Utweets
1.3.4. 18+ ANOTHER POPULAR. ACTRESS. SECRET. VIDEO. LEAKED. OUT. GOES VIRAL.Arne Slot’s time at Liverpool is now in full flow with several key players performing at a high level – including Cody Gakpo. The Dutch forward had an inconsistent time at Anfield under Jurgen Klopp due to the various new roles he played. Slot’s decision to move his compatriot back to his original left-wing position has seen Gakpo rediscover the form he showed for PSV Eindhoven. ...READ THE FULL STORY FROM SOURCE ↔️
Cody Gakpo has opened up on the difference between life under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot’s new regime at Anfield. The Dutch forward has been in fine form under his compatriot but has expressed his feeling that Liverpool has been ‘home’ ever since he arrived from PSV Eindhoven in 2023.
While there were glimpses of the electric goalscorer that turned out each week for the Eredivisie outfit during Gakpo’s first season and a half on Merseyside, he’s only now looking to be the superstar Reds’ supporters thought they were getting their hands on. Klopp was the man to bring the 25-year-old to England, but he almost instantly changed the role he would play in a struggling Liverpool side.
The Premier League giants were in the middle of a tough campaign when the Netherlands international arrived in January 2023. Roberto Firmino’s slow decline and Darwin Nunez’s struggles to settle in meant Klopp was in desperate need of a reliable pair of hands through the middle of his frontline.
An inconsistent relationship on the pitch
Gakpo’s £37 million arrival from PSV was met with excitement from the Anfield faithful, as the 2022 World Cup star was being tracked by other European heavyweights, including Manchester United. Klopp’s impressive record in the transfer market had many thinking the winger would be the latest gem the German turned into a world-class superstar.
The player himself recently told Men in Blazers about the feeling he was given by the club and its supporters, first saying: “When Liverpool approached me, I felt it was a very warm club… similar to PSV but a bigger club.” Gakpo then went on to add:
“I felt at home right away. The people and fans are amazing and they really helped me. I am very grateful to be here. It was a no-brainer. There are a few Dutchmen here. But overall we are a real family, no matter where you come from. From the moment I arrived, everyone treated me like a brother.
“The biggest strength of this club is how it doesn’t matter where you are from, just that you are part of the family. We will fight for each other.”
Coming into a misfiring Liverpool side wasn’t going to be easy but Gakpo made himself undroppable very quickly with some impressive displays. However, the man previously known for doing his best work on the left flank was forced into a central role while Nunez was shifted out wide.
Jurgen Klopp has been known to fall out with his players in the past – and one man even decided to end his Liverpool career after one conversation.
In an unnatural role, Gakpo did an admirable job during the rest of the 2022/23 season as the club narrowly missed out on Champions League football. His first full season at Anfield wasn’t as fruitful. Having demonstrated his willingness to play in different positions, Gakpo found himself utilised in several roles, including central midfield.
Not having a settled role in the squad didn’t help his confidence as the underperforming Dutchman soon found himself in and out of Klopp’s side, and he was even described as playing in ‘slow motion’ by Jamie Carragher following a poor display at Old Trafford.
Cody Gakpo’s Liverpool Stats
Statistic
Under Jurgen Klopp
Under Arne Slot
Games
79
17
Goals
23
6
Assists
9
2
Gakpo’s Resurgence Under Arne Slot
He’s returned to his old ‘dangerous’ self
Klopp’s shock departure at the end of the 2023/24 season left many Liverpool players’ futures up in the air. Arne Slot’s appointment could have been a daunting prospect for some of the previous manager’s favourites, but it’s been a blessing in disguise for Gakpo.
One of the main reasons for his upturn in form this term has been the fact he’s reverted to his roots. Gakpo is fully aware of this, as he said: “Before I came to Liverpool I was a left winger, then I came here and started to play more as a central striker.” Elaborating further, the winger explained the part Slot has played in this:
“But last summer in the Euros I was a winger again. Then the new manager came in, I talked to him and he told me to focus on the left winger. He told me to just show myself and that was my position. Now it is like the old me, what I did at PSV, I feel really good in this position and I try to show my best what I am capable of.
“On the left, I come in one-versus-ones with my face towards the opponent where I can shoot or cross. This is more my game, I can be dangerous there.”
Despite being in direct competition with the also red-hot Luis Diaz, Gakpo has managed to register six goals in all competitions and is seeing regular minutes under the new boss. His incredible ability to find space and fire in lethal efforts from long range has returned, along with his determination to beat his man....READ THE FULL STORY FROM SOURCE ↔️
