Cody Gakpo | OFFICIAL: Liverpool player

Status
Not open for further replies.
I want him to come here and do well, and he's definitely got some talent... But I have a feeling he'll be Memphis 2.0 here. He seems to play at a slower pace as he's used to poor opposition. I think the pace and huge jump in quality in the PL will be too much for him to adapt to. In a few years he'll probably be looking class again at Juventus or something though.
 
Von Mistelroum said:
I want him to come here and do well, and he's definitely got some talent... But I have a feeling he'll be Memphis 2.0 here. He seems to play at a slower pace as he's used to poor opposition. I think the pace and huge jump in quality in the PL will be too much for him to adapt to. In a few years he'll probably be looking class again at Juventus or something though.
Click to expand...
My worry is that he's more comfortable as a left sided forward, as per Rashford and Martial, and we're still short a goalscorer in the middle. We'd have to be sure that he's capable of being a target man, man in the box type before we blow our wad on him.
 
I prefer Mbappe.

I will be disappointed if we don't sign Mbappe,Bellingham and De Jong this January for our top six push
 
I really don't get this interest. I hope it's just a basic misunderstanding of his abilities on my part. He looks to play very similar to our wingers who have, at periods during their careers, been pegged as STs but are clearly wingers . So if hes not an outright striker...with outright striker skills...this seems like an investment in a player that is redundant to our squad make-up at the moment. Why spend money here when we desperately need help in other areas. I just can't see the logic...
 
dal said:
Seriously hes shit.
Click to expand...
I reckon he’ll put the numbers up but be divisive because his general play isn’t good enough.

15-20 goals and 5 assists next season.

7-10 goals and 3 assists this season.
 
Sometimes a word is enough and i prefer my cody battered.
 
Telsim said:
Not really. I don't think we necessarily need an absolute pure 9. My impression of Gakpo is that he has a lot more to his game than people give him credit for. He could be a very good versatile 9, I think. I'm very excited to see what Ten Hag would do with him and also to see a frontline of Garnacho/Rashford - Gakpo - Antony, with Bruno just behind. A good combination of creativity, energy, and speed in that.
Click to expand...
Adding Gakpo does improve the options and I think the front three positions are then very well covered.

But we’d still be lacking an experienced, productive, elite CF. I’d say a Harry Kane type but the Kane of two years ago. I don’t think the player I’m thinking of is out there and getable.
 
This would be a very underwhelming signing for me - just a fan lounging on my couch so happy to be proven wrong
 
OrcaFat said:
Adding Gakpo does improve the options and I think the front three positions are then very well covered.

But we’d still be lacking an experienced, productive, elite CF. I’d say a Harry Kane type but the Kane of two years ago. I don’t think the player I’m thinking of is out there and getable.
Click to expand...
We are missing an elite attacking option but as you say none are available.

I’d personally still love Kane regardless of how his game has changed at Spurs. Yes he comes deeper but I think that’s a function of Spurs lack of No10 and creator from midfield more so than Kane being incapable of performing as he has previously. He’s still very capable of being the type of forward we need and with the pace of Rashford and Antony out wide I think he’d be a terrific upgrade on Martial.

Kane
Rashford Bruno Antony
​
That makes us title challengers in my mind.
 
Von Mistelroum said:
I want him to come here and do well, and he's definitely got some talent... But I have a feeling he'll be Memphis 2.0 here. He seems to play at a slower pace as he's used to poor opposition. I think the pace and huge jump in quality in the PL will be too much for him to adapt to. In a few years he'll probably be looking class again at Juventus or something though.
Click to expand...

Yeah I can't fully warm to him,however think that's probably down to the fact I can't shift the feeling we need that number 9
 
Why is Cafe so warm towards this fella? He's bang average.

Edit: ok I take that back, folk aren't that friendly to him.
 
Last edited:
Red the Bear said:
Why is Cafe so warm towards this fella? He's bang average.
Click to expand...
Is he really though? or is he on the verge of morphing into a world class wide forward?

That's up to our scouts to decide. His goal/assist record is very good for his age, he strikes the ball very well and clearly knows how to finish on both feet.

He's proven he can handle the pressure of the big lights at the world cup, what's to dislike? if we can get him for around £40m that would be a great deal IMO.
 
Adam-Utd said:
Is he really though? or is he on the verge of morphing into a world class wide forward?

That's up to our scouts to decide. His goal/assist record is very good for his age, he strikes the ball very well and clearly knows how to finish on both feet.

He's proven he can handle the pressure of the big lights at the world cup, what's to dislike? if we can get him for around £40m that would be a great deal IMO.
Click to expand...
I just don't see it , usually when someone is on the verge of breakthrough you could pinpoint at least one are of their game where they excel at but I'm hard pressed to do the same with any part of his game and at least to my eye he seems painfully average in every facet of profile which is not necessarily bad but I don’t understand what's the point of paying 40m for a player that will inevitably be a bench option down the line .

I'm sure he'll have a cracking career at a mutable club but at old Trafford challenging for the highest honors? I'm not sure.
 
