25 Nov 2016

Boss raves: 'Exceptional' €31m Liverpool outcast is 'one of the best' striker 'talents' in Europe. Agree?

Former Belgium manager Marc Wilmots has heaped praise on one of Liverpool's fringe players.

Speaking to French newspaper L'Equipe this week, Wilmots raved:

"[Origi] is one of the best young striker talents. He has everything: speed, technique, acceleration, knows where the goal is, right foot, left foot. Klopp is working with him, and taking his time".

The two things that Wilmots hasn't mention in his list of attributes are game intelligence, and decision-making, and in my view, Origi is lacking in these two areas.

As for Klopp just 'taking his time' - is this really the case, or is it possible that he just doesn't rate Origi highly enough? Consider the following:

* Last season, Origi averaged 50 mins of pitch time per game, but this season - despite the experience of a full year at Anfield - that has regressed to just 29 minutes.

* It's almost December, and Origi hasn't started a single Premier League game.

* If Klopp rates Origi, why didn't he bring him on as a sub when Liverpool were hammering Watford 6-1, Hull 5-1, and Leicester 4-1? When it comes to giving players game time, there's surely no better time than when the team is comfortably winning by a wide margin.

The real test of Klopp's faith will come when Sadio Mane heads to the African Cup of Nations. Will Origi benefit from extra game time, or will he remain stuck on the bench?

* €31m-rated (CIES Football Observatory). Described as 'exceptional' by Owen Hargreaves.


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