World Cup 2026

[threeps]

“Wc has been excellent so far. Some great ganes and goals. Played at a lot faster pace then i thought as its so hot at times”

The Netherlands surprised me. I didn’t watch them against Japan but kept hearing at least for thr first half that they were slow, boring, very much Dutch style, very much Slot style. Yesterday they were direct and quick and subsequently superb to watch.

Gakpo might be a “one trick pony” but he is very good at that one trick. He isn’t very good at making space himself but if the ball is moved fast enough it makes the space he needs which is what we saw with his second goal.

He might have had a very poor season but why is he blamed for it whilst others are afforded the “its Slots tactics” excuse?

The Dutch once had another “one trick pony” on the other flank. Arjen Robben. Everyone knew exactly what he would do but no one could stop him. His one trick wasn’t bad. Gakpo isn’t at that level at all but in our title season and under Klopp he was a very good player.

And he can cover the striker position. Not brilliant, but probably as good if not better than many other options other than spending 50m+ (which won’t happen).

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[sean the sailor]

Hes always frustrated me threeps. You could say man players were one trick ponies but just could not be stopped. Gakpo is not difficult to stop.

Most frustrating player since luis garcia for me. Cant dispute his stats in league winning season.

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[threeps]

I cannot remember too many people being frustrated with him before last season.

Gakpo all comps:
Season Games Goals Assists
22/23 26 7 2
23/24 53 16 6
24/25 49 18 6
25/26 46 9 5

TOTAL 174 50 19

For a wide attacker that aint bad. Not as good as Bowen for example, but he is the main attacker at West Ham, Liverpool’s attack was built around Salah.

Bowen all comps:
Season Games Goals Assists
22/23 54 13 8
23/24 44 20 11
24/25 36 14 9
25/26 40 10 12

TOTAL 174 57 40

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by threeps.
• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by threeps.
• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by threeps.

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[Adidas20]

Does seem like venom and angst three p’s on Gakpo. For me, most of the frustration stemmed from the selection of him by Arnie. He somehow was accommodated.

He served better in a Klopp 4-3-3. It’s possible over time, this is how the friction might have started with Luis Diaz.

Moving forward, there’s no hiding we need two new wide players, pacey, strong and with dribbling ability.

At best with Gakpo, I’m sure Iraola won’t be in a hurry to move him on, but in the same breath won’t stand in his way should a good offer come in.

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[sean the sailor]

Im talking about myself. He frustrates me.

As i said cant argue with his stats

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[Adidas20]

Interesting to see both the United States and Mexico on 100% with consecutive wins. Canada on 4 points from their 2 matches.

Out of the usual suspects, it’s Germany who saved their blushes last night overturning a 1 goal deficit.

Spain playing this evening.

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[notorious bingo]

3ps, I´ve never rated Gakpo as a starter, I´ve always found him too limited as a player as he can not reach the byline, he only got that one trick of cutting inside. I don´t like his work rate either or how he presses the ball. Last season he had the opportunity of a life time to prove himself, he gets the most minutes of any forward we have and basically forgets where the net is for half a season.

He can be a good player for a smaller club

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[threeps]

Just out of interest Bingo, what did you think of Diaz’s pressing when he was with us?

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[Adidas20]

The best I saw of Gakpo was against United at Anfield; possibly at the time of his first season with us. His strength is that of a utility striker on the left-hand side being able to cut in.

He was never in my eyes anything beyond. He obviously made an impression 4 years ago in the other World Cup.

I don’t think we’re helping ourselves slating him. Instead, what we should be focusing on is setting our sights on actual Wide men who will dribble, go to the By-line, find the keeper’s near post, cut the ball back, or put a cross in on a six pence.

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[notorious bingo]

Diaz is relentless in his pressing, I love watching him play, every time he gets the ball you feel something is about to happen

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[threeps]

| Metric (PL 2024/25) | Cody Gakpo | Luis Díaz |
| —————————— | ———: | ——–: |
| Games Played | 35 | 36 |
| Minutes Played | 1,934 | 2,399 |
| Goals | 10 | 13 |
| Assists | 4 | 5 |
| Tackles Won | 12 | 8 |
| Interceptions | 6 | 7 |
| Ball Recoveries | 73 | 79 |
| Aerial Wins | 21 | 24 |
| Tackles + Interceptions per 90 | 0.84 | 0.56 |
| Recoveries per 90 | 3.40 | 2.96 |

Slighty skewed by the fact Diaz played up front for a lot. Diaz looks like the better presser because he ran around a lot, but Gakpo is in fact better from a team press point of view. But also despite similar game numbers Diaz played a lot more minutes, almost 5 games worth.

