After the hard-fought victory against Nottingham Forest, a wave of calls to give Rio Ngumoha a starting spot erupted strongly. Not only Liverpool fans, but Jamie Carragher also spoke up. The 17-year-old player made a much greater influence than Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo during his short time on the field.
Ngumoha entered the field when Liverpool was deadlocked. The Kop controlled the ball a lot but lacked speed, lacked breakthroughs. In just 15 minutes, this young player continuously broke through, stretched the defense, forced the opponent to foul and created a clear sense of danger. The important thing is not only the specific plays, but also the energy and boldness he brought. This is what Liverpool lacked for most of the match.
Public opinion quickly focused on Gakpo as the main reason why Liverpool's left wing was ineffective. However, the problem is much more complicated. Under Arne Slot, Gakpo is still one of the most trusted options. He started 29/35 matches and is the striker with the most playing minutes in the team. This proves that the coaching staff sees his tactical value, although not always clearly seen by the audience.
The playing style of cutting in and then finishing is considered too predictable. In fact, Gakpo launched 40 shots from the left wing in the Premier League but did not score any goals from that area. The conversion rate of chances decreased sharply compared to last season. Those numbers are clear evidence of the effective decline of the Dutch striker.
But Gakpo is not without contributions to the team. He is in the group of players with the highest number of shots per 90 minutes in the team, only after Hugo Ekitike. He still actively moves, presses and receives the ball in dangerous positions. The problem lies in Gakpo's role of focusing on finishing rather than creativity, while Slot's system requires the right winger to both create breakthroughs and participate in organizing the play.
Compared to creative players like Leandro Trossard or Pedro Neto, Gakpo does not possess the same skill set. He is being placed in a role that is somewhat out of sync with his professional nature.
Meanwhile, Ngumoha brings what Liverpool has lacked since Luis Diaz left: directness, boldness and natural dribbling ability. He is ready to face defenders, instead of handling them safely. That is what has shaken the Forest defense.
However, giving a starting spot to a 17-year-old player is not simple. In the current system, the left winger is not only an wing attacker but also an important link in the passing structure and deployment of the game. Gakpo has difficulty in that role, and that pressure on Ngumoha will be even greater.
The question therefore is not only whether to let Ngumoha start, but whether Liverpool is willing to adjust the system to suit Ngumoha or not.
Liverpool is clearly lacking sharpness. The xG index dropping sharply every 90 minutes compared to last season reflects that. They control the ball well but lack lethality. In that context, a new breath of life can create a positive domino effect.
Slot was once criticized for changing too much in the summer. Now, he is facing the opposite risk - being too conservative with familiar choices. Ngumoha may not be perfect, but sometimes, what a team needs is not perfection, but explosion at the right time.
The problem is not just Gakpo or Ngumoha. The problem is whether Liverpool dares to take risks to regain their attacking identity or not.
