After an incredibly difficult start to the new campaign, the Reds are finally starting to display some of that characteristic consistency that has made the club so successful during the Jurgen Klopp era and there is some blue sky starting to break away from the clouds.
While there is plenty of hard work and improvement to be done in the second half of the season to clinch Champions League qualification, with the winning mentality that this squad has ingrained in them, you certainly would not back against them to achieve the main goal.
And what better way to celebrate the turn of a new year than a shiny new signing and one that came completely out of the blue just after Christmas Day when it was announced that the club had signed Cody Gakpo from PSV.
The 23 year-old winger has become a household name in the Netherlands for his outstanding performances on a consistent basis.
The World Cup gave him more exposure and he did not let the opportunity go to waste scoring three goals generally looking like he belonged on the big stage.
While YouTube clips give you an insight, they do not tell the whole story. There is nothing like getting an insight from someone who has followed the progress of a player first hand.
Jelle Schrans is someone that fits that definition, a big PSV (and Liverpool) fan, he has provided analysis on what Reds fans can expect to see and what Cody can work on to moving to another level.
Cody usually plays as a left winger, but he has played as a striker at PSV a few times and has played as a striker in every game he played at the World Cup. I'd say playing as a left-winger suits him better. From there he can cut inside and shoot. He is very good in a 1 on 1 with a defender, and he is able to get out of tight spaces pretty easily. He is a very good finisher, which does make him pretty suitable for playing as a striker as well.
When cutting inside, sometimes he chooses to cross the ball into the box. With a striker who is good at heading (which PSV have with Luuk de Jong) he can create a lot of big chances for these strikers or other teammates, which, at PSV, has resulted in goals most of the time.
An example of this is the two away games against Ajax this season. In the first game, the Dutch Super Cup, Cody got two assists and a goal. He got those assists in the same fashion like I described above. Cutting inside, crossing the ball into the box and it resulted in a goal. PSV managed to turn the game around before half time going from 1-0 down to 2-1 up thanks to two moments of brilliance from Cody. PSV managed to win 5-3 in the end and Cody scored a goal as well.
In the second game, which was a league game, he did exactly the same thing. This time Luuk de Jong managed to score and only had to tap the ball into the net thanks to a great assist from Cody. It clearly seemed to cause chaos in the Ajax defence like it does to other defences. PSV won the game 2-1 which is crucial for the title race.
These two games are just two examples to show that Cody is a big game player. There has been a level of criticism that says he hasn’t been that in the past. However this season in particular both with PSV and the national team has shown that he steps up to the mark when his team needs him the most.
To sum up his attributes, Cody is a winger who likes to cut inside but doesn't always shoot; he also likes to create chances for others. His pinpoint delivery from crosses have produced many assists and been tough for defenders to deal with. In terms of size, Cody is quite tall which may seem a bit unusual for a winger. And while the physicality of the Premier League takes a bit of getting used to, his size could be a major attribute.
While cutting inside has become a trademark element of his game, it can also be viewed as a weakness as he does it so regularly. Defenders in the Premier League will be alert to this part of his game and he may have to alter it slightly without losing the elements that have made him the player he is.
If I have to name someone Cody reminds me of it is Sadio Mane. Quick with and without the ball on his feet, able to get past defenders easily in a 1 on 1 and has great goalscoring ability. Hopefully Cody is able to adapt to the Premier League as Sadio did.
I would say Cody is the brightest star of this Dutch generation under the age of 25. There have been many other players that have transferred abroad, but didn’t seem to really fulfil their potential. An example of this is Steven Bergwijn. PSV sold him for around €30 million to Tottenham, but after a good start he became a benchwarmer and unfortunately did not break through. I am very confident Cody will succeed at Liverpool, especially with a coach like Jurgen Klopp. Having that kind of figure guiding Cody through the different phases of his career will see him reach his potential.
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