Divock Origi Isn’t Good Enough For Liverpool And Must Be Replaced This Summer

Divock Origi’s contribution to Liverpool’s Champions League triumph of 2019 will be remembered on Merseyside for a long time. Indeed, the Belgian striker penned his name into the folklore of the Anfield club with a double in the astonishing semi final comeback win over Barcelona and a goal in the win over Tottenham Hotspur in the final.

With Roberto Firmino sidelined for a number of Liverpool’s biggest and most important games of the 2018/19 season, Origi stood up. It was the Belgian who filled the void left by Firmino, providing some great moments in what was an historic season for the Reds. It didn’t just earn Origi a place in the hearts of the Liverpool support, but in Jurgen Klopp’s plans for the long-term. When the summer transfer window opened, the Reds refrained from signing a new striker.

But for all that Origi might be a cult hero for the Anfield faithful, for all that his highlight reel is as good as anyone’s in the Liverpool dressing room, Klopp must make finding a replacement for the Belgian a priority this summer. Liverpool can’t count on Origi to conjure up the same sort of magic that carried them through some testing times last season.

Of course, Klopp’s first choice frontline is among the best in the European game right now. Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah all offer something different and interchange with such fluidity that it is almost impossible for opposition defenders to keep track of them for the full 90 minutes. At one point or another, one of the trio will find freedom and that can be enough for them to decide a match.

Firmino is a centre forward like no other. Most strikers are defined by how frequently to find the back of the net, but the Brazilian isn’t like most strikers. His movement facilitates Liverpool in the final third, creating the sort of space Mane and Salah need to thrive. It’s no understatement to label Firmino as one of a kind.

It’s for this reason that finding a deputy is so challenging. The nature of Liverpool’s attack changes whenever Origi is dropped into the lineup, with the Reds more likely to go direct rather than play into space when Firmino is on the pitch. Liverpool are an easier outfit to defend against when Origi is up front. 

Nonetheless, Klopp must seek a striker who can play in Firmino’s place without Liverpool having to change their entire system and approach. Timo Werner is one forward who has been strongly linked with the Anfield club and there’s good reason to believe the German would be a good fit. The player himself has even talked up a potential transfer, expressing his admiration for the way Liverpool play. 

Werner’s suitability comes from the way he can play across the RB Leipzig frontline. While he might be a centre forward by trade, he can drift out to the left and right. He is good with the ball at his feet and has a strong understanding of space on a football pitch. Klopp could do a lot with the German international.

Some doubt, however, that Werner would accept a supporting role for Liverpool when he could be the main man for another elite club. Chelsea and Manchester United are also believed to be interested and he would almost certainly receive more game time at both. At Liverpool, Werner would have to make do with starts through rotation and cameos off the bench.

Liverpool have been so strong over the past two seasons that it can seem over scrupulous to pick holes in their squad. But Klopp and the club’s decision makers must strive to further improvement and there is no spot in the team that needs addressing more than the one currently occupied by Origi. Sentimentality mustn’t be enough to keep him at Anfield.