Confident and expressive Cody Gakpo impresses in the Dutch set-up... the forward hasĀ greater certainty in his role under Ronald Koeman after becoming utility player at Liverpool
- Gakpo scored the Netherlands equaliser in their victory over Poland on Sunday
- The Liverpool forward appeared at home on the left flank for Koeman's sideĀ
- LISTEN to It's All Kicking Off! Were England good in their opener or is the criticism fair?Ā
The Cody Gakpo talking in the depths of Hamburgās Volksparkstadion on Sunday night sounded like the player Jurgen Klopp always said he would be. Confident, expressive, easy with the critique he brought of his own game.
āItās up to me to make the right decisions on the spot,ā the Liverpool player said. āIn some situations, I could have made better decisions. People think if you take good decisions you will always find the net ā but itās not the case.ā
He was right. Thereās no disguising that the 25-year-old spurned a good first half chance to put the Netherlands ahead against Poland, minutes after his deflected shot had delivered their equaliser. But he was the best of the Dutch attacking options, playing with his head up, running at defenders, seeing the possibilities and linking well with Nathan Ake. For what itās worth, he was the UEFA man of the match.
His manager thought the Dutch team should have exploited his ability more. āWe played too much on the right wing and there was more space on the left,ā Ronald Koeman said. āCody played very well. He was dangerous and we should give him the ball more often.ā
When Gakpo signed for Liverpool from PSV Eindhoven in the winter of 2022, with Manchester United also interested, Klopp said there had been a need to move quickly before he became a ā40-goal playerā somewhere else, who would quickly become unaffordable. āThe position he played most often [at Eindhoven] is obviously the left wing but he can play in different positions up front,ā Klopp said at the time.
![Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo confident and expressive after the Netherlands win over Poland](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/06/17/12/86216429-13538209-image-a-15_1718623173224.jpg)
Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo confident and expressive after the Netherlands win over Poland
![Gakpo scored the Netherlands' equaliser after seeing his shot deflected beyondĀ Wojciech Szczesny](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/06/17/12/86184165-13538209-image-a-13_1718623035232.jpg)
Gakpo scored the Netherlands' equaliser after seeing his shot deflected beyondĀ Wojciech Szczesny
![He impressed on the left flank for Ronald Koeman's side having been largely used as a utility player during the season with Liverpool](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/06/17/12/86216449-13538209-image-a-16_1718623255763.jpg)
He impressed on the left flank for Ronald Koeman's side having been largely used as a utility player during the season with Liverpool
-
PODCAST: Have England been playing with fear as Southgate suggests?
-
LISTEN: Southgate only England manager to be criticised whilst winning
-
PODCAST: The REAL reason England through despite playing badly
-
PODCAST:Ā 'Just ONE good performance' could change England's fortunes
-
PODCAST: Are the England team buying into Southgate's style of play?
But it can be complicated at a club like Liverpool. A preference for Luis Diaz on the left contributed to Gakpo becoming a utility player last season.
After a good finish as a central striker in his first half-season, he found himself a central midfield role to which he was manifestly less suited, struggling with the defensive elements of that role, and then lacking consistency.Ā
Even the centre forward roles were few and far between and after scoring only twice by the turn of the year, he looked like a player short on belief. āCody had a bit of a struggle and it was more my fault,ā Klopp said in February. āWe asked, āCan Cody play a midfield position for us?ā Yes, he can in different moments. Is it his position? I would say āno.āā
It can be hard to turn on performances like a switch. Gakpo didnāt impress against Manchester United in the disappointing FA Cup quarter-final and there had been a discussion with Klopp before he ended the season relatively well. That he impressed from the left wing in the defeat of Tottenham at Anfield was a reminder of the player he always wanted to be.
![Gakpo was named as UEFA's man of the match for his performance against Poland on Sunday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/06/17/12/86216393-13538209-image-a-14_1718623086554.jpg)
Gakpo was named as UEFA's man of the match for his performance against Poland on Sunday
Heās been clear about his struggles as a utility player. āItās tricky, but in the end, it also makes you a better player, I think,ā he said before this tournament. āYou have to adapt your game again and again. I have always tried my best and tried to fill it in as best I can. Sometimes that went very well, and sometimes it didnāt go very well.ā
The Dutch set-up brings greater certainty about his role and far more clarity. Koeman mentioned the left-wing position to him two months ago and there was no change to that before the squad met up. Koemanās only message to him was, āStay fit.ā
A more balanced Dutch attack would serve him well. With Wout Weghorst leading the line against France on Friday, both Gakpo on the left and Denzil Dumfries, bombing down the right, would have a target. The player feels that France will provide more space to attack. āIt will be a totally different match,ā he said. āThey have more qualities, a different playing style and the spaces will be different.ā A decent opening game doesnāt make a summer but there were signs in Hamburg of the Liverpool player Gakpo could be.