Oxlade-chamberlain hits back at Henry’s criticism
After Alex Oxlade-chamberlain’s full debut for Liverpool a video appeared on the internet mocking his first 90 minutes for his new club. It attracted 2.59million views and derided the midfielder’s failure to beat the first man with a corner, bungled tricks, misplaced passes and overhit crosses.
The Carabao Cup defeat to Leicester City was not his or Liverpool’s finest hour, but the video combined with criticism from Sky Sports pundits Thierry Henry and Gary Neville had turned the £35 million signing into a laughing stock. The former Arsenal striker said he had been “watching him for a long time” and still did not know “what he’s good at”, while Neville said it was a “brilliant deal” for Arsenal, who would have “snapped your hand off ” to sell Oxlade-chamberlain for that amount.
Against Newcastle United on Saturday, the 24-year-old was a player transformed; jet-heeled forward runs from mid“football field, intelligent passes and the chutzpah to beat an opponent with a piece of skill. Reinvigorated by Jurgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, Oxladechamberlain, who has four goals and five assists, decided to hit back at all of the criticism. “Those comments are probably a bit stupid,” he said, in reference to Henry’s analysis. “When you have watched someone long enough you know what they can do. “I think it was more aimed at my end product and doing those things that lead to scoring a goal or setting up a goal. I will take those comments on the chin. It cannot shake me. Saying you don’t know ‘what I do’ when you have worked with me, it is a bit stupid.”
Oxlade-chamberlain had gone stale at Arsenal, and there is a sense he had been neglected by Arsene Wenger towards the end of his time with the club. The chance to work with Klopp determined he left the comfort zone of London in the hope of finding a new environment in which fresh direction could help him to realise his potential.
“The important thing is that when I came here I had a manager who had faith in me,” Oxladechamberlain added. “That is why I made the step. Everyone says you have to be your own biggest fan and believe in yourself. I have been around it long enough to know things will be said. There is more in me, I have to keep pushing on.”
Oxlade-chamberlain made the key run and pass against Newcastle that allowed Mohamed Salah to open the scoring with his 32nd goal of the season, slipped through the legs of goalkeeper Martin Dubravka from the corner of the six-yard box.
He was also involved early on in the move for Liverpool’s second goal, which saw Roberto Firmino slide Sadio Mane in before the Senegalese striker fired past Dubravka.
Rafael Benitez, the Newcastle manager, took a defensive approach against his former club, but acknowledged the need for ambition against fellow strugglers Southampton and Huddersfield in their next two matches. “These teams are close to us and we have to do well,” Benitez said. “We have to attack and create chances.” Arch goalscorer Harry Kane turned provider on Saturday with one of the assists of the season, with a sweeping ball to Son Heung-min for his second goal