Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain believes he can add a missing element to the squad to push them to even greater heights this season.
The lack of activity by the Reds during the summer transfer window was a widely discussed issue during the off-season, but Jurgen Klopp was more than satisfied with what he had at his disposal.
Klopp would have known he had a handy ace up his sleeve in the English international who missed the majority of the last campaign due to a serious knee injury, only playing a handful of minutes towards the end of the season.
By his own admission, it has been a long and gruelling road back to full fitness for with some setbacks along the way.
However the start of this season has seen him take major steps forward making eight appearances including four starts.
Oxlade-Chamberlain knows the more minutes he plays, it will increase his confidence in his quest to play a significant part for the team.
The Official site reported Oxlade-Chamberlain as saying:
“For me, off the back of what the boys achieved last season, it is a case of: Can I add that little bit extra, can I add a little bit more to help us as a squad?
“They did terrific last season and the boys in midfield played a lot of minutes. They played their part, they all rotated really well and came up with really important goals.
“It’s on me to try to bring a little something: run with the ball, link the play and fit in with the rhythm of the boys up front to help them.
What they achieved last year was extraordinary.
“To miss out [on the title] in the way we did was heartbreaking, so as a team we need to do better.
“With teams like Man City, and how relentless they are, we know we have to do more.
“ For me as an individual, my goals are to get back in and around the team and to help push this team forward a little bit more.
“If we can do that, I can start thinking about what I need to add to my game. For now, the next step is to help the team.”
It seems like he has been around for a long time, but the midfielder is right in his prime at 26 years of age.
Before his ill-timed injury against Roma in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final in April 2018, Oxlade-Chamberlain had stamped his claim to be one of the more important players in the squad.
His direct running from midfield and creative mindset gave the team a new dimension in the aftermath of the Philippe Coutinho departure to Barcelona.
Having shown what he can do once before, Ox hopes to recreate that impact this season.
“I guess I feel like a new option to him compared to last season because the manager didn’t have me at his disposal, to be able to use me.
“In that sense I guess I am like a new person in the group he can use and I think I can definitely bring my qualities and provide something different to the other boys in my position.
“We all have our own qualities, we all bring different things, so my job is to do the things I was doing before I was injured.
“I’m another weapon in his armoury again now, although I’m not that new here!”
When players come back from a long layoff, their play can be inhibited and they sadly some do not reach the same level that they were at prior to their injury.
Oxlade-Chamberlain is determined to not let that happen to him.
“I still try to play in the same way. I don’t try to hold back on doing the things I used to do.
“ I haven’t had those games in a row to be at the level yet I was when I left off, but I wouldn’t say I’m a different player.
“I’ll still try to dribble.
“I’ll still sometimes go into tackles that I should leave, but I go nibbling in anyway. I think that’s a good thing.
“ I don’t want to waste my time worrying about what I love doing, and what I need to do, every day.
“ Hopefully I can keep getting better, keep getting minutes and get back to where I was when I left off.”
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