When Luis Diaz made his Liverpool debut in the FA Cup last season, it took him just 10 minutes to make his presence felt.
Brought on against Cardiff City in place of Curtis Jones just short of the hour-mark, it was his persistence to win possession in the Bluebirds box and cutback that set up the Reds’ second goal for Takumi Minamino in a 3-1 win. And while Opta might not have credited the Colombian with the assist, given his pass squirmed through Diogo Jota’s legs before falling to the Japan international, Anfield knew who the true creator was.
Fast forward a year and there have already been plenty of comparisons between the former Porto winger and Liverpool’s latest January signing - Cody Gakpo. And not just because the Reds parted with almost identical fees to opportunistically bring in both players mid-season under the noses of their rivals.
AS IT HAPPENED: Liverpool vs Wolves - goals, highlights and analysis
RATINGS: Liverpool player ratings as Alisson and five others really poor in draw with Wolves
Yet Jurgen Klopp was quick to warn supporters not to expect the Dutchman to enjoy as an electric impact as the Colombian at Anfield.
"I'm very positive about him (but) I'm not sure it's helpful to compare with Diaz impact,” Klopp told reporters on Friday. “That was really special to be honest.
“We could swap around a little bit. We had difficulties as well injury-wise so he was extremely helpful. That's how it will be in this moment as well.
"Cody gets the same amount of time like each player. You have to settle in offensively, it's not that easy. He comes in from a different league. That's always difficult.
“It was for Lucho as well, but you don't have to compare them. We expect a positive impact, definitely."
Klopp was ultimately proven right as Gakpo enjoyed a quiet Liverpool debut against Wolves in the FA Cup. Handed a start in attack alongside Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah, it took the Dutchman just five minutes to register his first short on goal as he turned well when receiving a pass from the Egyptian before drilling low straight at the keeper.
But it was to be his only shot as he struggled to impose himself on the game. Meanwhile, there would be no key passes and only one attempted dribble, and that ended up unsuccessful.
But as Klopp also reminded fans, “there were easier moments to join Liverpool.” Like last year when Diaz joined, for example.
The Liverpool Diaz joined were on the verge of challenging for an unprecedented quadruple, with the Colombian right at the heart of such efforts. Meanwhile, with six senior international forwards available alongside him, there was no pressure on him to settle immediately. In contrast, Gakpo joins a struggling, ageing Reds side stuck in transition, who are out of form and low on confidence.
And with both Diaz and Diogo Jota long-term absentees, Roberto Firmino also injured, and Liverpool enduring a wretched run of form with their Champions League hopes on the line, the pressure is on the Dutchman to start delivering fast.
Yet, like Diaz before him, he marked his debut with an almost assist. It was the 23-year-old’s chipped pass forwards that forced Toti’s wayward header to Salah in the 52nd minute, with the defender gifting the forward an easy goal. If not for the Reds’ own defensive errors, it would have been a winner. Instead, an FA Cup replay at Molineux awaits.
Supporters have had their first glimpse of Gakpo in the flesh and he has not whetted the appetite to the extent of Diaz before him. But with Liverpool in need of a hero if they are to finish in the top four, Kopites will hope the best is very much still to come from the club’s latest signing.
Starting XI reality check
Normally the early stages of a domestic cup competition would see Jurgen Klopp rotate his side. But not against Wolves. With Liverpool’s January fixture list currently kind after the World Cup break, the German named his strongest available XI as the Reds looked to bounce back from their miserable 3-1 defeat to Brentford.
And that is what made their failings against the West Midlands outfit even more worrying. Klopp’s men are very much stuck in Groundhog day, making the same mistakes again and again as supporters watch on helplessly at the same horrors week after week.
With Virgil van Dijk out for a month with a hamstring injury, the Joel Matip x Ibrahima Konate partnership between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson, in front of Alisson Becker, is the best they have to offer. Yet it was a back five exposed far too easily by a counter-attacking Wolves side as they pounced on errors and got in behind.
In midfield, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, and Thiago Alcantara is the first-choice trio, on paper at least. They started the Champions League final together last season after all. But having failed in Paris against Real Madrid, such failings were on show once again as they were left chasing shadows and failed to win challenges.
Meanwhile, with Liverpool so accustomed to their previously untouchable attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino, their new attack of Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo alongside the Egyptian looked like exactly what it is - a trio who had not played together before. Not in-sync like the attack before it, they were often isolated and left performing as individuals as they fed off scraps.
If this is the best this strongest available XI has to offer, where do Liverpool turn next? A look at the bench and Naby Keita is perhaps the only available player who could force his way into a ‘best XI’. Beyond that, they are left waiting for the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota to return from injury. They will be waiting a long time.
Klopp will have to look within. This XI was selected in an attempt to play their way back into form. An unconvincing 2-2 draw was not the desired result or performance, and in turns provides an unwanted replay. But that was all the Reds deserved.
The World Cup break has not solved Liverpool issues. Neither has the mid-season training camp in Dubai or players returning from injury. It’s too early to say what impact new signing Gakpo could have on those around him during the second half of the season.
But what is clear is the Reds, once champions of England, Europe and the world, will now have to dig deeper than they’ve ever had to before if they are to salvage their season. There are no returning heroes coming to save them, Liverpool have to find the answer themselves.
Let-off for Alisson
When it rains, it pours. Alisson Becker has been Liverpool’s player of the season so far this campaign. That is not hard, given the Reds struggles and a lack of competition given so many of his team-mates are underperforming.
Yet against Wolves, he put in his worst performance of the season and it very nearly cost Liverpool their FA Cup defence. It was the Brazilian’s brainless kick straight to Goncalo Guedes which gifted the visitors their opener. Meanwhile, he’ll be disappointed in how Hwang Hee-chan’s goal squirmed through his legs.
With his distribution also out of sorts, he earned the wrath of Andy Robertson in particular on more than one occasion.
There was still one impressive save, however, to deny Rayan Ait-Nouri with his legs when left one-on-one. Had he not stood in the way, Liverpool would be out of the FA Cup.
But in this disappointing campaign for the Reds, it will be a great concern that their one Mr. Reliable was anything but on Saturday night. At least such errors came in a game where Klopp’s men still managed to avoid defeat and have the lifeline of an FA Cup replay.
In front of him, in the absence of the injured Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip partnered each other for only the seventh time from the start. Boasting just one clean sheet together, the same defensive misfires as forwards got in behind them far too easily ensured they would not add to that total here.
But their partnership is a work in progress, and there were individual impressive defensive moments from the pair at least in a shaky team performance. Given Liverpool will be without Van Dijk for at least a month, the Reds need this pairing to blossom and fast at a time when every match will soon become a must-win if their season isn’t to fall apart completely.
READ NEXT:
- When Liverpool vs Wolves replay can be played after FA Cup third round draw
- Why Mohamed Salah goal vs Wolves was given despite Liverpool offside in build-up
- Liverpool fans left fuming by ITV channel decision and sound problems during FA Cup tie with Wolves
- Every word Emile Heskey said about Liverpool's form, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo
- Moises Caicedo price 'slashed' with Liverpool 'well placed' in transfer race
