Handed a spot in the starting eleven for both of Liverpool’s opening matches of the season, Reds winger Jordon Ibe has impressed at times, and at others, it’s apparent that he’s still only a 19-year old with a relative lack of experience at the top level — something that he’s keen to improve upon.
“There is a lot of stuff that I have to work on – I have to add goals to my game. I haven’t scored a goal for Liverpool yet, and in definitely gets on my nerves at times,” said the teenage winger. “I’m trying not to put too much pressure on myself. Hopefully it will come in due time. But I came back early in the summer to work with Kenny Dalglish and Alex Inglethorpe,” revealed Ibe. “We just did some training sessions, shooting and crossing and getting in the areas where the ball might be when the opposite winger is crossing it. I feel it can benefit me, I just need to continue doing it.”
After being recalled early from a loan with Championship side Derby County last January, Ibe put in a number of impressive performances for the Reds during the second half of the season and carried his good form into pre-season as they went unbeaten over their summer program. Being constantly compared to his former team-mate and now Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling may not always be the best thing with the 20-year old leaving under acrimonious circumstances last month, but there’s little question that he has the potential to become a real world class player — just what every player aspire to do.
“I aspire to achieve the things that Raheem has. To be compared to him gives me confidence because he is a great player and we both came through the Academy here,” explained the youngster. “I need to keep doing what has got me this far – and get some goals.,” he conceded, once again making it known that this is a point of frustration for him. “The gaffer here gives a chance to everyone. If you prove yourself, you will get a chance to play whether you are a senior player or an 18 or 19-year-old boy.”
