Liverpool’s Forward Line Challenge: Gakpo and Díaz in the Limelight

Urgent Call for Impact

Well the Jota news wasn’t wholly unexpected. In the heart of a tumultuous season for Liverpool FC, the spotlight now intensifies on the shoulders of Cody Gakpo and Luis Díaz. With Diogo Jota sidelined and growing concerns over the fitness of Darwin Núñez and Mohamed Salah, the urgency for these two dynamic forwards to elevate their game is palpable. This piece delves into the critical role both players must play in Liverpool’s quest for silverware, supported by a detailed analysis of their current season statistics.

Liverpool’s Need for Gakpo and Díaz to Shine

Liverpool’s attacking prowess has always been a cornerstone of their success under Jürgen Klopp. However, the recent injury woes have left the Reds in a precarious position, making the contributions of Cody Gakpo and Luis Díaz more crucial than ever. The strength has often been like Saturday that Liverpool could look to the bench for contributions if the starters weren’t hitting their stride. The five forwards have been a real force, but we don’t have that now.

Season Contributions Overview

Cody Gakpo, since he arrived at Anfield in January 2023, has shown glimpses of brilliance. With a tally of 10 goals and 5 assists across all competitions this season, his impact is undeniable. Specifically, in the Premier League, the Dutchman has contributed 4 goals and 3 assists in 23 appearances. Meanwhile, in the EFL Cup, his prowess is highlighted with 4 goals and 1 assist in just 5 matches. That’s in different positions and his flexibility has often counted against him.

Luis Díaz, on the other hand, has navigated through the season with resilience. The Colombian winger has netted 9 goals and provided 5 assists in all competitions. His Premier League campaign has seen him score 5 goals and make 4 assists in 24 appearances. There have been periods where you’ve wondered about his overall contribution, but goals and assists have been a real part of his game in 2024. He’s got 2 goals and 3 assists in 4 league games since the turn of the year.

Analysing Goal Involvement

Analysing their contributions further, Gakpo’s goal involvement stands out for a player often used from the subs bench with an average of a goal or an assist every 117 minutes in all competitions. Díaz has the worst average of any of the five forwards with an average of a goal or assist every 157.6 minutes. However, there’s been a real upturn since the start of the year as mentioned, so let’s hope we see more performances like the recent ones against Chelsea, Burnley and Brentford.

Forwarding Liverpool’s Campaign

As Liverpool navigates through the remainder of the season, the performances of Cody Gakpo and Luis Díaz will be pivotal. If everyone was fit then Nunez and Jota who both have better goal contribution averages, would likely be starting more than often and the support role would have been crucial. Now though, we need these two to be crucial and help drive the charge going forward. We can only hope the news on Salah and Nunez isn’t too bad. But that’s exactly what Gakpo and Diaz can’t be just now.