Jermain Defoe has praised Cody Gakpo for how well he is growing into his new number-nine role for strugglers Liverpool.
The former Premier League striker stated that Gakpo is ‘comfortable on the ball’ and playing that typical nine role for Jurgen Klopp where he has to drop deep, make the ball talk, link-up play and allow his wide players to run in beyond and do the business.
It wasn’t the greatest of starts for the £35 million player (Guardian) following his January transfer, but his form is now starting to pick up.
He opened his account in the Merseyside derby, before backing it up against Newcastle United a week later and then a goalless draw followed in the Premier League against Crystal Palace.
The Dutch international has the ability to play across the front three, his preference would probably be to play on the left, where he can also run without the ball.
But Klopp has tasked him to play in this new role, where he has to come to the ball, and allow others to sing and dance around him, which Defoe analysed, as he told Premier League Productions (25/02/23 at 8:40 pm).
“If you have a number nine that comes to the ball,” said Defoe. “What you want to do is vacate that space in-behind.
“For Liverpool, when a nine comes down, their two wide men, they run in-behind and vacate that space.
“But Gakpo does it really well because he is comfortable on the ball and he receives it well.”
GAKPO HAS JOINED A DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT
During Klopp’s time at Liverpool, all of his forward players have cooked. From Mo Salah to the previous January signing, Luis Diaz.
But Gakpo had that little struggle to adjust and it wouldn’t be a surprise if it’s down to the fact that the team is in a world of mess.
This is the most difficult period of Klopp’s reign, where big changes need to be made, so to ask a player like Gakpo to thrive, when others around him are struggling, then it’s a big question to answer.
Either way, it wouldn’t be a surprise if fans see the best out of the 2022 World Cup star next season.
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