Philippe Coutinho might have moved to Barcelona but our summer signing, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is in no mood to regret the Brazilian’s departure. After a difficult start to life at Anfield, the Englishman has settled in well and seems confident with each passing week. The way it looks, the Ox seems to have enjoyed his time with Coutinho in the team but is now focused on what is left.
Chamberlain believes that Coutinho’s departure will not have any negative impact on the team as the boys prepare to face Manchester City on Sunday. He was quoted by the Telegraph,
“I’ve got every respect for Phil and his decisions, I wish him all the best but he is not in my thoughts right now. He can’t affect the score versus Manchester City. I’m more concerned about what I can do, what Mo [Salah] can do, what Sadio [Mane] can do, what whoever is playing will do because we are the boys now that will get the right result for the club.
“I haven’t really even thought about Phil leaving. You pay it attention and you realise it happens but you can’t start thinking, ‘What are we going to do now that Phil is not here?’ It can’t be that at all. It’s business as usual.
“When Phil wasn’t playing in the team for some games we still played great football and we still have amazing players who can score goals – the likes of Mo, Sadio, Roberto, everyone else. We have goals and creativity all over the team. Obviously Phil added to that, there is no doubt. The fact is he has gone now we have to think, ‘what have we got that is going to get the job done?’ ”
The situation isn’t something new for us. Xabi Alonso left us in 2009, Torres in 2011 and Suarez in 2014. Their sales left deep scars which needed several transfer windows to heal but Oxlade-Chamberlain says the club are equipped to deal with the latest significant loss.
“I have every faith in the boys that we just move on now. I don’t think it should affect us at all. At a massive club like Liverpool people are going to come and go. It is our job to keep the wheels moving and keep the momentum going.
“He was an amazing player and he did great things for Liverpool. You want as many good players as you can. But that’s football, that’s the business that we are in.”
Coutinho was there and he gave his best for the club until last minute. The Brazilian wanted to fulfil his dream of playing for Barcelona and he chose to move. But this is Liverpool FC and we’re much bigger than just a magical Brazilian attacker.
