Welcome to Liverpool Cody Gakpo

[Mr Pink]

My criticism of him isn’t even that he fecked up our best chance at getting a third goal- it’s more about his lack of intensity. He came on at 77 minutes- if it didn’t go to extra time, he’d only be on for 15 or so minutes. I feel like he shoulda been sprinting non stop, closing down defenders and the keeper. This is the reason Darwin got a pass from the supporters when going through goal droughts and missing sitters- he always gives 100% and chases the lost causes.

Gakpo seemed to be jogging around, not getting involved at all, and I feel like he’s been doing it for the last few months. He still has quality, and given a good chance, I’d back him to score, but the last few months, he’s been the type of player who doesn’t really add much in games where he doesn’t score, unlike Nunez/diaz for example. Last season he seemed to be offering a lot more in terms of leading the press- firmino 2.0 apparantly..

[Doc_Piptorious]

My criticism of him isn’t even that he fecked up our best chance at getting a third goal- it’s more about his lack of intensity. He came on at 77 minutes- if it didn’t go to extra time, he’d only be on for 15 or so minutes. I feel like he shoulda been sprinting non stop, closing down defenders and the keeper. This is the reason Darwin got a pass from the supporters when going through goal droughts and missing sitters- he always gives 100% and chases the lost causes.

Gakpo seemed to be jogging around, not getting involved at all, and I feel like he’s been doing it for the last few months. He still has quality, and given a good chance, I’d back him to score, but the last few months, he’s been the type of player who doesn’t really add much in games where he doesn’t score, unlike Nunez/diaz for example. Last season he seemed to be offering a lot more in terms of leading the press- firmino 2.0 apparantly..

Would start Darwin ahead of him every single time. If Darwin does not score, then he assists, if he does not assists he drags defenders all over the shop and creates the room for someone else to assist or score.


Think with Gakpo we have to look at him and look at him as a player that has the skillset for a very different role yet we seem to be playing him in positions that require more aggression and direct play than what he seems to excel at.


Now he does has something as he is at least as efffective as Jota (though that is more down to Jota missing so much time) and Diaz in terms of end product, but part of me wonders are we better off having three guys that offer a similar output over the course of a season or just keeping one and selling the other two to fund bringing in a guy who owns his position and is giving both end product and workrate to the team. Easier said than done to find that super duper guy of course.

But in a hypothetical situation what if we kept Jota and then sold both Diaz and Gakpo and put what we got for them towards bringing in a Kvaratskhelia, a Leao, a dream signing like Musiala or whoever we think the guy to push that flank to another level is.

Hell maybe Vini jr decides he wants out at Real and he rocks up at Anfield instead.

[danperkins]

My criticism of him isn’t even that he fecked up our best chance at getting a third goal- it’s more about his lack of intensity. He came on at 77 minutes- if it didn’t go to extra time, he’d only be on for 15 or so minutes. I feel like he shoulda been sprinting non stop, closing down defenders and the keeper. This is the reason Darwin got a pass from the supporters when going through goal droughts and missing sitters- he always gives 100% and chases the lost causes.

Gakpo seemed to be jogging around, not getting involved at all, and I feel like he’s been doing it for the last few months. He still has quality, and given a good chance, I’d back him to score, but the last few months, he’s been the type of player who doesn’t really add much in games where he doesn’t score, unlike Nunez/diaz for example. Last season he seemed to be offering a lot more in terms of leading the press- firmino 2.0 apparantly..

I think his lack of intensity, passion or aggression is what people have an issue with. I does have ability but there is definitely something not quite right there.

[baitman]

Gakpo, gravy, robbo and trent all need a good kick up the arse.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Gakpo, gravy, robbo and trent all need a good kick up the arse.

What did Robertson do to make your list?


I can see it with the other three as they all seem to have quite chilled and laid back personalities and that seems to creep into their play at times.


But Robertson? Lacking aggression or a bit of the mongrel is something that cannot be leveled at him imo.

Think he has been a bit off since coming back, by his own high standards that is, but not for any lack of effort.

[Charly]

As effective as Jota?

Jota is objectively the best finisher we have had since the records began

What I like is that they all have different qualities

Problem is Salah is the only one who is consistent in goals and fitness.

We need a new striker imho. Its always a risk (and one we always seem to smash) but they need to be a 30 goal a season player. I dont see any that we do have reaching that apart from Jota, but he is injury prone.

Choice is wait until Salah leaves, or take a punt before then.

