Liverpool have already brought in Roberto Firmino to replace Jurgen Klopp after a season with 20 goals
Roberto Firmino will be absent from Liverpool but the impressive performances of his successor will soften the shock of his departure in the coming seasons.
A magnificent one-on-one goal was the final dance of Roberto Firmino’s eight-year tenure at Liverpool. However, by the time the popular Brazilian leaves, his legacy at Anfield is already clear.
There’s no doubt Firmino is missed by almost everyone linked to the Reds. His contagious personality and footballing genius have made him one of the most popular Kop players of modern times. His contributions this season shouldn’t be overlooked either, as the 31-year-old has scored 13 goals and provided three assists in 35 appearances, equaling 0.94 goals per 90 minutes. However, as the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end and the 4-4 draw against relegated Southampton is the final curtain on Klopp’s mainstay. When Firmino was finally substituted in the 56th minute at St Mary’s to a standing ovation from Liverpool fans who had traveled with them, the introduction of Cody Gakpo from the bench in his place looked like a symbolic change of guard.
Of course, the former PSV Eindhoven player has been a Reds player for almost six months at this stage and has settled impressively into the ‘false nine’ role in Klopp’s line-up, which Firmino was the first to present. In many ways, the champions effectively handed the apprentice over to Gakpo in the second half, allowing Klopp to effectively stick to the same system.
It’s fair to say that in Liverpool against the Saints, the Dutchman once again demonstrated his qualities as Firmino’s successor, capping a diligent performance with a goal in the 72nd minute. What really pleased his manager was that his tenacity in the press after his introduction was unwavering – he had two wins in 90 minutes and more tackles than any other Reds player, seven.
He also created two chances after coming on and his ability to play his teammates with their backs to goal is also a reminder of the man he was set to replace. It was no coincidence that Liverpool looked to be the more dominant and dangerous side in the final 25 minutes of the game and it is safe to assume that they would have beaten Southampton had the team that finished the match had been named as the starting XI.
All in all, it was a great season for Gakpo on an individual level. His combined performance for PSV Eindhoven and Liverpool was an impressive 20 goals and 20 assists in 50 appearances. In just six months in the Premier League, his defensive work has also been remarkable – he has averaged 6.54 wins per 90 minutes, putting him in the top 12% of players in the entire league according to FootyStats. Much attention has, rightly, been paid to the influence of Trent Alexander-Arnold on the Reds’ fortunes since his transformation into an ‘inverted full-back’, but the strength of Gakpo’s contribution during an 11-match unbeaten run leading up to this campaign should not be overlooked. The 24-year-old forward’s predecessor, Firmino, was one of the first names on Klopp’s squad for most of his time at Anfield and Gakpo’s inclusion in the squad is fast becoming just as essential.
If the first 56 minutes of the South Coast fixture looked like a final exhaustion for ‘old Liverpool’, the rest of the proceedings certainly demonstrated the evolution that has taken place within the team over the last few months. Firmino will be a big miss for the Reds moving forward, but the future looks to be in good hands.
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It would be fair to say that the Dutchman once again demonstrated his credentials as Firmino’s successor at Liverpool against the Saints, capping off a zealous run-out with a 72nd-minute strike. What must have really pleased his manager is that his tenacity in the press was unshakable after he was introduced, making two balls