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Always primed for pre season… The ultimate “he could be like a new signing “ player.
As for “Consistently very useful when fit.” ???
When using a player as an example of strength, it would be tough to put down a sequence of 5 words that could contradict themselves more whilst simultaneously being vague.
To be honest with you, he always looks useful to me. I think he's a really good player - always surprises me as I tend to write him off due to his fitness problems much as everyone else does. How he played for 15 minutes yesterday doesn't really impact upon that assessment - it was weird after the injury, we're just getting going etc. There was point a couple of seasons ago where his injury was actually quite devastating as he had become a key to our good play, so I'm not judging hm purely on potential either.
These arguments are strange as fans get indignant because we don't have replacements for our best players, as if we could have a second Van Djik or Salah sitting on the bench. When key players get badly injured it causes adversity and some of it can't be planned away or financed. Klopp himself has said he likes small squads because he doesn't want unhappy players on the fringes. That means he thinks differently to those who complain loudest about our weaknesses.
Oxlade and Keita cost a lot of money and are paid vast sums to contribute - in some ways their injuries act in our favour. If they were constantly fit and on the bench, chances are they would be agitating to leave and play at another club. There are no problem free scenarios.
I thought it was a funny 5 words there Taksin..
As I see it the point simply illustrates the problem. Sadly Oxlade is so rarely of any use at all because he is so rarely fit. This then begs the question WHY do people use him as a viable option along with Keita when both are almost never available.
All it does is highlight the lack of genuine options we have. This then gives further ammunition to the whingers among us, like me, in our wanton lust for further quality acquisitions - especially so when we have lost such a key component like Gini.
Just make sure he is available for 3rd October he usually plays well in that game 😁
Maybe it was the euphoria of the occasion but when he rifled that one in against City in the CL i thought it the big outlay on him was going to be worth it. For me, its been underwhelming since then - if he wants to nail down more starts in PL then he's gonna have to impress initially with PL sub appearances to push that claim. If thats too difficult then he's bound to get starts in LC/FAC games and he'll have to make the impression there. Just dont see much of a leader in him, there will be times when 1 or more of hendo/fab/thiago are injured or suspended for the PL/CL so he has to be ready. In a way he's lucky Elliott is now out as it pushes him up the pecking order
Ox is a good player probably not good enough to start every week for us but he has skillsets our other midfielders dont have.
Injuries have ruined him mainly its not like he didnt perform he was on fire before that bad injury against Roma.
He can be like Lingard at United here he gets mocked but can put in good games here & there.
I agree with Nineteen that Bissouma is the man never injured, presses like a machine and covers loads of ground perfect for our style.
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