Gakpo: I am still learning and developing my game

[TLW]

Cody Gakpo has spoken about his early stages of being a Liverpool player.

 

Having seen the success that the Reds had achieved in the Jurgen Klopp tenure from afar, the Dutch international would undoubtedly have been excited by the possibility of being part of it himself.

 

But it is never easy joining a new side mid-season especially one that is having a crisis of confidence and in their worst run of form for many seasons.

 

Football, much like life itself is all about adapting, and if things do not go to script you just have to find another way to make it work.

 

Despite being just 23, Gakpo has a sense of maturity beyond his years and this current situation just means he has work a bit harder to make a impact as the Echo (per Walk On magazine) reported.

 

 

“It's always different when you come into a team that was maybe first and winning every game, but it's now in a little bit of a difficult situation.

 

“So for me it is to come in and show what I can. If we were in first I have to do that and now we are in another place (on the table) I have to do that also. I just try to show my best side.

 

“The coach gave me a really warm welcome and I really appreciated it. We had a good conversation and now he is helping me to adapt as fast as possible in the team and to his style of playing. To do that I need to keep working hard and improving."

 

With confidence low within the squad, it has been hard for Gakpo to display his strengths on a consistent basis.

 

Having made six appearances throughout January, a large section of the Reds fanbase is none the wiser about where the true strengths of Gakpo lie and which is his ideal position.

 

Here, the former PSV captain outlines where he can add value.

 

“ I am somebody with a direct style of playing, a hard worker and a winner.

 

"I'm an attacking player who can dribble, score and make assists. It's a good asset to have that I can play in multiple positions, but in the end I think every player has one position that he likes the most and maybe that is where the player is at his best.

 

“At the moment for me, I like to play on the left wing because I played there for four years so that is what I am used to, but maybe I will develop better in another position and then play there” 

 

Gakpo talks more about the topic of adapting and evolving his game when it comes to the future.

 

 

“I played in the middle in the FA Cup at Wolves and against Chelsea. I like it. It's more in the centre of the goal. I'm not that used to it so I have to develop in that position. I don't know if I will end up there, but (former Holland national coach) Louis van Gaal told me I will end up in the middle so maybe I will.

 

“I'm learning a lot and I'm eager to learn even more, so I'm really enjoying it. Everybody has a lot of quality here and we have a really great squad. I want to play with and against the best players because this is only good for my game, to improve as a player."

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[Jordy Brouwer]

Can he learn and develop his game a bit faster?

[Captain Howdy]

Just please stop talking

[VladimirIlyich]

On 08/02/2023 at 13:33, Captain Howdy said:

Just please stop talking

They can't. They are contractually obligated to do regular interviews so every time they sneeze it is reported by somebody or other looking for headlines and ad revenue. 

[gkmacca]

"I played in the middle in the FA Cup at Wolves and against Chelsea. I like it. It's more in the centre of the goal.". There are no flies on this lad. 

[Jairzinho]

Quote

""I'm an attacking player who can dribble, score and make assists."

 

[VladimirIlyich]

I'd blame the reporter for the inane comments than the player.

[Creator Supreme]

He's twenty fucking three! You'd think his game would have developed enough now for him to at least look like a footballer.

 

Fucking hell, another one for the 'what the fuck were we doing signing you?' pile!

[dave u]

He looks like he could eventually settle into the Bobby role, but I don't ever see a scenario where he's starting regularly on the left unless we change our style completely.

 

But if he does turn out to be a centre forward, what are we doing because we signed Darwin to play there?

 

Are we potentially looking at two up front instead of three, with a future pairing of Gakpo and Nunez? Or is he just going to be one of those signings you scratch your head over and wonder what the plan was?

[3 Stacks]

38 minutes ago, dave u said:

He looks like he could eventually settle into the Bobby role, but I don't ever see a scenario where he's starting regularly on the left unless we change our style completely.

 

But if he does turn out to be a centre forward, what are we doing because we signed Darwin to play there?

 

Are we potentially looking at two up front instead of three, with a future pairing of Gakpo and Nunez? Or is he just going to be one of those signings you scratch your head over and wonder what the plan was?

