for a rotten reason. he's better qhen we don't have the ball? rank reason to have him in there. fitmino was in for passing, tricks, interplay and skills not for pressing along. gakpo is a non entity in attacking terms really. we've got one really really good player in this sumer. one just good player and one journeyman most of all we just look very poorly drilled. it's neither one thing nor the other. they've scrapped hard here same as start of last season, that's great. but they are not at the races really. newcastle should have put this beyond us but really really were poor v 10 men. they were better v 11.
The problem is, Bobby in his best season scored 27 goals for us in 2017-18. Even when he wasn’t scoring those numbers his contributions in the role made up for it for the next couple of years. Unfortunately at this moment in time, and yes it’s early, it doesn’t look like Gapko can do the contributions if he’s not scoring.
To be fair to gakpo. He came in January. Played left wing. Then played centrally. Then has played midfield. Then first time he played cf today, all this in a team that’s not been playing well and not even in a settled forward line.
he's not good enough. I don't hate anyone. he needs space and in tight fame gains getter teams he vanishes. he needs to actually deliver goals.
I think Nunez in there with Diaz and Salah either side see's them get on top of each other. Maybe it'll enable them to interchange though
all that said he's still not that good. he's not delivering in that position. yes the **** behind and lack of shape helps nobody but he must do his bit. not look flat footed and not holding vall up anywhere
maybe so but only by selecting poor runs. mane would be 10 in our attacks but firmino would get out of his way. it's more about understanding. nunez has a bad habit of running well ouside the lines of the 6 yard box where he can't score.
This might sound ludicrous and you can all laugh but we could play 4 4 2 and play Nunéz in the Rush cf role with Salah in the Beardsley role?
Hes clewrly s good player. Don’t score all those goals in Holland and at the wc and move to liverpool if not half decent. Just taking time and needs an actual role to nail down in this team. The teams evolving and gakpo and Nunez need to establish a role in the team and style. Much like Elliott (who was brilliant when he came on today btw)
Nunez was brilliant in his second season in Portugal so maybe he should start at CF until Salah goes.
