Liverpool faces the risk of not fully utilizing Cody Gakpo’s potential. Given some compelling statistics, it may be time for Jürgen Klopp to reconsider his approach.
Let’s delve into a philosophical question: When can a highlight not be considered a true highlight? In football, as in life, the answer depends on one’s perspective.
Few things in football are more exhilarating than witnessing a player dribble past an opponent, especially when done with dazzling footwork. One of the most popular trickery moves is the Marseille Turn, famously popularized by Zinedine Zidane.
You’re likely familiar with the maneuver: a player deftly controls the ball with one foot, then elegantly drags it back with the other, executing a sort of pirouette motion. When executed flawlessly, it’s a spectacle that never fails to elicit gasps and warm applause from the crowd.
The Anfield faithful had the pleasure of witnessing this in the first half of Liverpool’s 3-1 victory over Bournemouth last weekend. Just before halftime, Cody Gakpo executed a Marseille Turn on the unfortunate Ryan Christie, who would later be at the center of the Alexis Mac Allister red card incident (which sounds like the plot of an Agatha Christie novel).
By taking Christie out of the game, the Dutch international created an opportunity to pass the ball to his compatriot Virgil van Dijk, allowing Liverpool to maintain possession in the most stylish manner possible. It was so visually striking that Liverpool shared the clip on their social media with the caption ‘Gakpo with the flair.’
As captivating as it was, it’s worth noting that Gakpo was moving away from Bournemouth’s goal and towards Liverpool’s defensive third. So, was it truly a highlight?
One might retort with a playful “shut up, grandad” at this point. After all, fans watch matches for entertainment, and the 24-year-old injected a dose of quality into a match that had been somewhat lackluster for the Reds up to that point. Who cares if his elegant dribble didn’t directly impact the game’s attacking dynamics?
The concern isn’t so much about that particular moment but rather what it signifies about Gakpo’s current role in the team. Despite showing promise as a potential successor to Roberto Firmino as the central figure in Liverpool’s attacking trident last season, Gakpo has been placed in a midfield role at the start of the 2023/24 season.
Aside from the fact that Gakpo may not be suited to this role (certainly not due to any fault of his own), this change reduces his ability to leverage his greatest strength: using the ball productively after carrying it. In the previous season, there were numerous instances where he collected the ball in midfield, evaded his marker, and then surged toward the opposing goal.
In the Eredivisie, he excelled at such runs. Gakpo completed five dribbles of at least five meters that led to goals last season and another five that resulted in assists for his teammates.
And keep in mind, this was only during half a season. Liverpool’s entire squad managed 18 goal-contributing dribbles last season, whereas Gakpo could have achieved more than that on his own for PSV Eindhoven throughout the entirety of the 2022/23 campaign. Even considering the higher level of competition in England, that’s an impressive level of dribbling output.
We nearly saw an example of this in the Bournemouth match. While less aesthetically pleasing than his first-half maneuver, in the second half, Gakpo shrugged off a couple of challenges near the center circle, drove forward, and, albeit with a deflected pass, set up Mohamed Salah for a clear-cut chance.
Gakpo can consistently provide this kind of attacking threat to Liverpool, which would be far more valuable than using his skills to pass back to a defender. It’s time for him to return to the front three and turn these apparent highlights into real ones.
