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Divock Origi made the mistake that got Bournemouth started on their comeback, passing straight to a defender while under no pressure and with five Liverpool teammates pushed past him in attack. Before that mistake, the Reds were up 3-1 and looked to be cruising to a comfortable victory.
Afterwards, the nerves set in, the team fell apart, and they spent the final 15 minutes of the match conspiring to turn that lead into a 4-3 defeat. It was a moment that spoke to Origi’s biggest weakness as a 21-year-old striker. Namely, turning creator when he drops deep and other attackers push on.
Yet to focus too heavily on that weakness is to ignore that Origi is a 21-year-old striker, and a gifted one. One with other clear talents as a channel running target man and a good sense of space. Origi already knows well how to spot the gaps and exploit them better than most young attackers.
“He’s amazing, especially for a young striker,” noted Dejan Lovren when asked about his teammate, who the Croatian defender says is like a younger brother to him and a player he works with often in training. “I can’t believe I’m saying he’s young. You need to have patience.”
Patience is something Origi has had to have waiting for his chances at the club, and it’s likely he will need patience again at some point in the future when everyone is fit. It’s also something fans need to have with him, because the talent is clearly there for Origi to become a top striker.
He just isn’t quite the polished, finished article just yet. But the talent is there, and with playing time—which he will continue to get if he has patience—the rest will click into place. Or at least that’s what Lovren believes will happen, and given Origi’s talent, that would hardly be surprising.
“I know it’s quite difficult when you are young and you’re not playing,” Lovren added. “You know you need to get the chance, but like I said to him, you need to work hard behind the doors, behind the scenes and you will get the chance, that’s for sure.”