Liverpool’s loss to Manchester United ended their aspirations of completing a quadruple. It was only the Reds’ third setback of the season, but a loss like that to a rival will always hurt.
Cody Gakpo came off the bench with his team leading, but his effort fell short, finishing off a disastrous season in which he was pushed out of the starting lineup.
The game was lost due to collective failure, but some fans are ready to blame players who are out of form. In prior seasons, Jordan Henderson, Curtis Jones, and even Darwin Nunez faced similar scrutiny.
Gakpo is the latest to experience this wrath.
The 24-year-old is charged with replacing the vacuum created by Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino’s exits. It was always going to be difficult to transition into either of those jobs, and he has received unwarranted criticism as a result
What does Gakpo bring to the table?
Gakpo primarily operated from the left wing of PSV Eindhoven, acting as their primary outlet and playmaker. He was among the top Eredivisie wingers in terms of crosses, carries into the penalty area, shot-creating actions from take-ons, assists, and goals per 90 minutes.
When Nunez struggled to lead the line last season, the Dutchman was charged with filling in as center forward. His intelligence and versatility allowed him to evolve into a more unselfish facilitator for the team, similar to Firmino’s role.
His versatile skill set enables him to provide depth in four positions, allowing Liverpool to compete on all fronts this season despite several injuries.
However, Jurgen Klopp’s current team is not the same as the one from previous season. A rebuilt midfield altered the dynamics once more, with Nunez taking over as the club’s primary attacker.
Gakpo has been primarily utilized to fill in for Nunez, Mo Salah, and Luis Diaz, and his adaptability is now working against him as he struggles to settle into any position. This season, he has played 20 games leading the line, eight on the left wing, and seven on the right wing and in midfield in all competitions.
Despite continuously shifting positions, he is third in Expected Goals (xG), successful dribbles, and possession earned in the final third per 90 minutes among a highly talented roster.
But his lack of positional consistency is certainly holding him back. Improving your game is difficult when you don’t receive enough minutes in the same position.
To be successful as a forward, he must show that he can win critical games, as he did at PSV.
Alternatively, a return to the left wing would allow him to better dictate assaults from wide. Despite his limited minutes in this position, he looked dangerous when he started against Burnley earlier this season.
Liverpool has one of the most competitive environments in football. To reach his full potential and become more than a rotation option, Gakpo must be more decisive in his movements and establish himself as the main player on the field.
HAS GAKPO DROPPED IN COMPARISON TO LAST YEAR?
Gakpo started 17 of his 21 Premier League games after joining from PSV Eindhoven in January, scoring seven goals and assisting on three others. This was widely seen as a strong start, and he was understandably expected to build on it in his first full season.
While his five goals and three assists in the league this season may appear lackluster, they came from only 12 starts, resulting in a stronger goal output per 90 than last season.
The underlying numbers also provide an interesting picture.
Gakpo’s 0.39 goal-creating actions per 90 represent a small improvement above his 0.37 performance previous season. Similarly, his xG of 0.47 per 90 is higher, indicating that he is getting into better goal-scoring positions.
However, unlike last season, Gakpo is currently performing below his xG, which is unusual for him in his senior career. Despite taking more shots and getting more of them on target, he has been unlucky and on the losing end of the volatility.
Expected Goals on Target (xGOT) is a post-shot version of xG that evaluates the quality of shots on target. One of Gakpo’s strongest qualities was his clinical finishing, but his lower xGOT score of 0.32 per 90 compared to his xG indicates that this is an area where he has suffered this season.
Self-belief is essential in elite-level sports, especially for players who are evaluated based on goals and assists. Gakpo’s confidence has visibly dipped since losing his starting spot, and fans can sense it in his body language, adding to their dissatisfaction.
His ability to create scoring opportunities has also decreased slightly. This was clear in the recent five-vs-two counter-attacking situation against Manchester United, where the former PSV star had the potential to seal the game but displayed signs of a player without confidence in his ability.
The Dutch international has been utilized more frequently in cup games, and his four goals in the Carabao Cup campaign helped the team win its first trophy of the season. When we consider his four goals and two assists in six Europa League games, we can see why the criticism has been somewhat harsh.
A new manager will take over the Anfield dugout next season.
Someone with Gakpo’s diverse skill set may be critical in guiding the club through this major shift.