[baitman]

What did Robertson do to make your list?


I can see it with the other three as they all seem to have quite chilled and laid back personalities and that seems to creep into their play at times.


But Robertson? Lacking aggression or a bit of the mongrel is something that cannot be leveled at him imo.

Think he has been a bit off since coming back, by his own high standards that is, but not for any lack of effort.

Robbo has let his high standard slip.
When vvd passes to him it's like he's kicking it against a wall as Robbo invariably just returns the pass. He will very rarely take the ball and venture forward, and often only ges a few yards then passes back to vvd.
Continually slows the play down, now like a left back version of late henderson era crab football.

[danperkins]

I would argue that Robertson has had the biggest drop off of anybody. Hopefully he can get back to where he was but he has been way off that for a quite some time.

[Cerbie]

I would argue that Robertson has had the biggest drop off of anybody. Hopefully he can get back to where he was but he has been way off that for a quite some time.

But does that drop off coincide with Trent’s hybrid role and the tactics effecting his ability to get forward? It doesn’t explain him hitting the first defender with almost every bloody corner tho!

[Charly]

tactics dont explain why he refuses to run into space beyond the box even when there is a gap. He is covered by everyone else if he is that far forward. Surely the whole point is working those openings? If he doesnt take it and just pivots and passes it back, he has pretty much become Joe Gomez, and even he overlaps sometimes.

[Doc_Piptorious]

As effective as Jota?

Jota is objectively the best finisher we have had since the records began

What I like is that they all have different qualities

Problem is Salah is the only one who is consistent in goals and fitness.

We need a new striker imho. Its always a risk (and one we always seem to smash) but they need to be a 30 goal a season player. I dont see any that we do have reaching that apart from Jota, but he is injury prone.

Choice is wait until Salah leaves, or take a punt before then.

Yes and I did add the caveat as to why I think that.




Jota might have a far superior goals to games/minutes ratio to that of Gakpo, but due to Jota being out with injuries his actual goal and assist returns are almost identical to that of Gakpo.

As things stand this season

Jota is on 14 goals and 4 assists in all comps.

Gakpo is on 13 goals and 4 assists.




So in terms of end result this season they have offered almost the same.

So matters not a jot(A) if their ratios are miles apart if the better of the two cannot play enough minutes per season to really make that show.

Would Jota be the much more effective player if he was not injured as often as he is? Yes I think he would be but given that three out of his four seasons with us have seen him miss months with injuries we have never really gotten to find out for sure.


Just to add Diaz

Diaz is on 11 goals and 3 assists. Diaz having played the most minutes of the three as well afaik. Do think an arguement could be made for Diaz being the least effective player ( certainly in terms of end result) in our forward line despite him looking busy when he plays.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I would argue that Robertson has had the biggest drop off of anybody. Hopefully he can get back to where he was but he has been way off that for a quite some time.

Robertson's workload towards the end of last season and earlier this season prior to his injury was nuts though.

He was effectively playing in two roles all the time and having to cover a silly amount of ground game after game.

Was no surprise that he got burned out and injured.

Right now I think he is still trying to do things that his body is not quite back to being able to do yet and his timing of runs (both his and those of opposition players) are slightly off as a result.

Do agree that there is a drop off in his form/play, but not sure if I would agree that it is the worst drop off within the squad or even that his drop off is that which causes us the most issues within the team unit.


I actually think the guy who has seen the biggest drop off in form/effectiveness is TAA. He has been given pretty much a free role, has had other players covering for him more than anyone else in the team but he seems to blow between having really great games and really sub par games with a lack of consistent games inbetween.


If I had to have one of Robertson or TAA in the starting XI right now I would go with Robertson as I think with either of Bradley or Gomez over at RB the team unit looks far more balanced.

TAA may be a far more talented player than a lot of the other players, but think other guys bring more balance or effectiveness to the team at present.

Think sometimes it is better to play the right player rather than the best (one of anyway) player.

[danperkins]

But does that drop off coincide with Trent’s hybrid role and the tactics effecting his ability to get forward? It doesn’t explain him hitting the first defender with almost every bloody corner tho!

It is a valid question in fairness

[peterbread]

Positive performance from Cody much more aggressive in his play today. More of that for the rest of the season please.

This is great from Mac Alister

Alexis Mac Allister turning to Gakpo mid interview: "Let me say something. I am really happy for this guy. He has been working really, really hard. He is a guy who works really hard and he is a good leader for the group."

[Rich]

Lovely header