Oxlade-Chamberlain: I still have a lot of games and energy left in me

[TLW]

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may be closing one chapter in his playing career but he is confident that he has plenty more left in the tank at the top level.

 

With the amount of games missed through serious injury, it is very easy to overlook that the midfielder is still a few months away from turning 30, and as someone who has a vast level of big game experience, the free-agent is bound to have suitors for his services come the summer.

 

The journey of ‘Ox’ as a Liverpool player is most certainly a bittersweet one. 

 

In Football, timing is everything and there is something a bit special when you observe of your own players start to reach their optimum level.

 

But then on the flip side is when there is the crushing reality of a significant setback like what occurred in April of 2018 when during a rich vein of form, the midfielder suffered a knee injury which saw him on the sidelines for the best part of 12 months.

 

 

An athlete can go two ways when something like that occurs, to curse their bad fortune or to dig deep into their inner resolve and look to make up for lost time.

 

And that is exactly what the England international did making a very solid impact during the title season of 2019/20 playing over 40 appearances in all competitions and chipping in with some handy goals along the way.

 

Reflecting at the conclusion of his six seasons at the club, Oxlade-Chamberlain told the Mirror that he leaves with life-long memories.

 

“It’s gone quick! There were definitely spells when I felt I was playing the best I’ve ever played and in the position I’ve always wanted to play, in midfield. 

 

“That’s what made it feel more special because that was the reason I came here.

 

“Winning the Premier League was really special for me. It’s a shame we lifted the trophy in Covid because it would have been insane with the fans there."

 

 

When you reach the summit, it is the culmination of hard work and a level of satisfaction in achieving your goals which is what Oxlade remembers with fondness.

 

“The first season was the year we realised we could really achieve something special, we were winning games 4-0, 5-0, Mo [Salah] couldn’t stop scoring and Hendo gave us the belief we could win any game.

 

“The second season was when you saw a really big jump up when we just missed out on the league that year, by one point and that was when the team felt unstoppable. 

 

“We had some tough times, we lost Virgil [van Dijk], Joey G (Gomez), we had to really dig in and fight for the Champions League. It’s not always been plain sailing through the success.

 

“That’s why it’s harder to say goodbye when you’ve been through so much together. There’s literally no bad eggs, everyone came from humble beginnings and everyone established who they are at Liverpool which helps as a team rather than anyone being individuals.

 

“That togetherness and connection with the fans has made us fairly close. The whole club and city realises that.”

 

 

It is that respectful nature that has made Oxlade Chamberlain such a popular member of the squad in this all-time great era. But as he looks ahead, he does so with a sense of excitement despite not knowing for sure where his next destination will be.

 

“This is going to be an exciting time for me. It’s a new experience for me so there’s a bit of hesitation and a bit of uncertainty and not knowing. But it is still exciting.

 

“I think I need to go and play somewhere as consistently as possible. They say you’re coming into your peak at 29, so I want to go and test myself, play consistently somewhere.

 

“I’m still hungry, I still feel I have a lot of games left in me and a lot of energy left in me. I don’t like to say a point to prove, but that’s always been my attitude. From when I went to Arsenal, I felt like that. 

 

“When I went to Liverpool, that’s how I felt. When I walked through the door, I felt like I needed to do that. It’s the same again. To prove myself and to prove the people out there to show what I’m capable of still doing.”

 

 

 

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[Daisy]

Has he been injured recently? Bit odd he didnt even get on the bench for the last game 

[alles ist gut]

25 minutes ago, Daisy said:

Has he been injured recently? Bit odd he didnt even get on the bench for the last game 

 

He was training regularly and not getting in the squad; to me that suggests an agreement not to risk what's left of his body. Hopefully he can get some TV work, alongside a short-term contract nominally playing football, with the objective of putting that gawping fuckwit Jenas on the dole by 2025.

[Section_31]

Wish him all the best, doesn't seem like a bad lad. I found his play quite one dimensional when he wasn't injured and was surprised we signed him.

[Bobby Hundreds]

He doesn't have a lot of games in him the silly sausage.

[Elite]

Some club will be daft enough to give him a contract I'm sure.

