Most of our forwards do not receive the ball in space, and most of them can´t do anything explosive without space.
The first part is partially just the nature of things, and partially that we are fucking cowardly and slow to release the ball because when we fucked up that pass in the first third of this season we were immediately destroyed.
The second part is that our wingers aren´t fast enough to exploit space, and aren´t technically gifted enough on the dribble to make do with less space.
I don´t think Gakpo is any worse then, than any other year. But he´ll look worse. Like many players.
It´s also though, that that isn´t good enough. Try to find a way to impact the game anyway and we´ll get some confidence. Don´t be a poorly performing little robot. That is where Gakpo simply doesn´t show initiative.
Salah has annoyed the shit out of me this season, but there is a way where you can see he´s trying to just do shit, he´s just endlessly failing and then shrugging his shoulders when everyone inevitably has to turn and sprint toward our goal. Gakpo is the opposite. What an interesting variety of mediocrity.