Liverpool Right to Leave Divock Origi at Lille

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has confirmed the club will not be recalling Divock Origi early from loan at Lille this January.

Rodgers confirmed the news in an interview on radio station talkSPORT on Monday morning.

"The likelihood is that he will stay at Lille," said Rodgers. "He’s a really exciting young talent and has got everything you need for the Premier League. He’s fast, has great feet, is tactically very good, and he works hard.

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"Everything is set up for him to come to the Premier League. He just needs to finish the season at Lille and we’ll have him for next season."

This follows a report by Paul Joyce in the Daily Express, who writes that "Liverpool were prepared to pay a premium to land the Belgium forward now and, although they had found Lille reluctant to negotiate, were still hopeful of striking a deal."

The Liverpool Echo's James Pearce has since claimed Rodgers has had a change of heart over the proposed recall of the 19-year-old.

Origi and Lille

Things aren't going great for Lille this season, who find themselves down in 12th position in Ligue 1.

Origi is struggling too, without a goal for the French side since October. Indeed, back in December, he was booed after missing a penalty.

"

Lille fans booed Divock Origi after he missed a penalty against Wolfsburg. He hasn't scored for 923 minutes. #LFC 1/2

— Kristof Terreur (@HLNinEngeland) December 12, 2014"

But, with forward Michael Frey just ruled out for up to four months (as per AFP), Lille can hardly afford to lose Origi now.

Liverpool

Origi's aforementioned struggles this season indicate it was unlikely he could arrive on Merseyside this month and suddenly provide a solution to Liverpool's goalscoring struggles in the absence of Daniel Sturridge.

What may have happened instead is too much pressure being on the teenager to have an immediate impact, which would be detrimental to his impact.

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It appears, then, Rodgers has opted not to recall Origi and instead bring another teenager, Jordon Ibe, back from loan instead.

Ibe has really impressed for Derby County in the Championship this season, as explained by Derby fan Joel Clyne for This Is Anfield.

With Ibe recalled, it means Rodgers certainly isn't short of attacking options, with his side currently in four tournaments.

Sturridge should return this month, meaning the Reds will have four recognised strikers (Sturridge, Fabio Borini, Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli), plus Ibe, Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana, Philippe Coutinho and Steven Gerrard.

In the new formation used by Rodgers, only three of those are likely to start any one match. Sterling has deputised up front for the most part of this past month, before Borini retained his place for the win at Aston Villa on Saturday, with Sterling dropping into the attacking-midfield area.

Ibe had a late cameo replacing Sterling, and his direct play will give Liverpool a different option, particularly if Rodgers opts to change things up and play more of a 4-3-3 shape on occasion. Ibe impressed for Derby on the left of Steve McClaren's side using that formation.

Pros and Cons

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Of course, there are pros and cons of any such decision, but overall, Liverpool have made the right one in leaving Origi at Lille.

The only major positive of recalling him early is it would have allowed him time to settle and acclimatise ahead of next season. However, that is outweighed by the potential that he would be a peripheral figure—and what he needs is to be playing regularly, even if it is with a struggling side. He will learn more there than being on the bench at Anfield.

Hopefully Lille and Origi can pick up some form over the latter half of the campaign, with the player's future now resolved and clear in his own mind.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have enough attacking options that they should comfortably cope without Origi this season.