11 Feb 2016 05:23:39
ed 1 do you think that Jordan ibe could be converted to a striker? I have been thinking about it, everytime I see him play but watching him when he came on as a sub last week to me he seems lost out wide. he is well built can dribble past players and has a tremendous shot on him so I was wandering if you think he can change roles? i'm not knocking him I rate him as a player. am I seeing something that isn't there? or is it just simply he is out of form and that's why he looks bad as a winger. he was bought back from derby to early imo, but that's a different story. thanks ed.

{Ed001's Note - yes, I have said it a few times in the past, I think he needs to move further forward. He would stretch the play, for starters, as opponents would drop deeper, like they do when Sturridge is there. Plus his power and pace would be much more use right in the danger areas.}

1.) 11 Feb 2016
11 Feb 2016 05:47:25
Actually with sturridge back. I think they could play ibe sturridge and firmino all interchanging and taking turns to be striker. That would be interesting and a nightmare for defenders. Ibe have the pace and power and also dribbling skills to be striker. With all 3 interchanging, that will free up lots of space.

2.) 11 Feb 2016
11 Feb 2016 05:52:27
I think something needs to change as he is playing poorly on a regular basis at the moment and looks lost out on the right - I'd be happy to see him switched to alternate positions to see if we can get more effective performances out of the lad.

3.) 11 Feb 2016
11 Feb 2016 06:04:14
I think Ibe needs to be taken out of the spotlight, and one thing he struggles with is finishing, so it makes little sense for me to put him up top. Also, Klopp plays 1 up top and Ibe would struggle playing with the bag to the goal and this would eliminate his one big strength, directness with pace.

{Ed001's Note - he struggles with finishing out wide, it is a totally different game in the middle where chances are, or should be, as often likely to be toe pokes as a long range hit.}

4.) 11 Feb 2016
11 Feb 2016 07:12:28
if you look at the 3 goals he has scored for us I think he has the making of a good finisher. let's not forget it was his calm finish that got us to Wembley. also ed 1 playing through the middle would give him less time to think. he maybe more of an instinctive type of a player. he will benefit from working under klopp.

{Ed001's Note - I think so too, I think he struggles when he is made to consider what to do.}

5.) 11 Feb 2016
11 Feb 2016 07:30:59
I'd like to see him play at the tip of the diamond like Sterling played, he has the pace, he can beat a man and he has the finishing.
I'd like to see Firmino and Sturridge as the 2 ahead of him.

6.) 11 Feb 2016
11 Feb 2016 08:43:40
Ibe is in the mould of a striker. Why he hasn't been playing there when we've had no center forwards baffles me.
Just goes to show though, in all honesty he's nowhere neer as good as people made out on here.
Heaped pressure on him and he's buckled. Just give him time and stop comparing him to better players, he's just a kid.

7.) 11 Feb 2016
11 Feb 2016 08:48:23
Honestly Ron you've got something there. Ibe just behind Firmino and Sturridge could be deadly. Coutinho somewhere nearby to provide the creativity and Milner tactically positioned in the changing rooms and that would be a forward line to contend with.

8.) 11 Feb 2016
11 Feb 2016 09:00:41
Yeah Annie, I thought about Coutinho at the tip instead of Ibe but for some weird reason Couts plays better on the left than centrally. I thought about Lallana at the tip but Ibe has the pace to break from the tip of the diamond which Sterling also had and he has a decent shot on him. It's easier to man mark a player like Lallana.

I'd have Couts and Hendo in central midfield as per 2013/ 14 the difficult one is the holding mid. Lucas? Too immobile, Can? Drops a bit too deep but has potential.

9.) 11 Feb 2016
11 Feb 2016 09:02:11
In my opinion IBEs decision making is not good enough to play at the tip of the diamond. I'm with Ed001 and believe he could be a success up top where his pace, power and directness could be better utilised.

10.) 11 Feb 2016
11 Feb 2016 09:45:54
I'd rather see Firmino tip of the diamond and Ibe/ Sturridge up front. A lot of play needs to go through the no.10 and Ibe's passing and decision making is nothing like Firmino's.

Coutinho can then drop back as part of a midfield 3 like we played him in 13/ 14. I think we've missed his creativity in the midfield and his ability to receive the ball with a back to defender, spin and link up with the forwards (not just passing it straight back to CBs to push it out wide again) .

A midfield 3 of Lucas, Hendo and Coutinho has the perfect mix of defence, box to box and creativity IMO (with perfect subs in Can, Milner and Texeira) .

11.) 11 Feb 2016
11 Feb 2016 13:01:34
I think he's looking a little tired tbh. But he has lacked a little in recent games.

Very good point, i'd never thought about him playing as a striker but i think it could happen. he can shoot with both feet and is built with pace and power!