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Since Cody Gakpo joined English Premier League side Liverpool in December 2022 for a reported fee of between €40 and €50 million (approximately £35.4 and £44.3 million), The Dutch international has played over 30 games of domestic football and seven times for the Netherlands at international level.
There has been much debate regarding which position he is better suited to on the pitch. Some people say he is better as a winger, whereas others say he is more of a natural striker. Let's dive in and take a closer look at Cody Gakpo's best position at Liverpool.
Where should Cody Gakpo play, as a Liverpool winger or striker?
During his time spent at PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Eredivisie (the top tier of men's professional football in the Netherlands), 24-year-old, right-footed footballer Cody Gakpo played as a left-winger and excelled in his role. His style of play worked perfectly for him and his team.In just 14 games, he scored 9 goals and registered 12 assists, meaning that only Manchester City's Erling Haaland had registered more goal contributions during the same period just before the start of the FIFA World Cup.
When playing for his country, he played more in a forward role. His heat map showed he played in a totally different position based on where and how he most often received the ball.
However, this particular style was also a perfect fit for him and his team, playing more in the middle alongside Memphis Depay as a traditional number 10 or second striker. In other words, he plays well in both positions, and it always seems to work, whether he is playing for his club or country.
It has been mentioned on major media outlets and sports broadcasting apps like Hungarian Unibet TV, the BBC, and various others that when he plays down the middle, he seems to be presented with more chances to go forward with the ball and either create chances or score goals.
Gakpo may have gotten off to a slow start at Liverpool, but after being moved around, it's clear that he can play well in any position he is needed. He can easily adapt to a new position and understands what is expected of him.
He is a great striker and also works well on the left as a winger. Some say that the price tag paid by Liverpool was an absolute steal and one of the best transfer deals in recent years. He feels as though he is more capable of being a striker, but he also enjoys playing on the left.
We are likely to see him remain more of a central striker, but he could also be used out on the wing as and when needed.
Where are Liverpool in the league?
Liverpool are currently in second place in the EPL, just 2 points below league leaders Arsenal, and 1 point above third-place and current reigning champions Manchester City.Let's take a quick look at the Premier League table as it stands today for the top five teams:
- Arsenal. Played: 14. Won: 10. Drawn: 3. Lost: 1. Goals For (scored): 29. Goals Against (conceded): 18. Points: 33
- Liverpool. Played: 14. Won: 9. Drawn: 4. Lost: 1. Goals For (scored): 32. Goals Against (conceded): 18. Points: 31
- Manchester City. Played: 9. Won: 10. Drawn: 3. Lost: 1. Goals For (scored): 36. Goals Against (conceded): 20. Points: 30
- Aston Villa. Played: 9. Won: 10. Drawn: 3. Lost: 2. Goals For (scored): 33. Goals Against (conceded): 13. Points: 29
- Tottenham. Played: 8. Won: 10. Drawn: 3. Lost: 3. Goals For (scored): 28. Goals Against (conceded): 8. Points: 27
