9 months ago
123 Pundit Jamie Carragher believes Cody Gakpo just wasn’t offering enough for Liverpool against Chelsea.
Sunday was an incredible day for Liverpool.
Without a raft of first-team players due to injury, Liverpool ended the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea with a host of youngsters on the pitch.
Liverpool dug deep and managed to get over the line with Virgil van Dijk heading the winner late in extra time.
The first piece of silverware of Jurgen Klopp’s farewell tour, the emotional rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone in front of the Liverpool fans, the battling nature of the Reds youngsters… this was an enthralling day for Liverpool.
Jamie Carragher questions Cody Gakpo
There were so many heroic performances for Liverpool but Jamie Carragher seemingly wasn’t sure about one player.
Forward Cody Gakpo didn’t really have his best game as the spearhead of Liverpool’s attack.
No Darwin Nunez, no Diogo Jota, no Mohamed Salah; Gakpo needed to step up and take his chance.
Gakpo managed just 21 touches of the ball in 86 minutes, mustering two shots and three key passes.
Gakpo did hit the post and has been prolific in the Carabao Cup this season and Liverpool wouldn’t have been in the final without him.
The 24-year-old didn’t really seize his opportunity to shine on Sunday though and one moment left Carragher frustrated.
The ball was played into Gakpo and when he needed to hold up possession, the ball bounced away from him and Chelsea regained possession.
Carragher was clearly expecting more from Gakpo and suggested that he had to ‘do more’ for the Liverpool cause with so many young players around him.
“He’s got to do more, Gakpo, he’s one of the senior men out there for Liverpool,” said Carragher (Sky Sports, 25/02, 84 mins).
Gakpo was substituted just about 90 seconds later, with 18-year-old Jayden Danns thrown on in his place.
That sums up Gakpo’s time at the club so far; just a little underwhelming.
The Dutchman dazzled at the World Cup in 2022 but has yet to really prove that he can be a star man in Liverpool’s attack for years to come.
Carragher is right; Gakpo needed to offer more on Sunday and needs to offer more going forward – or Liverpool will invest in other forwards in the near future.
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