Seems he has settled rather well, he did worry me but since Everton he has come on.
It wasnāt clear for me why he was signed and what Klopp intended to do with him - but that was the most disastrous period of a disastrous season, so I was willing to cut them some slack.
Now, it seems much clearer, especially since he moved to central role. Heās all over the pitch, perhaps too much at times for my liking, but the way he plays in that role seems quite similar to Firmino. Obviously, Firmino has set the bar very high for anyone who is intended to play as false nine, so Gakpo will have an awful lot to do to get even close.
I have to admit that I have a problem looking at him separately from Nunez, given that Nunez should be our marquee signing and our star forward. Will Klopp be using Nunez as Mane mk. II and Gakpo as Firmino mk. II (provided everyone stays fit and Nunez actually manages to work his way into the starting XI)?
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Given that they must have known Firmino was leaving at the end of the season it looks likely that he was intended as a direct replacement. Possibly, his move was brought forward in a similar way to Diaz as other clubs were sniffing around.
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A bit weak today. I never liked the Bobby in midfield shouts, I think there was always a limit how deep he needed to play, for everyoneās good. Could be the same for Gakpo. Letās not move him from offensive wing, to false #9 and then even deeper to midfield.
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It was a weak game but hard to argue there were better options off the bench after seeing the subs.
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First game in ages where he didnāt quite gel. It happens, but it does suggest that he is better suited to a false-9.
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He could have still had a goal though, which would have polished up his rating
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I honestly donāt get why people run to player threads like this after every match.
There doesnāt seem to be much issue with Gakpo recently. Makes too much sense just to mention he had a less effective game just in the post match game thread.
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Weak game but should have had two goals, these chances were as good as any he had previously put away. Klopp seems to have decided to experiment as much as possible in the remaining weeks (it looks like weāre going to finish sixth anyway), so anything he can do to help the team gain every advantage ahead of the next season - Iām fine with it.
You spelt fourth wrong.
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Heās fine he was involved enough that I noticed him which was more than I can say for someone else.
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I wish he scored more because his overall game deserves it. Iām not saying that heāll ever be as good and as productive as Firmino (who wasnāt a great finisher either) but he āinterpretsā the centre forward position in a similar way.
I loved it how he took on Leicester players in the first half, hopefully he can consistently show that courage on the ball and dribbling skill because it can create a lot of space for the other two forwards, hopefully midfielders as well. Jones really took advantage of that.
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He has been a bit rusty, when it came to finishing, in the last two games. But his work-rate and intelligence is immense. Great player.
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Really looking foreword to seeing what he can do after a full pre season and more time to bed. That heās been a permanent fixture since signing is remarkable, and shows that he is really impressing Klopp.
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His involvement in the move for Curtisā second goal was spectacular. This is a player who has vision. Heāll be great for us in the next years, I donāt have the slightest doubt about it.
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Over the last few weeks Iāve been really impressed with his play. He doesnāt fuck about too much, keeps things moving, and brings plenty of threat, whether that be goals, assists, or turning and driving forward with the ball (which he does really well).
Exciting times ahead, and hopefully him getting to hear Bobbyās song repeated again and again last night will whet his appetite for much much more at Liverpool.
One things for sure, Iām pleased we got him in when we did, and for the fee we did. Darwinās clearly very talented, but that big fee brings pressure and the settling in time means we need to continue to be patient with him, and we can with Cody about.
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Iāve been impressed since about the Newcastle game, wasnāt so sure what we had bought in January but as others said he is a great reader of the game and was still going in the 93rd minute last night.
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There was a moment I really loved in the first half. We won the ball back and he checked back into a small pocket of space to ask for the ball. Every other player on the pitch had taken off sprinting back to Leicesterās goal but he calmly stood his ground so that by the time the ball reached him he was in acres of space and facing their goal. The move didnt come to anything, but not because of Gapko. Itās that sort of variation on a counter attack that results in guys like Mo who are focused on heading towards goal to all of a sudden have even more space as the defense now has something new to think about other than just being in a footrace to track back towards goal. Weāve often been so committed to the quick counter that weāve often lacked that sort of intelligent variation, and with the pace he seems to have of his first couple of strides, its not like we lose meaningful momentum if we play him the ball.
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it fascinates me that from what I can remember about last summer, there appeared to be absolutely no sign of our being interested in Gakpo and that he was destined for Utd. Even until just before we signed him, that seemed to still be the case. Yet, just a few months after signing him, he could now be a key part of the side going forwardsā¦
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