Your comments were STUPID, Thierry
Flying Oxlade-Chamberlain hits back at Henry for saying: ‘I don’t know what he does’
They don’t pull punches on the television these days. The cult of personality has seen to that. Nobody is safe and occasionally there will be retribution from those on the end of criticism.
Arsene Wenger could not resist a week ago when he was the subject of a Gary Neville torrent during the Carabao Cup final. That was an immediate response but this one, from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, has been under consideration for six months.
‘I was very aware of those comments,’ Oxlade- Chamberlain grinned after being named man of the match at Anfield. Neville was again a target. The other, more significantly, was Thierry henry.
There is no doubt that OxladeChamberlain was left hurt after henry claimed ‘I still don’t know what he’s good at,’ when Liverpool paid £35million for the midfielder in August.
Neville said he’d ‘snap your hand off ’ for the money Arsenal were offered. Both piercing assessments ate away at the player. Criticism lingers far longer than any acclaim and it has taken him time to find form.
‘I have worked with them both in different capacities,’ OxladeChamberlain said. ‘It is not nice to hear it from your peers or people you have worked with. Those (henry’s) comments are probably a bit stupid. When you have watched someone long enough you know what they can do.
‘I think it was more aimed at the end-product side of things and doing those things that lead to goals. I will take those comments on the chin.
‘Saying you “don’t know what I do” when you have worked with me, I think it is a bit stupid. If people want to say those things, you remember them, you don’t forget them, but I am not here to make enemies. It cannot shake me.
‘If they are referencing more end product then that is fair enough, I hold my hands up. That is something that I have been working on and still need to work on.’
As Oxlade-Chamberlain delivered that retort, carefully deliberated and given after such a fine display in the midfield three, Jurgen Klopp was in another room saying he demands more.
The 24-year- old needs to take more risks, particularly in games like this, when the state of Rafa Benitez’s squad forced him into severe pragmatism.
‘Ox in the first half should have been in the No 10 more often,’ Klopp said. ‘you need the players in behind. We had three midfielders really deep. The only real target was Roberto ( Firmino), against two and a covering midfielder, so we lost a few balls we don’t usually. That doesn’t help.’
Perhaps a little harsh. OxladeChamberlain’s best direct break before half-time engineered the opening goal, driving at the Newcastle back five, shrugging off Mohamed Diame and slipping in Mo Salah for the 32nd of his mindboggling season.
Sadio Mane’s goal after the break was the 200th scored under Klopp in the Premier League, with only Manchester City recording more since the German manager arrived at Anfield.
excitement is established with Klopp, and Oxlade-Chamberlain wants to further buy into that. Removing the inertia of his final months at Arsenal was never going to happen overnight.
There are suggestions that Gareth Southgate could look at him in central midfield this summer, but Liverpool want to see these sort of buzzing afternoons more often.
Five Premier League assists is adequate if unspectacular. Three goals is not quite good enough. yet he has impacted games with more regularity recently and that can only be positive.
‘I don’t know if you could say it’s dawned on me because you always know it but the key thing is game after game,’ Oxlade-Chamberlain added. ‘To play that intricate part is what pushes players on. you look at the best midfielders in the world and the best strikers — Mo this season, he has kept his form going. For me the main focus is to try and be more consistent and be demanding.
‘even if you have had a couple of good games, you don’t take your foot off the gas but you want more. Success breeds success. everyone says you have to be your own biggest fan and believe in yourself.’
Klopp surprisingly suggested he would not make wholesale changes against Porto in the Champions League tomorrow, despite a five-goal advantage.
There is certainly scope for him to change his mind, given Manchester United loom on Saturday, although you feel Klopp may not want to mess with his team’s rhythm during this dazzling campaign. Newcastle’s season will not be defined on Merseyside — where they looked comfortable for much of the first half before conceding in unfortunate circumstances — but at St James’ Park in the next three weeks. Southampton arrive this weekend, with huddersfield to come on March 31. One home win since October really needs to be corrected if they are to survive.
‘We have to attack and we have to create chances,’ Benitez said. ‘Obviously Southampton will be different to Liverpool. We play at home with our fans behind us.
‘These games, against the teams close to us, we have to do well. If you win now everyone says “Fantastic” and we have more confidence. Maybe you can approach the next games with more confidence and you win more.’