Free Friday & Liverpool FC News, Media and Transfer Roundup – 13th Jan 2023
Free Friday will cover our work across The Tomkins Times’ Substack network, with it running via an opt-in or opt-out newsletter on The Main Hub (where almost all of the community commenting takes place), but covering TTT’s four sub-Substacks, or spokes.
Also make sure you check out Daniel Zambartas’ media round-up, which will be added to best of TTT from the previous week.
Best Comment of the Week
A classic from Tony McKenna on Paul’s article about Darwin Núñez:
This article is deeply offensive. It flirts with the troika of football's worse taboos: detailed analysis; evidence based criteria for hypotheses; and containing such a plethora of common sense, it contravenes the Twitter template, that has become the biblical and populist way in terms of appreciating the game. What was the author thinking of? I doubt he has a future as a football writer, and is highly unlikely to publish any books. If, indeed, that is what he may be aspiring to.
Yes, just kidding, of course. But you see what I am getting at. Irrationality, emotionally driven opinion, and terrace talk happen to dominate the narrative. And you can't be wrong, if you don't know just how wrong you are. That's sad. Most football fans spend a lifetime not really knowing the game they claim to love. That said, I could have been one of those people. It wasn't until I joined TTT, over a decade ago now, when I really started to understand the game and business of football itself. Like all who live in the TTT parish, I am privileged to have access to information writ on a higher plain. We have an edge. In the kingdom of gonks, anyone who strives not to be a gonk, gets to be king.
I would just like to add a couple of comments, especially in relation to Antony. Maybe the Daily Mail is right, when they say "Jury Out," in relation to the Brazilian. But in a very unintentional way. Did they consider that United may have paid, (six times what Ajax invested only 2 years prior), well over the odds for the player? Not a question I raise myself, but one that had been asked, large scale, within the country Antony used to play in. And, for good measure, some doubt had been expressed by 2 legendary ex-Dutch players. I'll just leave this article link here, below, if anyone is minded to find out more.
Now, to an old memory. Anyone recall when Liverpool acquired Suarez, it was easier to score in the Dutch league? That theory translated well into practice, did it not? Although, yes, it is not unreasonable to have your "jury out", so to speak, whenever a player does make that transition from Dutch to English football. So, why doesn't it apply to Antony? The article link actually provides the stats for his Ajax career and they may surprise. Ask the question again: did United over pay for his services?
His failure to "track back" has already been an issue in the PL. Ten Haag apparently remonstrated with him during a game, prior to Christmas, on that very issue. Generally, he has an attitude. On the contrary, he will bask in the glory of goal celebration and attempt the odd superfluous, show boating display. That's a mix hardly predisposed for PL longevity, given the rigours and pace of the English game. And must one really film oneself driving your £330 k, car; particularly at a time when the football paying public is worrying about the cost of turning the heating on?
As for Sterling, well, he may have an attitude problem, albeit in a different way. "Fuming", was one of the words he used to describe his unwanted exit from City. He didn't like the way he had been treated. So, it's wrong for a club to forcibly sell a player against his wishes, but it's fine to ditch a club when the player wants to. Double standard life philosophy, perhaps. But, to be fair, he left Liverpool to "win things."
Pity then, that his current challenge is to keep his employer from dropping out of the top ten in the PL. It will be interesting to see how that one pans out. Has he got the mind set, attitude and application to play the game in such a different context? And, already, Paul has illustrated how the Daily Mail has ridiculously conflated his Liverpool and City stats, to gloss the brevity of the Chelsea stint.
I can do much the same, to my own advantage. If you subtract leap years and years we had bad summers, from the day I was born, then I'm probably still a very young man.
TTT Main Hub
Here’s the article mentioned above by Paul, Idiots Troll Darwin Núñez, Whose Numbers Are Elite (Free Read)
Apparently 10 non-penalty goals and four assists (and lots more chances created for others, and the woodwork hit several times with great efforts) before even half the league season has been played is justification for a MISS at “£64m (with add-ons)”, but a “£50m (with add-ons)” striker with zero league goals is merely a "JURY'S OUT", and an £85m wide attacker who literally creates nothing is also a "JURY'S OUT"?
In all competitions, Núñez has played the equivalent of just over 15 games for the Reds in terms of minutes played; and also made 15 starts. He has ten goals and four assists.
He blows away all the attacking players the Mail does not also rate as flops within the same piece.
