8 Oct 2014

'World Class' £10m star: 'Rodgers wants me' at LFC this season. Better than Balotelli?

Last week, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers claimed that £10m summer signing Divock Origi 'will be world class' at some point in the future, and hinted that he would've liked to have the 19-year old at Anfield this year. Origi is currently on loan at Lille, but he's dismissed the notion that he's needed at LFC this season.

Last week, Rodgers told reporters:

"We couldn't bring him [Origi] in now, which was unfortunate because he can run in behind, he can keep the ball, he can press and he can run."

Speaking to Voetball Primeur this week, Origi argued that Liverpool have enough firepower to cope without him this season. He explained:

"Balotelli is a great player and Sturridge scored a lot of goals last season.

"On that level I do not think they will have a lot of problems. Of course it is nice that Rodgers wants me there though."


Origi is spot on here. Of course Liverpool can survive without him this season; it shouldn't even be a question, or part of any ongoing conversation. Indeed, it's a sad state of affairs if the Reds can't survive without a comparatively inexperienced 19-year old who's never played a single game for the club.

Rodgers states that it's 'unfortunate' that Origi has to stay on loan this season, but in saying that, he's basically indicating a tacit lack of faith in his current striking options. Sturridge, Balotelli, Lambert, and Borini should be enough to at least grab fourth place, and if that doesn't happen, then the buck stops with the manager.

It's a similar situation with Sterling. Since 2012, Rodgers has spent well over £200m on players (with over £120m splurged this summer alone) yet Liverpool are still heavily reliant on a teenager. In fact, take Sterling out of LFC's attack, and the team looks alarmingly toothless, and devoid of pace.

Maybe it's just me, but I find this concerning. After spending so much money, Liverpool should not have to rely so much on Sterling (or Origi), but that seems to be the reality right now.

Bottom line: when the manager bemoans the loss of an untested 19-year who's never played for LFC, it's a clear sign that the club's transfer policy is failing...


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29 comments:

  1. Why not both? I think we would all prefer him to Borini? With Dani out Origi could have given us a bit more movement upfront.

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  2. what do people think of this

    -----------------------Mingolet/Valdes
    ---------------------------Skrtel
    ----Johnson-----Can--------Allen-------Moreno
    -------------------------Hendo
    ------Sterling--------Lallana---------Balotelli
    -----------------------Sturridge

    the germany under 21s succesfully use this sweeper formation, with Can working with the defensive mid as creative centre backs, with the sweeper to provide cover. in our case Can will working allen in a back four with Johnson and Moreno. Skrtel will play on his own, its already clear our defensive partnerships are tarnished and Lovren and Sakho are both liabilitys. we've seen on the right side Johnson and Sterling have solid combination and good partnership, so that side will be covered perfectly, johnson knowing the right weight of passes which sterling needs after working for a whole down the right with him. we've also seen that Moreno and Balotelli have a growing partnership with Balotelli always seeming to find Moreno and Moreno always trying to pick out Balotelli. i think Balotelli should play Left wing in a Cristiano Ronaldo mould. then he can show his skill and either choose to shoot or make a pass. at least then our up front movement wont be destroyed and we may be able to see the benefits of Super Mario. also i think him and Moreno down the left will be very exciting especially as Moreno will overlap on Balotelli giving him the option to pass, or cut in on his favoured foot and shoot. Also with Sturridge applying the pressure upfront, Mario will get plenty of oppurtunities.

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  3. Part of the money spent has been on Lallana who depsite being overpriced is now looking to be getting back to his Soto form which had him in last seasons team of the year. What a difference if he had not been injured. Markovic is also not much older than the players mentioned yet is getting unfairly written off by some. Their were those who were very critical of Sterling and Rodgers for playing him at one point but then something clicked and he became one of our best players. Sterling is a player who didn't have to change countries or have to speak a new language and had time with the set up to learn what the manager wants. I think we should be affording him time. Whilst there are those who have not made it none came at such a price and Sterling is evidence of what patience can bring. He has some of the pace at least.

    As for toothlessness of our attack. Well Balo hasn't hit the ground running despite working hard to some degree. For those who praised the signing to contradict that by saying the transfer activity is poor seems hypocritical or at least flip floppish.

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  4. After the money spent on cbs I can't see us the going to a one cb system.