Adam-Utd said:
Is he really though? or is he on the verge of morphing into a world class wide forward?

That's up to our scouts to decide. His goal/assist record is very good for his age, he strikes the ball very well and clearly knows how to finish on both feet.

He's proven he can handle the pressure of the big lights at the world cup, what's to dislike? if we can get him for around £40m that would be a great deal IMO.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't trust our scouts, these are the same scouts who fought sancho was worth 78 million, AWB 50 million and Maguire 80 million players.

We need to stay away from Gapko if he costs between 50-60 million he's just not worth it. There's a reason why at 23 no clubs have been interested in him. 35-40 may be worth a gamble but he's not a must by any stretch of the imagination.

We need better scouts first and foremost
 
Red the Bear said:
I just don't see it , usually when someone is on the verge of breakthrough you could pinpoint at least one are of their game where they excel at but I'm hard pressed to do the same with any part of his game and at least to my eye he seems painfully average in every facet of profile which is not necessarily bad but I don’t understand what's the point of paying 40m for a player that will inevitably be a bench option down the line .

I'm sure he'll have a cracking career at a mutable club but at old Trafford challenging for the highest honors? I'm not sure.
Click to expand...
I'm in a similar camp. I think he's a good player and for £40-45m, could be a good squad player for us. However, I don't see him as being on the cusp of becoming a World Class player. The only chance he has is as a Martial style number 9. I don't see him as a better player than Rashford on the left.
 
Red the Bear said:
I just don't see it , usually when someone is on the verge of breakthrough you could pinpoint at least one are of their game where they excel at but I'm hard pressed to do the same with any part of his game and at least to my eye he seems painfully average in every facet of profile
Click to expand...
You've gone too far there to make a point. He is technically average, yes, but he has an excellent shot on him, with both feet, and is a really good crosser of the ball. There are obvious strengths to his game. But I still don't see any more than a good rotational option with him. Raises our floor not our ceiling. Not worth a penny over £35m.
 
Haven't seen enough of him to comment much but as people are asking what exactly he's good at, here's some quotes from a random Opta Analyst piece on him. Make of it what you will.

The production has skyrocketed to an astronomical level so far this season, averaging 1.68 non-penalty goals and assists per 90 in 2022-23. Only Erling Haaland has bettered that pace among the traditional big five leagues as well as the Portuguese Primeira Liga and the Eredivisie. This isn’t to say that Gakpo belongs on such a pedestal despite those gaudy numbers. He’s an exciting player whose ceiling in attack isn’t as clear cut as perhaps the individual goal output would indicate.
Click to expand...

Gakpo is a fascinating talent in part because he’s considerably taller than the average winger at roughly 6-foot-2. Attacking players close to that height are more likely to be someone who’d constantly occupy the opposition backline, try to maneuver on the blindside of the defenders, and make their money as a penalty box threat. That’s not really Gakpo’s game. Rather, he prefers to receive and drive at them.
Click to expand...

In his favor as a shot taker is that he’s able to quickly fire without much of a backlift, which could partly explain how he’s considerably outpaced his expected goal tally. We still don’t have enough of a sample to have strong confidence in him being an above-average finisher.
Click to expand...

For a big man, he’s got quick feet so he can receive from deeper and quickly evade multiple opponents. He’s arguably more consistent from around the channel as a ball carrier versus trying to engage with the opponent from a wide starting point. While he possesses pretty good acceleration, it’s not quite elite in static 1v1s to where he can constantly generate separation.
Click to expand...

Since the beginning of the 2021-22 season, no other player in the Eredivisie has generated more total shots for himself or others. He’s also first in combined goals and assists from carries. When Gakpo’s got a full head of steam and can carry into space, it’s been tough for defenders to contain him.
Click to expand...

Arguably Gakpo’s best selling point is his ability to create chances in set pieces and open play. He ranked sixth in the Eredivisie in chances created from set play at 1.37 per 90 minutes, and that’s jumped to a ludicrous rate of 3.25 this season which leads the league. The numbers remain strong but slightly less awe-inspiring in open play at 1.98 per 90 (eighth) last season, and 1.89 this season (21st). Gakpo’s got a variety of passes within the final third. He can make short reverse deliveries into the wide zone when teammates make runs, which are the type that can end up leading to secondary chances. As mentioned before, once he gets near the wide zone of the box he has good touch with cutbacks and squaring the ball toward the six-yard area. His most consistent method of creating chances for both open-play and dead-ball situations comes via crossing. The way he lofts the ball into the box is almost reminiscent of a golfer using a pitching wedge. It’s the type of delivery that he consistently utilises which makes him a threat in different game situations.
Click to expand...

It’s easy to see why Cody Gakpo has generated so much excitement. His passing touch is very impressive and makes him a constant threat to play teammates in. If given space, he can dribble into it and has good awareness of releasing the ball once he’s attracted the attention of nearby opponents. The inconsistency he has creating space off the dribble from wide does chip away at some of his potential portability, especially since he’ll be going up against better athletes in the top five leagues once he eventually leaves PSV. The off-ball work is promising, and perhaps in a different setup it could become more of a strength. It’s possible he ends up as a net-positive finisher due to how he can strike the ball, but it’s a safer bet to assume he won’t continue to score at his current rate on a similar diet of shots.
Click to expand...

