,” the downbeat supervisor stated, “so I’m not actually within the temper to speak about particular, unbelievable issues.”
Surgical procedure was wanted for a severe knee ligament harm, however whereas he was initially slated to overlook the whole thing of the following marketing campaign, he returned after 319 days, enjoying 40 minutes because the under-23s beat Derby 3-1.
There have been two substitute appearances at first-team degree earlier than the season’s finish, and Oxlade-Chamberlain featured 43 occasions within the 2019/20 title marketing campaign.
That season, solely 11 gamers clocked extra minutes and simply seven made extra appearances.
Within the three seasons that adopted, although, he has been afforded a mere 2,300 minutes on the pitch.
Ox’s legacy
Oxlade-Chamberlain has been largely match over the previous three campaigns, however one other long-term knee harm throughout pre-season in 2020 proved his sliding doorways second.
Thiago had arrived that summer time, whereas Fabinho was firmly bedded in as a key determine and even Naby Keita, regardless of his personal accidents, offered an alternative choice.
With Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott growing as first-team regulars, too, Oxlade-Chamberlain discovered himself extra of a spare half.
A break-glass answer, nearly all of his begins over the previous three seasons have come over the busy festive interval and into January.
When extra rotation is required, accidents construct up and the likes of Salah and Sadio Mane have departed for the Africa Cup of Nations, Klopp has relied upon Oxlade-Chamberlain.
He has stuffed that position effectively, however by no means once more reclaimed that first-choice spot in midfield, together with his outings as a substitute unfold over numerous positions and infrequently as an auxiliary ahead.
However when his identify booms out over the tannoy at Anfield on the ultimate residence recreation of the season, Oxlade-Chamberlain deserves a hero’s send-off.
It might not have been what he’d hoped these six years in the past, however his time at Liverpool has nonetheless been worthwhile – together with his affect on the likes of Joe Gomez, Rhian Brewster and Layton Stewart throughout their very own prolonged layoffs.
Even this season, he was noticed giving recommendation to Ben Doak and Bobby Clark throughout the under-21s’ conflict with Chelsea on the AXA Coaching Centre.
He may have been the lacking piece in Klopp’s midfield puzzle, however as a substitute he served because the conduit to a profitable, extra industrious unit that allowed Salah, Mane and Roberto Firmino to fireplace Liverpool to silverware.
Have been it not for that depressing evening in 2018, although, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s story may have been a lot, a lot completely different.