Oh, but a pizza chain trolled Darwin, so hey, he must be shit, right? Ha fucking ha.
Meanwhile, Jürgen Klopp merely pointed out how it took Robert Lewandowski a poor first season (nine goals in 43 games) before he got going with the goals the next year; Núñez's first season at Liverpool has already seen him outscore Lewandowski's first season at Dortmund, with both at roughly the same age.
The narrative is strong on this one, just as with the “shit Andy Carroll” nonsense you hear each week, when Núñez needs just one goal to match Carroll’s entire output in a red shirt, with the Uruguayan (new to the league and costing less than Carroll in 2022 money) having shown a far better all-round game (as someone who runs the channels and crosses for others).
There was also another piece, at the end of last week, looking at Alexander-Arnold’s crossing, which was timely considering his assist in the FA Cup.
While low and near-post crosses are part of Trent Alexander-Arnold's forte, the whipped higher "aerial" delivery from open play – from deeper areas, but also closer to the byline – is his greatest weapon; perhaps only matched by the long diagonal from deep to the left-winger, as seen when Diogo Jota started regularly getting on the end of them.
But now, thinking about it, there's the perfect way to return Alexander-Arnold the playmaking right-back of old; and indeed, increase his importance. Cody Gakpo can change the entire attacking dynamic.
If you're crossing from the right, then often the most dangerous player is the left-sided attacker; he'll get the over-hit cross, the purposefully deep cross to overload (which has been used against Liverpool various times by Brentford), and also the flicked-away cross.
Two centre-backs may have to deal with the centre-forward, but then in can come the man at the back post who has the advantage of attacking the ball while the full-back is likely to be stationary "under" it.
If that attacking wide player is 6'4" and great in the air, as Gakpo is, then how many 6'0" right-backs are there, let alone ones the size of Virgil van Dijk? (While Gakpo’s height is listed as between 6’2” and 6’4” in different places, I’m going with 6’4” for now; albeit 6’3” may be a nice compromise.)
In addition, if Núñez pulls to the back post too, as was the style he was developing at Benfica when he began adding headed goals to his game in 2021/22, then a total overload is possible.
If Núñez goes near-post, it creates the space for Gakpo. If Núñez goes beyond the near post, then Gakpo can be in the centre of the goal. The beauty of Gakpo, either in these situations or in passing passages, is that he's comfortable in the middle.
These need not be crosses from the byline; deep and with whip will suffice – just with the margin for error of a bigger far-post attacker being able to get on anything hit a bit higher than intended.
There was also the post-match analysis after the Wolves draw, with 120 comments included for those who subscribe as TTTers dissect the performance.
Dynasty
Chris’ weekly article took a look back at arguably one of the most important titles the club has ever won - and that is Shankly’s first ever league title with Liverpool.
Liverpool were characterised as a machine, remorselessly grinding out victories. 26 times? And the team scored 92 in 42 games, and 60 in 21 home games, scoring six three times, five twice and three seven times.
But as ‘Red Men’ by John Williams put it:
“Shankly had no desire at all to produce a glamorous team, of course. This was not his way, and football was too important to be showy. Anyway, Manchester United along the East Lancs Road were already dominating in the razzle-dazzle stakes.”
Plus ca change ...
Squad for the 1963/4 season, with notable league appearances in brackets:
Lawrence (40) Moran Yeats Melia Byrne Milne (42) Stevenson Callaghan (42) Thompson (42) Hunt (41) St.John (40) Lawler Arrowsmith Ferns A’Court Wallace B Thomson Furnell.
Leading goal scorers:
Hunt 31
St.John 21 (same figures as Suarez and Sturridge in 13/14)
Arrowsmith 15 (in 20 appearances)
Average home league attendance - 45, 031.
The Zen Den
With plenty of talk about the make up of our current squad, Paul suggests we might only need two players and how we can get the average age of the squad down.
Few clubs aim to have transitional seasons, but one thing they almost extrude is an established youth graduate or two; they just don't get put into teams going for the biggest honours if everyone is fit.
Filtering out the most inexperienced from the 25, I can get it down to 18 'senior' players with an average age of 25.5; in part as I think Stefan Bajcetic will play a big role in the second half of the season, especially if no new midfielder can be signed this month.
Transfer Hub
Mizgan took a look at a midfielder we have hardly seen since his arrival on loan, and what he might be able offer if he returns to full fitness.
