Carragher was ’embarrassed’ by Liverpool’s £40m deal but now he is their most important asset

Liverpool ended a three-game dropping streak in all competitions by selecting up all three factors towards West Ham United on the London Stadium within the Premier League on Sunday.

Arn Slott’s aspect had misplaced their final two video games within the prime flight, 3-0 to Nottingham Forest and 3-0 to Manchester Metropolis, so it was very important they bounced again with a win towards the Hammers.

Alexander Isak scored his first league objective for the Reds following his £125m transfer from Newcastle United in the summertime, and did in order a part of an assault that regarded very completely different after some spectacular changes by the top coach.

Liverpool’s key tactical tweaks towards West Ham

As a substitute of utilizing Curtis Jones or Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back, Slott opted to make use of Joe Gomez, a pure defender, in his again 4, a tactical resolution that paid off massive.

In response to Sofascore, the previous England worldwide did not get dribbled previous as soon as on the pitch for 90 minutes, and Szoboszlai, who was in a position to play increased up the sphere, did an excellent job of handing the ball over to him and assisted the second objective with an excellent cross.

Slott additionally performed Florian Wirths, who was dropped to the bench towards PSV, within the quantity 10 function, with the German worldwide finishing 93% of his cross makes an attempt with a show of management and metronome within the heart of the park.

Days after Alan Pardew recommended the Egyptian worldwide regarded “defeated”, the Liverpool supervisor additionally made the daring resolution to take away Mohamed Salah from the beginning XI and play Szoboszlai at huge proper.

Nonetheless, in Salah’s absence, Reds ahead Kodi Gakpo confirmed with some spectacular performances that he’s the supervisor’s most essential participant this season.

Liverpool’s most essential participant

His £40m signing from PSV in March final 12 months was criticized by former Liverpool defender and pundit Jamie Carragher, who claimed the Dutchman was “taking part in video games like they’re in sluggish movement”.

Consider it or not, this isn’t the primary time the previous centre-back has criticized the Dutch participant.

Certainly, Carragher wrote shortly after his signing that he was “perplexed to see Gakpo’s early performances”, and additional said that “Gakpo will not be a typical Klopp signing, missing lightning pace and the flexibility to steer a excessive press”.

There is a listlessness to the best way Gakpo performs as a winger for Liverpool, however that is not inherently a foul factor, as his outcomes this season have proven that it isn’t as a consequence of a real lack of effort.

The Dutch worldwide added a objective and an help in a 2-0 win over West Ham, establishing Isak’s opener earlier than sealing the win with a late end.

With Salah sidelined, Gakpo was the best participant in entrance of objective and as soon as once more confirmed that he’s essentially the most clutch participant on this season’s Premier League staff.

In response to WhoScored, Salah was the participant Liverpool turned to after they wanted a objective final season, ending the season with an unbelievable 29 objectives and 18 assists.

As you’ll be able to see from the desk above, Gakpo has been the dependable slot participant within the Prime League thus far this season, main in virtually each essential offensive metric.

These statistics present simply how essential the Dutchman has been for the Reds this season. That is as a result of he’s the staff’s essential participant on the prime finish of the pitch, each by way of objectives and creativity, and he was on full show on Sunday with a objective and an help.

Till Salah is again to his Premier League finest, which he in all probability will probably be inside the subsequent few weeks, Gakpo needs to be thought of the staff’s simplest participant primarily based on his efficiency up to now.