(probable the table format will break in this forum, sorry!)

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[notorious bingo]

You can pull up any data you want it is not going to change my mind about Gakpo. He is simple too static.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by notorious bingo.

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[threeps]

Not interested in changing your mind Bingo, just informing you that regarding pressing you’re wrong.

Am I a Gakpo fan? Not really. But I don’t understand all the negatively he gets when others escape with the “it was Slot’s fault”.

Did he have a crap season? Yes. Was it worse than Gravenberch? MacAllister? Wirtz? Isak? Virgil? Konate? Kerkez? Or even Szoboszlai after the first dozen games or so? Or Ekitite who seems to easily impress with a few flicks.

He might be sold this summer, I won’t care too much if he is or isn’t. But people seem to forget very quickly that he was a pretty good player for us before Slot coached it out of him. The ignoring of Kerkez being the worst, but why didn’t one of the coaching team take him to one and side and tell him? Or actually do some coaching with that scenario in mind?

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[notorious bingo]

I don’t think I am wrong about the pressing, Diaz presses way more than Gakpo, Gakpo is just coasting through games.

This is the first forward I want out for over 20 years.

I even defended Origi when everyone wanted him gone.

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[Adidas20]

Very good point raised 3ps @ 3:04. Stats appreciated thank you.

Of course, criticism was valid on his performances and being chosen to start seemingly at every opportunity when for example Rio could have been selected.

Personally, I don’t wish to go beyond that to trash the guy. I do feel he’s been made a bit of an easy scapegoat. What I mean by that is that there were other circumstances such as injuries and players basically not consistently up to speed ala Isak and Ekitike. Mo was definitely not the player he was the season before. It was also convenient to lay the blame on Arnie.

I don’t completely want to close the door on Cody as I believe he can give us something as a squad player. I’m sure Iraola will leave the door open to allow everybody to show him what they can do and over time he will have in his own mind who he wants as part of his future plans and who he’ll let go of should an offer come in and I would suspect be working very closely with Richard Hughes and Edwards.

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[notorious bingo]

I don´t wanna bash him, I don´t think he is a bad player, I just feel like he is at the UEFA league level, instead of a Champions League player.

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[notorious bingo]

I´ve never been a fan of Gakpo, I even thought Nunez was better on the left than him, I think Diaz is twice the player Gakpo is. I was never a fan of playing Diaz as a false nine but it worked, cause he created so much space with his flair and work rate. He created every chance Gakpo got that season, he created the space that Gakpo could cut inside on his favored foot. Cause Diaz always drifted out wide to the left, meanwhile Gakpo sat in that pocket and waited for the space to open. Gakpo also hardly tracks back into his own half, he prefers to sit on the shoulder and the strange thing is that he is not capable of running at the defense from that position, he can hardly hold up the ball in that position as the only thing on his mind is that pocket of space where he can cut inside on his favored foot. Sweden should know how to deal with him like 97% of the league does.

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[Adidas20]

Lineker on ITV highlighted something brilliant that resonates well in what’s missing as an out n out Striker that he was and Harry Kane being that ilk of player as well as Erling Haaland.

If we can do everything possible to find that Isak we saw at Newcastle, with Ekitike once he returns from injury, they can gel as Strikers if they both play together.

This depends primarily on the Set-up Iraola proposes which from his Bournemouth days in most recent times has been attacking. We just need 2 Good Wingers left and Right to do all the things mentioned on here and contribute goals.

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[threeps]

Nil, you want Isak and Ekitike to play together as strikers?

How’s that going to work? Who is missing out?

Iraola is a 4231 guy.

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[Adidas20]

If he could be accommodated 3ps central just behind Isak, that would be grand playing off each other. I wonder if 4-3-3 would work better if Iraola was flexible.

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