Ranking Every Liverpool Transfer Under Jürgen Klopp
9. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
It's impressive how quick it took Chamberlain to evolve into a completely different player under Klopp. At Arsenal, he was a bland winger, whose speed didn't make up for his lack of end-product and creativity. The kind of player that's only good on FIFA because of his acceleration stats. Thankfully, Klopp's reasoning delves a little deeper than that. He turned the England international into a tactically aware, ball-playing, proper offensive midfielder, with a rare mix of speed and strength. He went from Bellerinish to Seedorfesque. From gazelle to ox.
Last season Chamberlain assisted eight and scored five, including that stunner against Man City in the UCL. His goals against Man City (in the league) and assists against Newcastle and West Brom highlight what's maybe his biggest quality: he's able to run through the opposition's horizontal lines, to get past those midfield players with ease. He then has the shooting or passing skills to make the most out of his incursions. Straightforwardness, impact, industry: just what was ironically lacking when he was a Gunner.
The Ox could very well be Liverpool's secret weapon for next season. His comeback cameo against Watford reminded fans of how he could dynamise an already electric midfield. With such quality players around him and what must be a burning desire to return to his best, it's likely that Chamberlain's apex is yet to come.