It’s been a season of ups and downs at Liverpool and you could use the same term to describe the current form and general season of Liverpool youngster Jordon Ibe.

Ibe burst onto the scene last season after returning from a loan spell at Derby County and featured heavily towards the back end of the season under Brendan Rodgers. He gave an insight into what the future holds for Liverpool and fans were excited about the talent he has developed, and what he could possibly develop, into.

Coming into this season there was a lot of expectation on the England youth international. The departure of Raheem Sterling didn’t really help. Talk for the last few seasons had been about Ibe being the next big thing out of the Academy but instead of continuing to nurture him, the departure of Sterling meant he was promoted instantly and with expectations increased, he was expected to be the finished product straightaway.

Unfortunately for both the player and the fans, Ibe didn’t have the start to the season he would have wanted and he soon found himself out of the team. Being named in the starting line-up against Stoke City on the first day of the season was an statement of intent from Rodgers that Ibe was ready to step up to the plate, but a number of frustrating performances meant he was quickly back on the bench and down the pecking order despite being the only winger on the books.

Klopp arrival breathed new life into Ibe early on

The beginning of the Jürgen Klopp regime, however, gave Ibe a fresh start and his form drastically improved. Confidence returned to his game, he seemed to lose a bit of weight and overall he looked a much more threatening talent than he had at the beginning of the season. His brilliant goal in the Europa League away at Rubin Kazan and his substitute performance against Southampton being the highlights. Klopp seemed to take “Ibe-y” under his wing and it certainly seemed to be working.

Ibe, after scoring his first goal for the club, with Klopp in Kazan. (Picture: Getty)
Ibe, after scoring his first goal for the club, with Klopp in Kazan. (Picture: Getty)

Fast forward to the thriller away at Norwich City a couple of weeks ago and it was again another different Jordon Ibe that we saw. Gone were the smiles and the hugs and instead we saw a player replaced before the hour mark with a face like thunder as he sat on the bench. The late drama of that game took a lot of the press' attention away from that image, but it was clear Ibe wasn’t happy and to be honest his performances have been dropping for a while now, which is quite worrying.

Ibe isn’t scared to take people on but what I’ve noticed is that he seems to struggle as the game goes on. On numerous occasions at the beginning of games he has skinned the full-back, turning them inside out or using his pace to get past them down the line. He can do that a couple of times in the first-half but come the second-half, the full-back seems to have worked him out and him running the ball out of play when trying to get to the by-line has been a sight seen too often, especially at Anfield. He quickly becomes very predictable and his ability to beat the opposition player eradicates as the game goes on.

Ibe guilty of going missing in some games

He seems to flit in-and-out of games and whilst some of his runs can create opportunities, he is struggling to contribute statistically to the team and directly being involved in goals. What is for sure is that he does have the quality, his goal against Stoke proving he can contribute goals, but to take the next step forward he needs to produce this on a consistent basis. He can be a very good outlet at times with hugging the touchline something he likes to do so he can get the ball and go at the full-back with pace, which in turn provides width to a Liverpool side that has lacked that all too often this season.

In the system that Klopp currently plays the need for wingers and pace in general is very important. Liverpool only have Ibe outside of the forwards and the two full-backs, who have any real turn of pace, which means a lot of emphasis is on him to make something happen.

Ibe has frustrated recently, having a tendency to drift in and out of games. (Picture: Getty)
Ibe has frustrated recently, having a tendency to drift in and out of games. (Picture: Getty)

The inconsistency of his performances has meant he hasn’t been able to nail down a regular starting spot but it could be suggested that a lack of competition in his position could be another factor relating to his drop in development. Being the only winger means he is competing against himself and I was surprised that January didn’t see us bring in another winger, Alex Teixeria was looked at but he is not an out-and-out winger either. 

Adam Lallana, James Milner, Jordan Henderson, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho have all been tried in the wide positions but none have really enjoyed a spell of good performances when playing there. Really, Ibe should have made one of those wide positions his own, but he has also struggled and that has meant he has missed out on a real opportunity.

Ibe needs more competition to improve him

It doesn’t help that Jordon Ibe is the only out-and-out winger that we have at the club. His age means that he is still learning and developing his game, but unlike most clubs where you may have a more experienced winger to learn from, Ibe is the only winger at the club. He is also the only attacking midfielder with any real turn of pace which makes him a different component of the Liverpool attack which has been struggling all season.   

What is important to remember is that Ibe is only 20 years old. People keep expecting him to be a finished product but he is still developing and has a long career ahead of him, in which hopefully he will become one of the top wingers in the Premier League. There are always growing pains with a young player and inconsistency in performances is part and parcel of their development. Work on the training field and playing time will hopefully allow him to improve his game so that he is ready to consistently perform at the top level. 

Ibe celebrates his goal at Southampton in the League Cup. (Picture: Getty)
Ibe celebrates his goal at Southampton in the League Cup. (Picture: Getty)

A consistent run of games could help the Liverpool winger begin to regain some of the form we saw at the beginning of the new era under Klopp. We know what this guy is capable of and we know that the Reds boss is willing to work with young players in order to improve them and take their performance up one or two level.

At the same time, I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to Klopp looking to bring another winger, if not two, into the team in the summer because Liverpool’s lack of pace is evident. In turn it allows that heightened competition for places for Ibe, but also the chance to learn off a winger who has been in the game for a longer period of time and can contribute to helping his growth.

It is way too early to even begin to write Jordon Ibe off. We all know the quality he possesses. We as fans just want to see it on a more consistent basis because the potential is there to be fulfilled. Ibe can, and should, become a top class player and I for one hope that it will be in a Liverpool shirt. 

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About the author
Andrew Jones
I am a budding journalist who is very passionate about sport especially Liverpool FC