Liverpool’s clash against Sunderland ended in a frustrating 1-1 draw. The Liverpool manager, Arne Slot had plenty to say after the game, but his comments on Cody Gakpo grabbed the attention. Slot admitted that Gakpo “struggled” in the first half, which led to his substitution.
Slot’s Decision for The Half-time Verdict
The decision to substitute him at half-time was a managerial move. Arne Slot described his decision after the game, saying, “In my opinion, Cody struggled to dominate the one-v-ones.” This lack of performance by Cody Gakpo once again proved that Liverpool are struggling to maintain threat and goal production on the left flank.
Gakpo struggled against Sunderland’s right back, Nordi Mukiele. His xG (expected goals) was only 0.02 with only one accurate cross. Against a side that is pressing high, individual brilliance is needed. However, Gakpo’s technical difficulties caused the entire wing to look ineffective for the first half.
Slot felt that a different, more experienced player was needed on the wing to make a difference. By replacing Mohamed Salah with Cody Gakpo for Liverpool, he attempted to compensate for the lack of individual skills. By benching Salah for two consecutive games, Slot reflected a desire to improve the results.
The Lack of A “Moment of Magic” From Cody Gakpo for Liverpool
Slot described how the route to scoring a goal is straight forward when it comes to sides such as Sunderland. He said “the way to score is quite simple: you need a moment of magic from a player or you need a set-piece to score.” Gakpo struggled to deliver that moment of magic in the first 45 minutes.
The stats from the first half validate Slot’s statement. Cody Gakpo attempted only one dribble for Liverpool, which turned out to be unsuccessful. He also lost three out of his four ground duels. These stats speak for themselves, and Gakpo he refused to make an impact.
Cody Gakpo is someone who has been a reliable player for Liverpool. However, after Slot’s comments, there’s a chance that he might be rotated out of the starting XI for the upcoming fixtures. The Sunderland game could serve as an example for Slot to make the changes that have been due for a long time now.
The Chiesa Debate
Federico Chiesa entered the game at the 86th minute and managed to make an impact in only 13 minutes. The Italian forward made a stunning goal-line clearance that prevented Sunderland’s winning goal. He saved the Reds from another humiliating loss in a short amount of time.
Many Liverpool fans have shown frustration over Slot’s selection when it comes to Chiesa. They have noticed that Chiesa barely gets starting minutes even after decent performances, while Cody Gakpo has been favoured again and again despite inconsistent performances.
To add to that, Slot’s post-match comments seemed to dismiss Chiesa’s clearance. The manager gave credit to the goalkeeper. The lack of praise for a move that saved the team from a loss seems rather problematic. This raised suspicions from the fanbase that Slot refuses to trust or appreciate Chiesa.
Author’s Insight
Arne Slot chose brutal honesty in his comments regarding the Dutch forward. His analysis of Cody Gakpo provided a rare moment of transparency to the Liverpool fanbase among a string of poor performances. Slot is now taking action by benching and subbing off the players who fail to make an impact, which could motivate the players to perform better and help Liverpool get out of the slump.
As featured on Walkon.com
