With his placement as a midfielder in the opening round of the season, a lot of questions were raised about Cody’s place at Liverpool.

 Liverpool played their first Premier League game of the new season last weekend, with the Merseyside Reds drawing 1-1 against Chelsea. Jürgen Klopp’s men got off to a smooth start in the clash but later in the game, his players seemed to have an overwhelming problem with ball control. 

Simply put, Liverpool was too frantic when they had the ball, with many players in the team tending to try to make risky passes that were difficult to succeed. Klopp is known as a manager who tends to press and attack constantly, and when looking at his current squad, he is in dire need of some players who sacrifice themselves for the team. 

Over the past few years, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Fabinho, Roberto Firmino, and a few others have taken on those roles, but all of those players have left Anfield this summer. The need for a simple yet effective player in a select play is perhaps the reason why The Reds have earned the signature of Wataru Endo, with the Japan captain known for his hard work and integrity, and diligence. One of Klopp’s more offensive decisions for Chelsea stemmed from his decision to use Cody Gakpo in a midfield three, even though the Dutchman is known for his ability to play as a center-forward or left-wing. The 24-year-old talent is very capable and hard-working, but he doesn’t have much experience as a player in this apparatus. 

Gakpo has the talent to show in that position in certain games, but he struggled to make an impact against Chelsea on Sunday afternoon. In fact, he played about 65 minutes but only made 10 passes, none of which was really dangerous. As a result, Liverpool struggled to gain control of the ball, with Alexander-Arnold also frequently dropping the ball in an attempt to create chances for his teammates. The England defender is an exceptional assister, but a staggering 45% of his passes find their way to the rival at Stamford Bridge.

 Before Liverpool’s next game against Bournemouth, Klopp must find a way to establish a level of control on the pitch, and Curtis Jones has the ability to do exactly that. The 22-year-old star started off the bench against Chelsea, but he made the difference after coming on.

Jones came on for Gakpo later in the second half, and after just 25 minutes on the field, he had completed five more passes than the man he had replaced. Indeed, since emerging as a standout midfielder earlier this year, the young England international has established himself as the type of midfielder who never loses the ball.