Liverpool Need To Recall Divock Origi

Liverpool are in a crisis at the moment. Daniel Sturridge and Mario Balotelli are hurt, Rickie Lambert is not the striker they need and Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard are tragically out of form. They are desperate for goals and just aren’t finding them, as evidenced by the loss to Crystal Palace at the weekend.

The answers for Liverpool actually lie in their books, and his name is Divock Origi. He was purchased by Liverpool in the last transfer window but immediately loaned back to LOSC Lille for the year so he can develop his skill in Ligue 1 before moving to the Premier League.

A breakout star at the World Cup for Belgium, he scored a goal against the United States to force Belgium through to the final rounds of the competition. However, he has only scored seven goals in 39 games for his club over the last two seasons. So why is it so important that Liverpool recall the 19-year-old and cut his loan short?

It is more his movement on and off the ball than his goalscoring that would help. If you look at Luis Suarez last season, while his 31 goals were absolutely unbelievable, it was his movement and intelligence for the game that moved him into the upper echelon of world football last season. It is a similar case with Origi. He offers the same threat up and down the flanks thanks to bags of pace, similar to the Suarez mold. He is also technically very good, showing close control and the ability to take defenders on. This would take much of the creative onus off of Sterling, who is really the only creative spark Liverpool can find, and it is physically exhausting the young Englishman. Not only will the general level of play be brought up by bringing in Origi, but Sterling may find himself in a much better position and able to play much better and more consistently than he is currently.

He also brings a much-needed physical presence to a squad full of slight players. Looking at Sterling, Joe Allen and Phillipe Coutinho, none of these players are going to be able to muscle most Premier League defenders off the ball. Origi has the same physical build of his compatriots Romelu Lukaku and Christian Benteke, so imposing his will on the game is far easier.

Origi could be an absolute game-changer for the Reds and may even save Brendan Rodgers career at the Kop, so it would be his best interest to bring him in much sooner rather than later.

Nick Burgess is a soccer columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickBurgess92, “Like” him on Facebook and connect with him on Google.