[Anubis]

Awww, Ox, sweetie, no you don’t.

[Carra_is_legend]

4 hours ago, Bobby Hundreds said:

He doesn't have a lot of games in him the silly sausage.

I bet his sausage has lot of games with Perrie though.

[clangers]

However many games he has left that he's available for will not be half as many games he's injured and unavailable for.

[VladimirIlyich]

His injury record was terrible before we signed him and then we paid 35 million with one year remaining of his contract. Definitely brown paper bags and backhanders going on there.

[Dicko]

Had quite a lot of time for Chamberlain.

I thought it was mad that we were signing him and that he wanted to play in midfield but Klopp saw something in him and as part of a midfield three proved everyone wrong.

 

All of Chamberlain's injuries have been serious and debilitating which is why I have more time for him than Keita also the fact that both at their very best Chamberlain was miles away the better player.

 

We have had injury prone players before and will again I'm sure, but he really was a lost opportunity for a very special player.

[Guest]

Oxlade-Chamberlain: I still have a lot of games, energy and injuries left in me

[VladimirIlyich]

1 hour ago, Shooter in the Motor said:

Oxlade-Chamberlain: I still have a lot of games, energy and injuries left in me

Mrs Oxlade Chamberlain said that?

[joe_fishfish]

1 hour ago, Dicko said:

Had quite a lot of time for Chamberlain.

I thought it was mad that we were signing him and that he wanted to play in midfield but Klopp saw something in him and as part of a midfield three proved everyone wrong.

 

All of Chamberlain's injuries have been serious and debilitating which is why I have more time for him than Keita also the fact that both at their very best Chamberlain was miles away the better player.

 

We have had injury prone players before and will again I'm sure, but he really was a lost opportunity for a very special player.

I agree with this. He could have been really good if it wasn’t for the injuries. Felt he was a little underused in the last couple of years, even when fit he wasn’t getting any time on the pitch, and he could do a better job than some of our midfielders. 

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

Bye. He did what it said on the tin. 

[an tha]

9 hours ago, joe_fishfish said:

I agree with this. He could have been really good if it wasn’t for the injuries. Felt he was a little underused in the last couple of years, even when fit he wasn’t getting any time on the pitch, and he could do a better job than some of our midfielders. 

To not be selected when fit to play in our midfield given the absolute state of it says a lot about his level these days.

 

 

[Lee909]

Really hope he finds a role somewhere. Injuries really fuckrd him with us but unlike others don't think it was a lack of bottle/heart. His body just failed and probably left him second guessing himself. Feels similar to Sturridge. Shame really we've had a few like that over the past 20 years Inc Redknapp,Jones, Heggem,Babbel and Berger 

[Reckoner]

Has anyone mentioned he scored against Man City once yet? 5 fucking years ago he got that injury. Most well run clubs would have replaced him in months and gradually moved him on with a ‘your luck was out sorry’. But here we are half a decade later still talking about it like we lost the new Gerrard.

Show that City goal again.

[an tha]

Last 3 seasons have been totally ridiculous.

 

Through a combination of injury and just not being picked he played a grand total of 1,365 mins in the league.

 

That is equivalent to 15 matches.

 

15 matches worth of mins in the league in 3 full seasons.....and for long periods Klopp just wouldn't even have him in squad - happened in 2nd half of last season and this. Left out of matchday squad for our last 11 this season and last season he didn't play a minute for us in league after 19th Feb - last 13 games he was unused sub 5 times, left out of squad 8 times.

 

 

[VladimirIlyich]

On 03/06/2023 at 00:36, an tha said:

Last 3 seasons have been totally ridiculous.

 

Through a combination of injury and just not being picked he played a grand total of 1,365 mins in the league.

 

That is equivalent to 15 matches.

 

15 matches worth of mins in the league in 3 full seasons.....and for long periods Klopp just wouldn't even have him in squad - happened in 2nd half of last season and this. Left out of matchday squad for our last 11 this season and last season he didn't play a minute for us in league after 19th Feb - last 13 games he was unused sub 5 times, left out of squad 8 times.

 

 

I wonder if we get a partial refund from Arsenal for him 'not being fit for purpose?'