    I haven't seen the German under 21s so how does that formation look on the pitch? Presumably there is not a deepest player or that would open space to exploit.

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  5. origi is the type of striker hat would suit balo like danny does...balo is not a grafter or a poacher ...thats being used as a stick to beat him but there are numerous top level strikers who are neither...

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  6. Sweeper should have good technique with ball (like Baresi, Beckenbauer, Matthäus end of his career), so I wouldn't trust Skrtel at all! Also it's not modern football anymore when playing using sweeper even Germany maybe used it.

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  7. There's no denying that Balotelli has struggled to score. I don't believe he's played poorly though.


    That being said, results are what matter.


    I wish this poll was done before the slow start to the year. Of course, people would choose Origi now after seeing how slow Mario has started off. I'd like to know the results before the season started.

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  8. emre can plays along side the defensive midfielder, coming out of his centre back position to play alongside the DM whilst also providing cover for the sweeper, and the sweeper there to provide extra cover if they are beaten. if locked down, it works to perfection. the back fourr will basically be ahead of the sweeper. so considering the sweeper distrubutes and sweeps up well the team will be very hard to break down. Hendo will have his normal box-box role and the front 4 will be sterling, lallana, ballotelli and sturridge up top. it should work.

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  9. Perhaps but he's just about the only top level striker I can think of who neither puts in a shift or is poaching goals in the box.
    What he does do however is extraordinary. Mario is nowhere near Zlatan's level though so he'll need to adapt to the requirements of the team, not the other way around.

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  10. Is it 1st April? Joe Allen as CB; clearly you're a comedian.

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  11. "Devoid of pace" without Sterling?? Markovic and Sturridge have plenty of pace as well. We are missing a Suarez class layer up front more then anything else. Balotelli is not close to our former striker in any way.

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  12. I agree. Either that or literally never leave the training pitch and basically work on everything. Actually his touch is pretty effin good.

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  13. Its not typical BR this time, just an excuse for a disappointing start. He said this in the same interview where he slated Balo. So that was definitely not typical BR, he needs to get back his composure and confidence when talking to media. Inexperience I guess. Hopefully, after some positive results he will stop making excuses.

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  14. I would prefer Sturridge to either of them to be honest

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  15. Silly. Ibe is a great talent but why is Sterling a joke?

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  16. Rodgers has plenty of experience. This is just his way.

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  17. Baloteli just doesn't put in enough work rate for me, when things are not going his way the sulking starts, it's as though he thinks he has a divine right not to be tackled, never should have signed him, another panic buy that ain't gonna end well.

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  18. Mr. Point Of View8:58 am, October 09, 2014

    He will be loan out again

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  19. Why is the word 'comedian' acceptable when 'idiot' is clearly what was implied?

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  20. if we do this, we will get relegated

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  21. So Ibe who has done nothing at the top level yet (emphasis on yet) over Sterling who has been one of our best players for most of our title challenging season? Sorry pal not sure where you are coming from.

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  22. I'm not entirely convinced that a front four of Sturridge, Balo, Lambert and Borini should be good enough to get top 4. Ok if Sturridge stayed fit all season I would agree but that's never going to happen. Take Sturridge out of the equation and the reality is the other 3 simply aren't top 4 material with the possible exclusion of Balotelli if he ever finds some form. On current form with Sturridge out I think Origi probably would have got a decent amount of game time and his movement and pace probably would be a big asset for us considering the lack of both without Sturridge.

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  23. I like Origi have not seen much of him but i what i saw i liked he is raw though and although there is merit in his recent performances in France it is a tall order to expect him to be leading an attack at Liverpool.
    Balotelli will i believe start scoring once B.R goes back to a formation playing 2 up front consistently the guy is working hard on the pitch he is class it will come.

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  24. It is you're right. His decision making needs a lot of work, when to pass, when to shoot etc.

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  25. You're asking Balotelli to do alot of running and work in that set up. Better to have Balotelli as the main man prowling the box and have sturridge doing the donkey work

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  26. teddy sheringham

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  27. Berbatov? He's hardly a top level striker these days and when he got a chance at a top club he was constantly criticised for being so nonchalant.
    Teddy Sheringham retired 10 years ago or whatever.
    My original point is that there really is not many top level strikers that neither put in a shift OR poach goals in the box

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