Back in August, 18 year old Liverpool starlet Jordon Ibe was sent out on loan to Derby County, for an intended season long stay at Pride Park. Now, soon after turning 19, he has been summoned back to Anfield having scored five goals in 20 league matches for The Rams. This is obviously telling of how highly rated Ibe is by manager Brendan Rodgers, however could bringing him back for the remainder of the season end up haulting the great progress that he has made?

HAPPY AT DERBY
Pulling Ibe away from a Derby side challenging for promotion seems a very odd thing to do, especially when you consider the confidence of the player. It is obvious he would have wanted to help to secure Derby's promotion, be it automatically or through The Play-Offs - which would've been another great experience for the player should he have had the chance to play at Wembley. Although bringing him back to Liverpool will surely tell him that he is important to the team, he would have been enjoying the regular football he was getting at a team challenging for a league title. Leaving him on the bench, or even out of the squad between now and the end of the season could really knock his confidence and frustrate him. He will also be very disappointed if this lack of time on the pitch costs him a place in the England squad for this summer's Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand. 

CUP TIED
Ibe made his first - and only Liverpool start to date - in a League Cup tie with Notts County last season, a competition often used for easing youth players into the first team. Although now, returning to Anfield this campaign, the youngster is cup tied in both domestic cup competitions, and therefore can only feature for The Reds in either The Premier League or in Europe. This could make it difficult to give Ibe the playing time that he enjoyed in the first half of the season. If Ibe was to have stayed at Derby, he would most likely continue to be playing every single week, something that Liverpool cannot promise. The competition of Philippe Coutinho, Raheem Sterling and Lazar Markovic, for example, could easily see him put out in the cold for a while.

SQUAD ROTATION
There is however, the possibility that Jordon could bring something to the squad that Liverpool don't have right now. His pace and direct style of play could supply the penetration in attack that Rodgers' side has lacked at times this season. He is also high on confidence and showed in The Championship that he is a fearless character who could comfortably step in when called upon. With an overhaul of fixtures in the coming months, due to Liverpool still competing in four different competitions, Ibe could see his chance come in league matches against 'lesser teams.' Rodgers will have to rotate his squad at times, when certain fixtures start to take priority over others, and Ibe may see his chance come through this, given Liverpool's everlasting problems with squad depth. The lack of options at Rodgers' disposal has sometimes left the bench looking very bare, not allowing the Liverpool manager to turn games in his favour at crucial times. Jordon Ibe is a player who is capable of offering that spark off the bench that others have struggled to produce when called upon.

THINKING AHEAD
Most people are expecting next season to be Jordon Ibe's real breakthrough year into the Liverpool first team, and this would have been playing on Brendan Rodgers' mind when deciding to recall him from loan. As much as Liverpool still have to compete this year on all fronts, they do need to look towards next season, where Ibe will most likely get the chance to stake his claim as a regular member of the first team squad. Allowing him the next six months to be in and around the first team on a daily basis, with playing time every once in a while will help to prepare him for the step up, rather than throwing him straight in after the summer. Liverpool will also be determined to secure European qualification again this year. Therefore, giving Ibe experience of playing in the Europe - through the Europa League - that maybe some other Liverpool players lacked in this year's Champions League.

Having a promising 19 year old ineligible for the Capital One and FA Cups is obviously a huge inconvenience, and will make people question his value to the Liverpool squad at this current time. However, what is most important is what is best for the development of the player. Rodgers obviously feels that allowing him the prestige of being involved at Liverpool, in a time that he expected to be elsewhere. is the greatest way to enhance his progress. Even though he may not feature every week, he is still bound to benefit from this next six months in the first team set up at Liverpool, helping him make the big step up that so many Liverpool fans have waited to see.

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