Despite Liverpool’s disappointing 2-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend, Jürgen Klopp was more worried about Cody Gakpo’s injury.
Liverpool was in need of fresh midfielders when the January transfer market first opened this year, but Jürgen Klopp made a contentious choice. He chose to invest in a player by the name of Cody Gakpo rather than buying a player for his engine room and bolstering his weakest area.
Even though Liverpool already appeared to have significant firepower in the last third, with players like Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Luis Dz, and Darwin Nez representing the red shirt, adding the Dutchman to Klopp’s lineup felt somewhat odd.
Even though Liverpool already appeared to have significant firepower in the last third, with players like Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Luis Dz, and Darwin Nez representing the red shirt, adding the Dutchman to Klopp’s lineup felt somewhat odd.
Gakpo joined as a wide forward who played on the left. In his previous 41 games for PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie, he had scored 21 goals and recorded 24 assists. Many Reds fans believed he would play the same position on Merseyside, but it became evident immediately after his transfer was official that he would be utilized differently.
Klopp then used him as a kind of “false nine,” almost portraying him as a possible replacement for Roberto Firmino, who relocated to Saudi Arabia six months later. Gakpo had a significant impact for Liverpool in the middle, helping the Reds to play better defense and scoring seven goals in 21 games.
After a rocky start on English soil the previous term, Nez has come of age on Merseyside this season. Gakpo has found other methods to make the team, including his use as a number eight in Klopp’s midfield. The South American striker has taken control of the number nine shirt.
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