Cody Gakpo has provided more questions than answers since joining Liverpool last month, truth be told.
Why did the Reds opt to spend £37m on him rather than move for a much-needed midfielder? Why have they brought in yet another left-sided forward, when they already possess Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, and Darwin Nunez? And why, having spent an initial £64m on the Uruguayan, a traditional number nine, last summer, are they now playing him out wide with the Dutch winger instead utilised as their central attacker?
Each decision prompted head-scratching, with Liverpool’s form alongside the forward’s own limited impact during his opening weeks on Merseyside resulting in further raised eyebrows. Reds legend Jamie Carragher would even admit he was baffled at his former club’s signing of the Dutchman last week.
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Jurgen Klopp admittedly did warn Kopites that the 23-year-old would not replicate Diaz’s instant impact at Anfield from 12 months earlier, with Gakpo ultimately joining Liverpool at a much more difficult time than the Colombian. Yet that didn’t stop the German from lauding his new forward’s finishing ability soon after signing the Netherlands international.
Alas, with the Reds’ form going from bad to worse following Gakpo’s arrival, Kopites saw little evidence to support such a claim. Liverpool would score just four goals across his first six games, after all, with two of those coming on his debut against Wolves in the FA Cup, and a replay win at Molineux his only taste of victory.
From those half-a-dozen clashes, the 23-year-old understandably made a minimal impact and failed to return a goal or an assist. Boasting 13 shots across those six games, only four were on target while seven of them came in one match - the 0-0 draw with Chelsea.
To further add to the lack of stability, while he started on the left with Nunez central and Mohamed Salah on the right on his debut against Wolves, as expected, he was part of a front two alongside the Egyptian in the 3-0 loss away at Brighton before starting as a central striker between Harvey Elliott and Fabio Carvalho in the FA Cup replay against the West Midlands side.
Gakpo would stay a central striker against Chelsea as Salah returned, with Elliott switching to the left flank and that trio then remaining in place for the FA Cup exit at the hands of Brighton. He was then back on the left for his third meeting with Wolves, as Nunez returned to the starting XI in a central berth. No wonder he struggled for rhythm, with supporters continuing to question the wisdom behind both signing the Dutchman and Klopp’s usage of him as a result.
But opening his account at the seventh time of asking in Monday’s Merseyside derby victory over Everton, the forward might belatedly be providing some answers.
Again inflicted to a positional change, the Netherlands international was back in a central role as he swapped positions with Nunez. But rather than one of three isolated figures, lost in attack, this time things started to click for Liverpool and for Gakpo. For the first time, Kopites could see the method in the madness.
Boasting two shots against the Blues to take his overall record to 15 since moving to Merseyside, he would at least register his second Premier League shot on target against Everton. A simple tap-in at the far post with the goal gaping, he won’t score an easier effort in his career.
The relief on Gakpo’s face was evident, and not just because he’d sent a good headed chance wide in the first half as supporters groaned, ‘Here we go again’. The goal clearly boosted the Dutchman’s confidence, as he continued to grow in influence and started to show supporters why the Reds brought him in.
When Carragher questioned why Liverpool had signed the forward, he lamented the forward’s apparent lack of lightning pace and the capacity to lead a high press. However, both attributes were clear against Everton as he ran past and closed down defenders, while he also looked sharp when dropping deep to link up play and hold off challenges.
Historically the Dutchman is a left-sided forward. His favoured position is very clearly on the flank, and while he can play up front or on the right, the majority of his best football for PSV Eindhoven and the Netherlands has come cutting inside from the left.
This is what has made Klopp’s usage of him all the more baffling, chopping and changing with the forward out wide one moment then central the next. At first, when turned to up front, it was in the absence of an injured Nunez, with the belief at the time he was a reluctant stop-gap. Yet he has remained in such a role with the Uruguayan instead on the left for the majority since he returned to fitness.
At first he looked lost down the middle and was accused of dropping too deep and not getting involved enough. Why were Liverpool using a pacey winger in such a way, with their traditional number nine and bringer of chaos, Nunez, accommodating such a switch by being moved to the left? You wouldn’t see Erling Haaland operating as a wide forward for Man City, after all.
Yet maybe Carragher wasn’t onto something. Gakpo perhaps doesn’t boast the electric pace of Nunez, who would demonstrate such a skill to devastating effect when setting up Salah’s opener against Everton. He’s by no means slow but his arrival has perhaps prompted a change in Liverpool thinking.
With Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti accusing the Reds of being predictable to play against in last year’s Champions League final, the signing of Nunez was seen as a way to counter such an accusation as Liverpool returned to playing an out-and-out striker for the first time in Klopp’s reign.
However, such an arrival saw Salah unable to impact matches by cutting inside to central positions, and an increasing gap grow between an isolated attack and midfield. With Nunez’s finishing also raw, Liverpool struggled and when Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz were struck down by injury, the Reds lost even more balance.
But has Gakpo’s arrival seen Liverpool return to basics? Now Nunez is a wide-forward cutting inside, demonstrating electric pace and getting into finishing positions. With Salah doing the same on the right, as he always has done when at his most deadly, the Uruguayan is essentially filling the ‘Sadio Mane role’ in the side on the left.
Meanwhile, standing at 6ft 4, Gakpo is more than physical enough to hold off defenders centrally. Good on the ball, he has been at his best for the Reds in his brief Anfield career to date when picking up the ball in deeper positions, turning his man and running at defenders. Are we looking at a taller, quicker Roberto Firmino?
As a result, this front three could start to replicate the old-school triumvirate that made Liverpool so effective for so long, making the most of their pace on the counter, their wide players’ finishing ability, a central forward’s movement, and how such a style gets the best out of their attacking full-backs. It’s no coincidence that all of this was on show against Everton as the Reds started to look more like their mentality monsters of old.
Admittedly, a glimpse at the Liverpool team and you would still expect to see Gakpo on the flanks and Nunez down the middle, but it would seem Klopp has other ideas. If it ain't broke, don't fix it with his side's new setup suddenly feeling rather familiar. Yet the fact that you can still play forwards in either position still offers the unpredictability the Reds were lacking.
Throw in Firmino and Jota’s returns from injury, along with Diaz set to make his own comeback next month, and suddenly you have no idea what starting front three the German will select. Meanwhile, even once you see the trio of names, there are no guarantees over who will line up where.
Victory over Everton is still just early days, both for Liverpool and for Gakpo. Their attempted revival is a work in progress, after all. But, for the first time since the Dutchman’s arrival, answers to the bemused questions his signing prompted are starting to appear.
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