Since his move to Juventus from Barcelona in 2020, Arthur has not been a regular starter for the Old Lady. In the two seasons there, the Brazil international played a total of 3247 minutes (averaging 1623 minutes per season). It is not as if he had long-term injuries hindering his availability. In two years there, he missed a total of 22 games due to short-term injuries.
It was just the managers at Juve did not fancy playing him.
It is not all doom and gloom though (hopefully), let's have a look at what Arthur’s numbers in recent seasons tell us about his game and what he can bring to Liverpool.
News, Media & Transfer Round-Up: 13th January
Klopp on Wolves performance
https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/jurgen-klopps-verdict-liverpool-2-2-wolves
“[It was a] good start in the game, dominant, played well, tried to create, had half-chances, good moments. Twenty, 25 minutes around about – I don't know exactly when they scored – before they scored they had maybe one counter-attack and then they had this scrappy situation where it was not 100 per cent clear around the goal. We win the ball there and then Ali kicks the ball in their feet and then we are 1-0 down.
“You could see the impact on the game; they got more confident. We played kind of OK, not really convincing that you thought, 'OK, it will happen immediately.' The goal we scored was outstanding, outstanding, and we had a few really good balls we played, a few good situations where we played in their formation. But for the whole game I thought we didn't win enough challenges, to be honest.
“There are a lot of situations where I thought they win a challenge and all of sudden we are completely open; we had two or three players in the challenge moving to the ball and when you are there, fine, you have to win the ball. If you don't do that and they can get out then it looks like, 'Where are they?'
“So, they constantly stayed in the game because of that, but we anyway went 2-1 up. It was not an open game, but nothing really happened a lot, but we still kept not winning these challenges, like around the second goal when I think we were in possession and had the ball, gave the ball away and then they go in our box without a real challenge. That's difficult. The ball comes in and it's difficult. It was unlucky, Ibou is there but it hits Hwang and then the ball rolls over the line. Unlucky, 2-2 and that was the result.
(On the replay with Wolves and whether he is 'thankful' for it): “No, no – I know where I am coming from, but the situation is that we could still play extra-time, or [a] penalty shootout, and the game is decided tonight. So, we deserved not more than a draw tonight and whatever the consequences are, in this case it's now an extra game, so that's fine.
“I have no problem with that... somebody told me that they will be decided about, or whatever, that somebody will talk about it if they scrap it... there was a discussion, I didn't start the discussion, I got a question and the question I don’t think we should have them, but I knew we still have them. It was clear that we have now to go to Wolves; Wolves [are] probably in this moment more happy about it than we are, but until then we will be happy enough to give it a go.
(On whether he is ‘concerned’ by his team's defending in general): “Not in general, but in moments, it's not concerning... look, you watch a game and then you see the things that happen. Whatever you play, high-line, deeper-line, ball-orientated, man-orientated – you have to win challenges. There is no alternative to [that]. So, yeah. I mentioned already now in the dressing room and I will mention it again and the next team we face is Brighton, who are meanwhile famous for playing proper football. If you don't defend properly there, then why should we go there?
“I can understand, it looks open in moments, but it is just open because we think we win the challenge and then we don’t win it and that's then really tricky to deal with in the end. It's not that they had now chance after chance, what it causes us is a lot of effort to put it right in the end and if you are already there, so you could win it where you are, then you don't have to run back and try to solve the problems there.”
Gakpo on LFC debut
https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/cody-gakpo-ill-keep-working-and-try-help-team-much-i-can
"For my own game, I think I showed some good moments and some sloppy moments.
"So, I can also still improve on those points and keep working and try to help the team as much as I can. Of course you learn the most when you're playing games, so I'm looking forward [to more]."
"I think we played in phases really good football but in the end we didn't score enough, so that's a pity. But I think we showed what we could do, but we can still improve on some points and let's work on that. I think we showed real team spirit at moments, so that's good.
"I think we have to go there [Molineux] with great determination and just go for the win."
Klopp praises Gakpo for joining Liverpool despite top-four struggle (The Guardian)
“Jürgen Klopp believes it is a mark of Cody Gakpo’s character and commitment that he joined Liverpool while Champions League qualification is uncertain, describing the new signing as someone “who doesn’t want to jump on a running train, he wants to push the train”.
“There were easier moments to join Liverpool,” said the manager, who confirmed Van Dijk would be out for at least a month with the hamstring injury sustained at Brentford on Monday.