I think the tactical reason he was bought is his profile. Klopp called him a "connector". It's different to what we have and with all the profiles we have on the left and up front (some would say too many profiles) we can rotate the players depending on what we want in a given game.

 

I don't really agree with that kind of squad building because it doesn't really encourage the building of strong and settled partnerships, but say you want the more natural wide player, you have Diaz. Say you want the second striker, you have Jota. Say you want the "connector", you have Gakpo. And on paper, you would want that sort of player alongside Nunez.

[gkmacca]

I think it's his lean build and straight back but he still reminds me, with a shiver, of Bruno Cheyrou. Then again, in the always reliable YouTube clips he looked pretty dynamic. I'm just going to hope that he suddenly snaps into form against the blueshite. Weirder things have happened.

[Reckoner]

A huge amount of leeway needs to be given to this lad, considering just how bad the team has been. Coming into that mid season must be horrible. I trust in Klopps judgment.

[VladimirIlyich]

14 hours ago, Reckoner said:

A huge amount of leeway needs to be given to this lad, considering just how bad the team has been. Coming into that mid season must be horrible. I trust in Klopps judgment.

What??? You aren't prepared to accept the view of a load of random internet strangers that this lad is shit and a waste of money? You'd rather go with a manager that has engineered teams to win almost all of the biggest club competitions in world football? Shame on you!

[johnsusername]

15 hours ago, Reckoner said:

A huge amount of leeway needs to be given to this lad, considering just how bad the team has been. Coming into that mid season must be horrible. I trust in Klopps judgment.

 

Klopp's played him on the wing and in the centre forward position - I'm not sure he knows what to do with him? 

[Reckoner]

6 minutes ago, johnsusername said:

 

Klopp's played him on the wing and in the centre forward position - I'm not sure he knows what to do with him? 

Just because Klopp changes his position based on the players available at the time and the team we play doesn’t mean he’s not sure what to do with him.

[gkmacca]

Pickford, with his weird quasi-Tourettes twitching that he does, takes about ten minutes to calm himself down, so my sophisticated tactical advice to Cody (and anyone else with a decent long-range shot - sit down, Naby lad, this doesn't concern you) - would be to welly it as early as possible, wreck the worm-eater's game plan and get the crowd going.

[El Rojo]

I’d take him having as big an influence as Bruno Cheyrou did right now, which isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement of his start with us.

 

Didn’t Cheyrou have one month where he was brilliant? Scored in three or four games and then dropped off again.

[johnsusername]

3 hours ago, Reckoner said:

Just because Klopp changes his position based on the players available at the time and the team we play doesn’t mean he’s not sure what to do with him.

 

He'll be on the bench when Jota and Diaz are fit. Good to have strength in depth I guess.

[Creator Supreme]

4 hours ago, El Rojo said:

I’d take him having as big an influence as Bruno Cheyrou did right now, which isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement of his start with us.

 

Didn’t Cheyrou have one month where he was brilliant? Scored in three or four games and then dropped off again.

Yep, scored the winner away at Chelsea  and 2 at home to Newcastle in the Cup!

[Daisy]

There hasn't been many what the actual fuck have we done signings under Klopp but this goon more than makes up for it. Fucking useless 

[Mathewbet1]

Leave cody alone , he’ll come good , next dennis bergkamp

[Strontium]

He can start by learning where the goal is, then developing the ability to get the ball in there.

[Fallen Angel]

On 08/02/2023 at 20:33, Captain Howdy said:

Just please stop talking

This. Shut up and start delivering. A bewildering signing, offered nothing in six matches, nada. 

[Clem H Fandango]

@gakpo you pass the ball with the inside of the foot. lesson #1

 

First team in Holland,and an international player. What the fuck do you need to learn? There are people who have flown fighter planes by 23 ffs.

[Red Shift]

On 10/02/2023 at 22:39, VladimirIlyich said:

They can't. They are contractually obligated to do regular interviews so every time they sneeze it is reported by somebody or other looking for headlines and ad revenue. 

His sneeze speaks pretty English.