Which Belgian striker is Jurgen Klopp’s best option going forward?

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When Christian Benteke and Divock Origi arrived at Liverpool last summer, few would have debated that Benteke would be higher up Brendan Rodgers’ striking pecking order. The former Villa man had just arrived for a £32.5m fee with Premier League experience and a very impressive record for the Midlands club whilst Origi had endured a miserable season back on loan at Ligue 1 side Lille, the team Liverpool had signed him from 12 months previously. However, 1 manager and 6 months later, things aren’t quite as clear at Anfield.

Benteke played the first 5 and half games of the season before injury forced him off against Norwich but just 2 goals for himself and 8 points for the team was a difficult start and suggested things weren’t going to be smooth between Benteke and Liverpool. Upon his return from injury, Jurgen Klopp had replaced Rodgers in the dugout and the former Villa man had to settle for a one start and three substitute appearances in the next four games, his only start being the side’s one defeat in that period– at home to Crystal Palace.

On the other hand, Origi was predominantly used in the Europa League and saw just 17 minutes of league action – in the later stages at Old Trafford – in the opening 8 Premier League games of the campaign. However, with injuries to Daniel Sturridge and Danny Ings, as well as Benteke, Origi was handed his first league start in Klopp’s first game at White Hart Lane. However, whilst he showed plenty of endeavour, when the young Belgian failed to mark his full debut or the opening 45 minutes against Southampton a week later with a goal it appeared he had missed his opportunity, particularly as the next 6 fixtures yielded just 36 minutes.

However, a potentially defining moment in both Belgians’ Anfield careers arrived at the end of these 36 minutes when Origi fired a 96^th minute equaliser against West Brom, a strike that ensured Klopp avoided back-to-back defeats for the first time in his Liverpool career and sparked the notorious team salute in front of the Kop.

Whilst neither started the Premier League fixture at Watford, it was Origi, rather than Benteke, who Klopp turned to when making an enforced change just before half time. The following week, when then league leaders Leicester visited Anfield it was once again the younger Belgian who Klopp plumped for with Benteke being forced to once again sit on the bench and only given an opportunity when Origi was forced off after 37 minutes.

Despite Benteke going on to score the winner in that game as well as against Sunderland 3 days later, Roberto Firmino, Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho were preferred as a three man attack in the Capital One Cup semi-final against Stoke whilst Benteke led the line against Exeter in the FA Cup three days later, the only regular Liverpool player to even feature in the game.

It suggests that Klopp is not convinced by Benteke at present and that Origi has jumped above him in the Liverpool pecking order. But is this a wise move from the German, with the 20 year still being a raw talent with plenty to learn, whilst Benteke has already proven himself as a top Premier League striker during his three years as Villa.

Benteke’s major issue at Liverpool is that the team aren’t suited to his style of play. At Aston Villa, the team knew his greatest strengths and played to them. He was the focal point of all their attacks and many balls were aimed into the box where he could use his physical prowess to great effect. However, at Liverpool, Coutinho, Firmino, and Lallana all prefer the ball to feet and to drift inside rather than being wingers who will hug the touchline and whip crosses into Benteke.

This has led to the Belgian often coming short to look for the ball, removing him from areas of the pitch where can do the most damage.  However, many of his teammates are often not looking for this option and it seems that Benteke is not in tune with the rest of the Liverpool squad, confused whether to come short, or stay right at the top end of the pitch. Benteke is also extremely reluctant to “run the channels”, an option that often helps to release pressure on the defending team and drag centre-backs out of position.

Having come on against Leicester and started against Sunderland in Liverpool’s last two games of 2015, Benteke had a fantastic opportunity to stake his claim for a regular starting berth. However, he flattered to deceive in both and followed this with an abject performance against West Ham, heightening the frustrations of both his manager and fans. After the victory against Leicester, Jurgen Klopp commented on his centre forward “We need his goals but I don’t only think about him and goals. We are not a team that can play with a striker who scores a goal but is not involved for the other 89 minutes. We need the striker for the other options, too – to work for the other minutes.”

These comments should have highlighted to Benteke one of his main problems in a Liverpool shirt, his lack of movement and perceived lack of effort. However, he covered the least ground of any outfield player completing the full 90 minutes in the West Ham fixture. What made the situation worse for the Belgian was that Liverpool did put more aerial balls towards him at the Boleyn ground, but James Collins marshalled him superbly. Rather than the average 55% of balls he won in the air during last season’s campaign, Benteke won just 13% against the hammers whilst on the ground he lost all 5.

However, perhaps the biggest indictment of Benteke’s Liverpool career to date came when he was named in Liverpool’s FA Cup team to face Exeter alongside youth prospects and ‘forgotten’ men of the squad. It was a decision that demonstrated Klopp does not believe Benteke is someone to be found anywhere near his first choice 11.

Liverpool have looked their most dangerous under their new manager when playing free-flowing, counter-attacking football, as demonstrated brilliantly in recent away wins over Manchester City, Stoke and Southampton. With Benteke in the side, this makes the style of play more difficult.

As a result, Origi looks like a much more promising prospect for Klopp and his tactics, with the 20 year old having fantastic energy and speed. Origi links up with his teammates much more effectively than Benteke, boasting a 15% higher pass completion rate in the Premier League than his international colleague.

However, goals are a major problem for Liverpool having scored just 22 goals in 20 league games this term and this is something than Benteke offers a lot more than Origi. Benteke has proved himself in the Premier league with Villa and is Liverpool’s top scorer in the league this year with 6. On the other hand, Origi has just 1 league goal and four in total, with the other three all arriving in the League Cup fixture against Southampton.

But whilst Benteke may score more on an individual basis, Liverpool’s attacking trio are more likely to benefit and provide more goals when playing with Origi, a player who will link up with them better and bring them into games more often. It’s a difficult conundrum for a manager who needs to settle on his best front three.

Origi has only started 3 league games this season, playing the full 90 minutes on just one occasion. However, at present he seems like a much better option for Jurgen Klopp and his “gegenpressing” than Benteke. Therefore, on his return from injury, Origi can expect to get a good run of games and if he can add goals to the other attributes he already possesses he will certainly be above Benteke in Klopp’s choices and may force his older international teammate to cut short his spell on Merseyside.

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