“Last year [in January] we were not qualified for the Champions League already but it looked like that would happen. This year we cannot guarantee that, but Cody never asked. From time to time players ask: ‘Do you think you can make the Champions League?’ But he can read the table himself so he knew it would be a tight decision.
“What I like about this is that he is obviously a guy who doesn’t want to jump on a running train, he wants to push the train. I like that a lot. Good for him because it always helps in life if you are a little bit like that.
“You know Liverpool is a massive club and what we can give to players is the size of the club, but also the feeling inside that we are really close together. We describe it internally as a family and it’s exactly like that. We sing birthday songs for everybody, everybody gets flowers at the right moment, we don’t forget the personal thing and that is what Virgil probably told him.
“We could be more successful on the pitch at the moment, yes, definitely, but everyone knows we fight with all we have for getting there again and we will get there. It’s always tough in these moments and I really like the fact he decided pretty quickly: ‘That’s the right club for me.’ It speaks volumes about him.”
Jonathan Northcroft on Wolves performance in The Times
“Wolves deserved victory, despite Lopetegui making nine changes and fielding young, inexperienced players like Gomes, Dexter Lembikisa and industrious Joe Hodge. Liverpool, despite a brilliant Darwin Núñez goal and some elegant flashes from debutant Cody Gakpo, were fortunate.
“They were almost at full-strength, but this was not the bounce-back performance Anfield expected following Monday’s messy league defeat at Brentford. In fact it was another mess, with Jürgen Klopp’s midfield stretched and often a beat too slow, and Wolves finding plenty of gaps to counter-attack through.
“With a more experienced XI, and an in-form striker, Wolves might have seen Liverpool off before half-time, as the counter-attacks and chances kept coming, but then, as if their raggedness had been a trick, Liverpool scored a goal that was pure footballing caviar.
“What was better? Alexander-Arnold’s cross or Núñez’s finish? You took your pick, depending on taste. Núñez started the move by winning a header near the halfway line then, as play switched to Alexander-Arnold, streaked off with his long, swift stride to eat up 40 yards in a trice and get into the box. On the run, and despite the ball bobbling, Alexander-Arnold speared a cross of impossible quality right into his path.
“Núñez met it without breaking stride to caress a volley past Matija Sarkic and charged up the line, sticking his tongue out and wheeling his arms. At last, a subdued Anfield was roused and when Liverpool scored again just after half-time it seemed they would ride the momentum and win. It spoke of their issues that they could not.
“Lopetegui showed his coaching craft with a clever clutch of substitutions, in the 63rd minute sending on Hwang for Ruben Neves, Nunes for Guedes and Matheus Cunha for Jiménez.
“Wolves had fresh energy and an extra attacker and three minutes later, after Konaté’s weak clearance, Nathan Collins found Hwang who slipped a pass to Cunha and attacked the near post. Cunha centred, the ball struck a sliding Konaté, then hit Hwang and squirmed past Alisson. The equaliser – and a replay – was the least that Wolves deserved.”
Paul Joyce says “Jürgen Klopp’s sermons are falling flat at Liverpool”- Article in The Times
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/juergen-klopps-sermons-are-falling-flat-at-liverpool-0hn28g8bh
“Liverpool attempted 19 tackles, winning 14, with Thiago Alcântara successful in five of his six. Of his starting midfield partners, Fabinho won the one tackle he made. Jordan Henderson did not make any.
“Yet it was the team’s success in duels — which can be any sort of challenge, whereas a tackle can only be made on a player who has clear possession of the ball — which brought one of their lowest tallies of the season, with 35 won from 81 attempts (43.2 per cent).
“More alarming is that Liverpool’s general duel success rate in the Premier League only this season is the worst in the top flight — 47.5 per cent. Consider that after last Monday’s 3-1 defeat by Brentford, they boasted the worst shot-conversion rate in the league and were the third worst for giving up “big chances”, and the problems run throughout the team.
“There was a time when Klopp rarely had to admonish his players. Not long after taking over in October 2015, he noticed that there was a need to create a mentality to combat physical opponents. Still, the memory of him blowing a gasket after a 2-0 defeat at West Ham United in January 2016 stood as a rare illustration of him reading the riot act as he railed against the “passivity” they had shown.
“Even then, Klopp could console himself with the fact that he had the players to rouse themselves from a bad day at the office. Henderson was seven years younger. He had Adam Lallana able to run himself to a standstill, eager to press and counterpress.