One of the questions with projecting Gakpo’s ceiling is what his best position will ultimately be. The mild concerns with his explosiveness when trying to beat his marker makes it a bit tougher to project him as a left winger for top sides. Clubs imagining him in that role would likely need to have a system where there’s constantly forward options to amplify his creation. The Dutchman’s size makes it easier to envision him in a central role, playing off a striker or in a No. 10 role where he can find pockets of space in the final third and spam passes into high value spots. He can also occasionally play with his back to goal and that offers an extra option for ball progression. There’s the outside chance he does end up growing into being a lone striker, although it’s more likely his ceiling is more of a 13 goals/13 assists player than 20+ goals.
Click to expand...

It’s clear Gakpo is a talented player. He’s got one of the cleanest crossing techniques in Europe and that’s a big reason why he’s been a chance-creating machine from dead ball situations and open play. The set-piece numbers will likely decline in a new environment and impact his attacking value, although by how much is unknown. The odds are more likely than not his best role on a bigger club would shift him towards being an attacking midfielder or even a second striker so his size and strength are amplified more. That would help in alleviating concerns about his acceleration when dribbling. Further growth with off-ball movement would round off his skillset and make him more resilient against tougher competition. It’s hard to see Cody Gakpo fail at his next stop given what he’s already shown. Whether he can reach absolute stardom will depend on other factors at the individual and team level working out in his favour.
Click to expand...
 
Remember the geese said:
I'm in a similar camp. I think he's a good player and for £40-45m, could be a good squad player for us. However, I don't see him as being on the cusp of becoming a World Class player. The only chance he has is as a Martial style number 9. I don't see him as a better player than Rashford on the left.
Click to expand...
Agreed but then again assuming all of martial, Rashford and Antony are fit i don't think he'll get into the team and that's not particularly the highest rated attack in the world.
Drizzle said:
You've gone too far there to make a point. He is technically average, yes, but he has an excellent shot on him, with both feet, and is a really good crosser of the ball. There are obvious strengths to his game. But I still don't see any more than a good rotational option with him. Raises our floor not our ceiling. Not worth a penny over £35m.
Click to expand...
Yes I exaggeration somewhat but did concede that he'll make a very good mid table player.

Also completely agree on your last point it's never worth paying more than that for what is basically a bench option.
 
Red the Bear said:
Agreed but then again assuming all of martial, Rashford and Antony are fit i don't think he'll get into the team and that's not particularly the highest rated attack in the world.
Click to expand...
Agreed. However, a fit Martial appears to be a rare thing. I wouldn't mind us bringing Gakpo in and using him as a false 9 type, but then I'd want some sort of an upgrade in the Summer. A top striker, Gakpo and Martial would be a good selection I think. Up to the scouts to find that top striker.
 
sullydnl said:
Haven't seen enough of him to comment much but as people are asking what exactly he's good at, here's some quotes from a random Opta Analyst piece on him. Make of it what you will.
Click to expand...

All that doing in a league where Donny Van de Beek looked like a prime Xavi
 
We will overpay for this guy like all players, were bought Anthony for way to much money.
 
Buying Gakpo now in January means it’s likely going to eat into our summer budget. Of course that all depends on who our owners will be. If it’s still the glazers then it might be a choice of whether we go for Gakpo now or wait until the summer for Osimhen.
 
I have doubts he’s good enough to start at a club claiming to compete for what we are - but he most certainly isn’t average. He’s a very good ball striker with both feet, has an exceptional cross on him and is an incredibly powerful ball carrier. He’s also very good at taking the ball on the half turn and receiving progressive passes. Seems to have a good mentality - my only doubts are around what’s alluded to above - his lack of raw acceleration and intensity of movement in behind. He’s an interesting profile though and can play across the attacking positions - for 40m seems a cracking squad option. We definitely need an elite powerful striker on top though in the summer.

When he’s running at top speed he’s very difficult to stop as he showed numerous times against benfica last season - who went on to reach the Quarters.

 
it would have to be a highly structured deal

no way the Glazers are going to eat into their sweet profiteering haul if they are planning to sell
 
Red the Bear said:
Why is Cafe so warm towards this fella? He's bang average.

Edit: ok I take that back, folk aren't that friendly to him.
Click to expand...
Must be another Cafe :lol:

Everyone's been questioning our managers interest in him.

I trust his judgement and eye for talent personally and believe he could be an asset for us under the manager if we decide to bring him on.
 
apotheosis said:
Average performances? :angel:
Click to expand...

:lol: But which ones? Not for PSV clearly, so are people simply judging him on two games in the World Cup against USA/Argentina while ignoring the 3 goals he scored in the group games? He played well against USA too, the only disappointing game was against the eventual winners Argentina.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.