He scored twice in the legendary 4-0 win over FC Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final second leg in 2019 and then netted 2-0 in the final against Tottenham Hotspur that year. His favorite opponent is Everton. He has six goals recently against rivals across Stanley Park – only Steven Gerrard has scored more derby goals for Liverpool in the Premier League. “He’s our best striker when it comes to finishing,” says coach Jürgen Klopp about Origi.
Four titles are possible
That may be an exaggeration, but it is clear that Liverpool can, if necessary, fall back on the Belgian with a past at VfL Wolfsburg in their endeavor to become the first team in English football to win four titles in one season, namely League Cup, FA Cup , Championship and Champions League. That’s what Liverpool is all about in the final weeks of the season.
How much Origi is needed is questionable, however, because Klopp has an offensive that has probably never existed before. For the three positions in attack, the coach has a choice of five strikers, all of whom are international class or world class, and he can combine them in almost any combination.
Print by Diogo Jota and Luis Díaz
As Liverpool won the Champions League in 2019 and the league a year later, their achievements were fueled by the outstanding attacking trio of Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah. They basically played all the time and were responsible for the majority of Liverpool goals. If one of them got hurt, that was a problem. Players like Xherdan Shaqiri, Daniel Sturridge or Origi were not equal replacements. There was no internal competition for the furious regulars.
That changed last season when Liverpool signed Diogo Jota from Wolverhampton Wanderers for around €45m. The Portuguese has proved to be a real reinforcement, breaking up the established trio. Already in his first season he scored more goals in all competitions (13) than Roberto Firmino (9) despite playing fewer games. Jota has ousted the former Hoffenheimer this season and is behind only Salah (30) with 21 goals in all competitions. Nevertheless, the portal “The Athletic” just stated: “If you were to pick the row of three based on form, I think Jota would be out. That’s how crazy the competition for places is.”
This competition has to do with Liverpool FC’s latest acquisition. At the end of January, the club signed Luis Díaz from FC Porto, also for around €45m, and he has fitted in brilliantly.
Harmony in the storm line
In the Premier League, the Colombian has three goals and two assists after nine appearances. His arrival has changed the static in attack. Díaz is used on the left wing, Sadio Mané moves from there to the center and discovers his center forward qualities. Among other things, he scored twice in this position in the semifinals of the FA Cup against Manchester City (3:2).
The league game against Manchester United (4-0) showed how well the old and new attackers of Liverpool FC harmonize. The goals were scored, in this order: Díaz, Salah, Mané, Salah. The templates gave: Salah, Mané, Díaz, Jota.
Good scouting and Klopp’s coaching
There are several reasons why the strikers fit together so well and that newcomers Jota and Díaz also hit the ground running, although they were only moderately known internationally before moving to Anfield. More than many other clubs, Liverpool works with data and statistics when scouting and attaches great importance to the fact that new professionals not only fit in athletically, but also as people.
Coach Klopp is known for making players better with his coaching than the professional world could have ever expected. Examples from his time in Dortmund are Marcel Schmelzer, Neven Subotic and Kevin Grosskreutz. In Liverpool you can put Andrew Robertson or Salah and Jota in this category. Klopp keeps his players happy through regular rotation. He also gives the newcomers time to settle in, because Liverpool’s transfers are not intended to turn the team upside down in the short term. Instead, Klopp is overseeing “a long-term changing of the guard,” as The Times recently wrote.
How long will the “old miracle storm” stay together?
Mané, Salah and Firmino are or will soon be 30 and their contracts expire next year. While Salah’s future is the subject of heated debate, Mané and Firmino are comparatively quiet. Liverpool FC will probably lose at least one member of the old Wundersturm this summer or next.
The signing of Jota and Díaz is therefore a far-sighted deal. “Individual players may have plans for their future, but the club must be prepared for all scenarios,” That’s how Klopp puts it. By the way, who will probably leave Liverpool after this season is Divock Origi. The club cannot fulfill his wish for more playing time – but the Belgian will say goodbye as a club legend.