“Now, he doesn’t have that energy and, in recent times, the sermons have been numerous: half-time at Fulham on the opening day of the campaign, half-time during the loss to Manchester United, during and after the defeats by Napoli, Nottingham Forest and Brentford and now Wolves. The record is stuck.
“It is not the case that the players have stopped listening to him but, rather, they are unable to do what he wants. That is worse, screaming of a team in transition or decline. Klopp had selected his strongest side in the hope of mustering renewed momentum but, against a Wolves team containing nine changes, it was the flaws which came to the fore.
Neil Atkinson on Liverpool’s problems this season
(This is from an email sent to TAW subscribers, so here’s a link to subscribe to TAW): https://www.theanfieldwrap.com/taw_subscribe.php
“Doing this job, outside of the games and their immediate aftermaths themselves, the idea isn't to like or dislike something, it is to ask why. Why have the very smart people who manage and buy players for Liverpool have made the decisions they have made?
“You've got to be careful when you are talking about links. Liverpool have, for four transfer windows now, been linked to a lot of midfielders but crucially a lot of different types of midfielders.
“When writing about the midfield question repeatedly in the summer, I came back to the number of games players were available for last season to understand why Liverpool were reluctant to move, but also came back to the fact that they only had one midfielder you'd call an attacking one without qualification and that was Elliott.
“If Liverpool were looking to shift shape or approach another would have helped, and there is an argument we'd want that players to be more senior than Elliott. It wasn't clear that Liverpool did want to shift or change. They had nearly won a quadruple without an attacking midfielder, although it could be argued at times that Naby Keita was like the 1 in a 4-2-1-3.
“From 2018 to the summer period of 2022, sides tended to defend very deep and try to reduce the damage against Liverpool and Manchester City, limit the engagement and look to counter in bursts. That seemed to be a direction of travel and there was no reason to presume it would change particularly. Prior to the season, when watching pre-season training, I remarked that in lots of ways this sort of training was as intense as it gets for Liverpool as so few sides engage them.
“If we look at the games Liverpool played at the back end of 2022, while some were competitive, there were far more of sides sitting off The Reds both home and away than having a plan to get at them. That even includes a home game against Tottenham Hotspur.
“In essence Liverpool, from, say the summer of 2020, through the summers of 2021 and 2022 may well have been planning and thinking for games which were primarily defence versus attack where they were constantly being asked to break down low blocks of increasingly passive opponents.
“What has happened is that sides have looked at Liverpool and Manchester City, looked at two sides amassing over 90 points and decided that the best thing to do isn't to sit back and be passive because look at the results and have, instead, decided to have a go at them and it has provoked fragility, fragility that their analysts may have been able to anticipate.
“While we are obsessed with Liverpool, Manchester City have now dropped points in their last two home league games and in the one before that it took a last minute penalty to see off the challenge of Fulham.”
Tyler Morton signs new contract
From LFC website: “The 20-year-old committed his future to his boyhood club on Wednesday by putting pen to paper on the deal at the AXA Training Centre.
“Morton, a product of the Kirkby Academy set-up, enjoyed a breakthrough campaign at senior level for the Reds in 2021-22, during which he made nine appearances – including starts in the Premier League and Champions League.
“His development is continuing with a season-long loan in the Championship with Blackburn Rovers, where he's featured in 28 fixtures in all competitions so far this term.
Morton said: “I'm absolutely buzzing. The little dream is coming true, so I couldn't be happier. I've known for a little while and it's been ongoing, and I couldn't wait to get it over the line because this is the place I want to be and this is the club I want to be at. I'm absolutely buzzing and I can't wait for the future.
“[I was not expecting it]. I've obviously worked hard in recent years to get this contract, but you can never expect anything, and you've got to expect the unexpected. Now that it's come, it's a big weight off my shoulders and now I can enjoy my footy and continue doing what I love doing – playing. I'm absolutely buzzing, as I said, and I can't wait for the future.
“I've been extremely proud of myself for how I've handled the loan so far. Hopefully I carry that on and take it into the next half of the season. I feel like I'm progressing every day and learning new things on and off the pitch. It's a lovely environment to learn and turn myself into a professional – and I think I'm doing that quite well. Hopefully it sets me up for what's to come in the future.
“I think physicality is the main one [improvement] for me. I think I've been questioned on that in recent years because of my stature and stuff like that. But I think I've coped with it extremely well. I needed that to go out and enjoy my footy – get smashed about and just enjoy the rough side of the game. I've done that and I've coped with it very well. Now I'm maturing as a footballer and I'm going to look to carry on progressing.
