Klopp baits Wenger on coaching
‘Under-use’ of player at Arsenal criticised
JURGEN Klopp has risked Arsene Wenger’s wrath ahead of Liverpool’s visit to the Emirates Stadium by claiming the Arsenal manager failed to get the best out of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Oxlade-Chamberlain joined Liverpool in August after Wenger decided to cash in before the England midfielder’s contract expired.
The 24-year-old never quite lived up to his early promise at Arsenal after his switch from Southampton.
But after a slow start at Liverpool following his move, he has started to hit his stride in recent weeks -- just in time for his first return to Emirates today.
Reds boss Klopp has been impressed by Oxlade-Chamberlain’s development at Anfield, saying: “He had to adapt. I know how it is if you’re kind of a big signing.
“You have to perform immediately. But it’s difficult.
“I was happy from the first day about his involvement, about his attitude, and since then he became more and more a Liverpool player.”
But Klopp said Oxlade-Chamberlain would already be an even more potent force if he had been instructed to add a goal threat to his game while he was with Arsenal.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has scored just twice in 20 appearances for Liverpool and managed 20 goals in 198 games for Arsenal.
Klopp said that poor strike rate was down to Wenger prioritising the talents of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.
“I think the biggest improvement, or the biggest potential he still has, is really being involved in goal-scoring situations, because he has it in himself,” Klopp said.
“It is unbelievable, but he was not asked for this too much, I think, in the past. “If you watched Arsenal in the past, the two decisive players were Sanchez and Ozil.
“Here, we put it on much more shoulders, and if he’s on the pitch he needs to be involved in situations like this.”
As if that was not enough to irk Wenger, Klopp also made a point of highlighting how the Frenchman, so renowned for his purist principles, has often used a far more rudimentary approach against Liverpool, based around the aerial ability of Olivier Giroud.
“Against us most of the time Giroud played from the beginning, so that says a little bit about the style Arsenal have chosen against us very often,” Klopp said.
“They are a complete team, able to do everything. They can switch and change styles.
“Against us it happened quite often that they played a lot of long balls, with Giroud.
“But he cannot play [today] and that will change a few things maybe.”
With Manchester City running away with the Premier League race, the focus at the Emirates will on the battle for a top-four finish.
It is a crucial clash for both sides as fourthplaced Liverpool are one point ahead of fifthplaced Arsenal in the battle to qualify for the Champions League.
Wenger made it clear how important Liverpool’s visit is when he made 11 changes for Tuesday’s 1-0 League Cup quarterfinal win over West Ham.
Liverpool have not played since Sunday’s thrashing of Bournemouth and Wenger is concerned the hectic fixture schedule is taking a toll on his team after Giroud was sidelined with a hamstring injury.
“It is very demanding, especially because we already have a tough schedule behind us,” he said.
“We have to sit down and analyse very well what we can do. What is very worrying in my job is when you start to lose players like Giroud.
“After, you cannot afford to lose another one. I have to look how I can manage the schedule.”