“He’s an easy target” – Liverpool fans told they are too harsh on this player

Cody Gakpo Response Highlights Liverpool Character Amid Criticism

Cody Gakpo’s name has echoed loudly around Anfield in recent weeks. As Liverpool have searched for rhythm under Arne Slot, frustration has often settled on the Dutch forward. Against West Ham, he offered a reminder of resilience, scoring his first Premier League goal since January 4 and nudging the conversation in a different direction.

It was not a thunderbolt. His effort deflected off Aaron Wan Bissaka and wrong footed Mads Hermansen. Yet in seasons shaped by fine margins, such moments matter. Liverpool required composure, and Gakpo delivered.

Jason McAteer Backs Liverpool Forward

Former Liverpool midfielder Jason McAteer has urged perspective. Speaking on The Official Liverpool Podcast, he expressed sympathy for the 26 year old.

“I’ve a slight sympathy for Cody, I think sometimes he can be unfairly criticised,” said the scouser.

“When it’s not going well I think he’s an easy target. He puts a right shift in and sometimes doesn’t get the credit he’s worthy of. He’s having quite a productive season, scoring goals.”

McAteer acknowledged the predictability in Gakpo’s approach but framed it within context.

“He is kind of predictable,” McAteer conceded. “He’s right-footed, he comes in off the left, the gap opens up and he takes that opportunity. He’s maybe not as productive as last season but he’s still contributing a lot this season in front of goal and he gets his reward.”

Those words capture the duality of Gakpo’s campaign. He cuts inside, searches for space, strikes. Defenders anticipate it, supporters expect more variation, yet the numbers still hold weight.

Photo: IMAGO

Work Rate and Mental Strength in Focus

Perhaps the most revealing part of McAteer’s assessment centred on character.

“He shows good character because he misses that really big glaring opportunity, fluffs his lines and then he gets booked two minutes after. It’s a really bad four or five minutes and you’re thinking please don’t take him off! And then he goes and gets his goal and makes way. I’m a Cody fan, I am. And he’s such a nice lad as well. A lovely human being, a great fella.”

That sequence against West Ham illustrated a forward wrestling with pressure. A missed chance, a booking, then redemption. In elite football, the response defines reputation.

Under Arne Slot, whose first season delivered a Premier League title in 2024-25, collective discipline has underpinned success. Individual dips are inevitable. Gakpo’s challenge has been consistency rather than commitment.

Numbers Suggest Contribution Remains Significant

Gakpo’s strike against West Ham was his 49th for Liverpool. One more will bring a half century. He has reached double figures in each of his two full seasons and sits two goals shy of repeating that feat.

These are not negligible statistics. They speak of contribution within a side navigating tactical evolution and injury disruption. Liverpool have lacked attacking fluency at times, and criticism has followed. Gakpo has often worn it.

Is he capable of more? Undoubtedly. Supporters recognise his technical ability, his balance and his intelligence in tight spaces. Yet football rarely permits extended reflection. Momentum must be seized.

Liverpool need Gakpo sharp in the final weeks. With limited alternatives on the left flank, Slot’s trust carries significance. Saturday’s goal may not silence every doubter, but it reasserts value.

In campaigns defined by scrutiny, composure becomes currency. Cody Gakpo, backed by Jason McAteer, has shown he still possesses it.