da dobrowin： When he first came into the Liverpool team, it seemed as though the intensity and the drive needed for a midfield player in Jurgen Klopp’s system was simply too much for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
da luck： Over the last few weeks, getting used to the speed and athleticism needed was the main thing for the former Arsenal man. But physically, there’s no doubt he’s up to the task. It seems as though he’s beginning to get the hang of it by now, though.
Against Bournemouth this weekend, the plaudits will naturally gravitate towards Liverpool’s ‘Fab Four’, as normal – even if Sadio Mane didn’t start the game. But some special praise should go to Chamberlain, who is starting to put in some quietly impressive performances as a central midfielder with all the attributes Klopp needs in his demanding system.
Jordan Henderson managed the most touches of all Liverpool’s midfielders and attackers, but aside from him, Chamberlain was the next in line, with 75 touches of the ball and 53 attempted passes. His slightly more advanced role than Henderson and his other midfield partner, Georginio Wijnaldum, however, means that his pass accuracy is slightly lower than those two. On the other hand, only Philippe Coutinho could match the England man for key passes. He managed four, which is an impressive feat in itself, but matching the Brazilian in that particular area is arguably even more so.
Oxlade-Chamberlain’s two dribbles was bettered only by Mohamed Salah, his three shots was bettered only by two players, and no-one on the pitch made more tackles. It was a complete performance, and although it’s easier to pull out a good display on a good day than on a difficult one, there are signs that the summer signing is starting to come into his own and become a key player for Klopp’s Liverpool. That will be especially important given the boss’ controversial rotation policy.