Michael Owen has praised Liverpool’s new boy Cody Gakpo and how well he is playing the number nine role for Jurgen Klopp.
Like Roberto Firmino has been doing for many years, Klopp prefers his central forward to drop deep and let the wide players run in beyond so they can get the goals.
That’s why Darwin Nunez has been deployed on the left by the Reds, with Mo Salah in his usual right-sided role.
With Firmino out injured, Gakpo has been the one nurtured into that central area following his January transfer from PSV.
The 23-year-old proved at PSV, as well as for the Dutch national side, that he can play across the front three, but with the preference of playing on the left.
Nonetheless, despite Gakpo’s early struggles, Michael Owen praised the player for his recent form and new role, as he told Premier League Productions.
“It’s funny with Liverpool because Jurgen likes that number ten or his central player to come and play as a number ten and drop in,” said Owen.
“Gakpo has played on the left a lot of the time and certainly at the World Cup. We automatically think (that’s where he is going to play), especially with Nunez being a central striker. He has been pushing him out on the left and Gakpo in the central areas.
“I think that’s because he is very good at coming off short into pockets. He is very, very good at coming off into that number-ten pocket and then the wide players using their pace.”
GAKPO AND NUNEZ WILL BE BETTER NEXT SEASON
There is still a lot of rawness to the duo’s game, but they will fare a lot better next season once they have got this debut campaign out of the way.
Not only that, Liverpool’s current struggles don’t help matters, but when that midfield is refreshed, then that fast-paced and all-aggressive style will be back, which will suit their game.
Until then, the Reds have to churn out the results, and somehow, crawl their way to a Champions League finish because it’s looking unlikely so far.
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