“It [being out on loan] brings a lot of pressure on you but I've said this many times before, I enjoy the pressure and I think I take that in my stride and thrive off it. I've really enjoyed it and enjoyed being pressured and playing most games. It's a lovely thing when it all goes well and it's tough when it doesn't go well.
“But that's why I'm out on loan, that's why I'm learning – to come back here and fight for whatever I can get. I feel like it's a completely different environment but I needed it and I'm so happy that Liverpool have allowed me to go out and really enjoy my footy.
“I think it's introduced a real hunger to play and, especially going to Blackburn, just having that feeling of getting three points and fighting for draws and so on. It's really good and what I needed. It just makes me really hungry to come back here whenever I come back and really fight and show the qualities I've not only got but what I've learned away from this club.
“He [Klopp] was very good with me. Before I went, him, Pep and Vitor all spoke to me quite a lot. Obviously I had options where to go and they were just giving me advice and helping me throughout. I think they handled the situation very well and I also handled the situation very well. They just allow me to go out there and enjoy my footy and just play as many games as I can.
“Obviously I've got things in my game that I need to improve – and I know that – and I've got a long way to go to be anywhere near the first team at this football club. I'm still young, I'm still fighting for a place in the first team. For them to put the trust in me to go out and enjoy my footy and not really give me many instructions just to make sure I'm enjoying it and improving day in, day out, I'm really happy and I couldn't be more glad where I am.
“We've got a group chat for the loanee lads and they keep us updated and they text us good luck and if you're doing well you get praise. It's really nice that they keep in touch with us. I think it's what you need as well. You also need to still feel like, even though you're away from the club, this is home – because it is home to us and especially to me. I really do feel it, even though I'm not at this club. That's a really nice feeling and it gives you a lot of reassurance. I'm really happy with that.”
Interview with Liverpool youngster Melkamu Frauendorf
https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/melkamu-frauendorf-i-need-work-hard-possible-keep-learning
On his recent inclusion on the winter training camp in Dubai: “It was amazing. That was the second time I had been away with the first team and to go out to Dubai was a great experience for me again. Having the opportunity to train with the first-team players and to spend some time with them helped me to learn even more and I could then try to improve different parts of my game. All the staff and players helped me in that and I enjoyed the trip and being in the first-team environment a lot.
On his Carabao Cup start against Derby County in November: “It was an amazing feeling. It was my first time starting and I still had the same feeling as I did the first time I played [as a substitute v Shrewsbury Town in January 2022]. It was just amazing to play at Anfield in front of all the fans.
On lining up alongside a number of other youngsters that night: “Yes, that made it a really special night for all of us. It is a great competition for younger players to play in and there were so many young players involved that day which shows you how much the manager trusts the Academy. The whole night was just really amazing for us, especially getting the win in the penalty shootout too.
On seeing Stefan Bajcetic score his first senior goal against Aston Villa on Boxing Day: “Without doubt, it was amazing! I watched the game, and I was happy when I saw Stefan coming on to play the last few minutes. Then I saw him break into the box, take a touch and shoot. When he scored, I was really, really happy for him. He’s a really good player who works hard, so he deserved it.
“Again, that shows how much the manager trusts our young players and wants them to play and do well. For the other young players, it also shows us that we can make it as well and that if you keep working hard and improving, those chances will come. A Premier League appearance is definitely a big target for me and something that I want to keep working hard towards.
On his development at Liverpool so far: “I am happy with my progress. The style of play is good for me and it is working well, so I am just trying to improve myself every day and aiming to keep getting better. If I can do that then hopefully I will have more chances with the first team. I’m really happy at this club. I like the people and I like training here, so I really enjoy playing at Liverpool.”
Odd quote from former PSV manager Aad de Mos:
“Former PSV boss Aad de Mos has told Soccernews.nl of Gakpo’s decision to leave Eindhoven for England: “He arrives at a time when the team is disappointing a bit. The spirit is completely gone and they are not among the best teams at the moment, just like Chelsea. Liverpool are trying to get back on track at the moment and it’s not a time for young players coming in, so I don’t know if the time is right to go to Liverpool now. Also, maybe Jurgen Klopp is leaving soon. But Liverpool got him quite cheap because PSV is in a need right now to stay out of red numbers.”
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