Jordon Ibe

[Bloodraven]

World class?

[BigChief]

World class?

Rodgers can make certain players look world class (anything past the half way line obviously). There is enough clay for him to mold in the next few months.

[PTP]

"He's a wonderful young boy, a wonderful young talent with a wonderful physique.

[DannyMan2006]

Maybe Lallana could be out for longer than first expected. I would be quite happy to Ibe back and to see Origi come in. With these two, Sterling and Sturridge. There would be no respite for opposing teams

Lallana is back soon enough. By the Chelsea games I'm hearing.

On another note......

Here is the January issue. We need fresh blood but if your targets aren't available, what are the options? Over pay? Or look elsewhere? Neither option is good business. We've seen Assaidi go so I guess that's Origi paid for if it happens. He's not developing at Lille right now so that's a good move.

On Ibe, we need to see if he's ready to play now. We could sign another player instead maybe, but what message is being sent to the Academy players then? I think he can contribute now & he deserves a chance. If he doesn't take it we can spend again in the summer. Plus he's on low wages so won't cost a deal (if Derby are paying them anyway).

I think bringing him back is the right move. Games will be coming thick & fast if we progress in competitions. We need a player of his type to spread the burden.

[Gazzla]

If Ibe is going to get minutes on the pitch I'm all for it, if he's going to be left on the sidelines like Suso was then it's a ridiculous decision. I'm not sure where he would feature in our current system?

A lot of people seem to think he'll be an alternative up front, I don't see that at all. He's quick, strong and skillfull but he's a wide player and certainly not a central striker and I don't see him fitting in as a wing back.

I think he's a great talent with bags of potential but struggling to see a role for him at the minute

[Paddy]

Could easily play this. When Sturridge is back of course.

---------------Sturridge---------------
---Ibe---------Sterling------Markovic

Etc...

Plenty of options to change things up if we turn absolute dog**** again.

[McDermotX]

Sterling lined up for a late January exit then.......50m too much to resist from Chelsea.

[Fosterbloke]

Can Ibe shoot or is as good as Coutinho in that regard?

[Danish_Pastry]

It an OK move - but we could just as well have recalled Teixeira - who is older and has been more in the first team than Ibe. .... ???

[The_weatherman]

It's a bit weird IMO, we are already having problems fitting all our attacking players at once, when Lallana and Sturridge are fit we'll also have Sterling, Borini, Coutinho, Markovic, Balotelli and Gerrard and if we are trying for Origi then it's way too much. Not to mention Lambert
He's cup tied as well so he can only play two games in january.

[RedReet]

It an OK move - but we could just as well have recalled Teixeira - who is older and has been more in the first team than Ibe. .... ???

He's a completely different type of player though, Ibe's pace and directness is better suited to our system. Tex has about 5 players of better quality ahead of him that can do what he does.

[RedReet]

If Ibe is going to get minutes on the pitch I'm all for it, if he's going to be left on the sidelines like Suso was then it's a ridiculous decision. I'm not sure where he would feature in our current system?

A lot of people seem to think he'll be an alternative up front, I don't see that at all. He's quick, strong and skillfull but he's a wide player and certainly not a central striker and I don't see him fitting in as a wing back.

I think he's a great talent with bags of potential but struggling to see a role for him at the minute

Unlike that beast of a centre forward Sterling.

[Pablo]

He's a completely different type of player though, Ibe's pace and directness is better suited to our system. Tex has about 5 players of better quality ahead of him that can do what he does.

True. He's just a better talent anyway, and higher up the pecking order than Tex. It's clear to me that Rodgers has very high hopes for him. I don't think Tex will make it here unfortunately. Another Suso.

[cream]

Deserves a place on the bench more than Lambert, Balotelli and borini.

[BigChief]

Can Ibe shoot or is as good as Coutinho in that regard?

Last season and pre-season his shooting was awful. Must have been a confidence thing (like with Sterling even now at times) because his goals for Derby have been phenomenal. Nothing like Coutinho.

His all round game has improved considerably too. The best position I see for him immediately is left wing, in place of Markovic/Moreno. His strength, pace, directness, willing to track back and assists will be too much for most teams.

He was often 2-man and even 3-man marked in the championship. He'll need similar attention in the PL certainly with the smaller clubs. And once he's been marked, there's Sterling and Sturridge to take care of.

I only see good things with bringing Ibe back (and playing him against the smaller PL clubs).