Cody Gakpo has said something that I think Liverpool supporters will really appreciate.
He hasn’t tried to hide from the criticism he received last season.
He hasn’t blamed the manager.
He hasn’t blamed his teammates.
He hasn’t complained about being played in different positions.
Instead, Gakpo has looked at his own performances and admitted something pretty simple:
He knows he could have done much better.
Speaking to Paul Joyce, Gakpo was asked about the criticism he received last season and whether he thought it was unfair.
His response was incredibly honest.
“I don’t know, because if you are at a big club like Liverpool, you need to perform. I don’t want to speak about somebody else or other players but, me, I know I could do much better than I did last year.”
I actually really respect that.
Gakpo Knows The Liverpool Standard
There is no hiding from the expectations at Liverpool.
When you play for this football club, you’re expected to perform.
You’re expected to win.
You’re expected to compete for trophies.
And you’re expected to produce when the pressure is on.
Gakpo understands that.
He went on to say:
“Maybe it was. But I get it from one point because at Liverpool, you need to win, you need to perform, you need to show that you are one of the best clubs in the world.”
That’s a powerful admission from a Liverpool player.
He’s effectively saying that criticism comes with the territory.
And perhaps he’s right.
He Included Himself In Liverpool’s Failure
The final part of Gakpo’s answer is probably the bit I like most.
“We didn’t do that last year – me included.”
There was no attempt to distance himself from the team’s struggles.
Me included.
That tells you a lot about his mentality.
Liverpool had a difficult season.
There were problems throughout the team.
The performances weren’t consistently good enough.
And Gakpo knows that he was part of it.
He could have easily said that he personally performed well but the team around him didn’t.
He didn’t.
He took responsibility.
And That’s What Makes His Current Form So Interesting
Because now we’re seeing a different Cody Gakpo.
I’ve been saying for a while that I think Gakpo has become one of Liverpool’s most important attacking players.
He’s playing with confidence.
He’s looking more aggressive.
He’s taking players on.
He’s getting into dangerous positions.
And there seems to be much more belief in his game.
That makes these comments even more interesting.
Because perhaps the criticism genuinely did affect him.
Or perhaps it simply made him realise that he needed to raise his level.
Either way, he’s responding in exactly the way you would want a Liverpool player to respond.
Gakpo Didn’t Make Excuses
This is what separates these comments from the usual footballer interview.
We’ve all heard players explain why things haven’t gone well.
The manager didn’t use them correctly.
The system didn’t suit them.
They were carrying an injury.
They weren’t given enough minutes.
They were playing out of position.
There can be genuine reasons for poor form.
But Gakpo hasn’t gone down that road.
He has basically said:
I wasn’t good enough. I know I can do better.
That’s refreshing.
And now he’s got the opportunity to prove it.
Iraola Seems To Have Helped
The timing is particularly interesting because Gakpo’s comments come during a period when his Liverpool career appears to have taken another turn.
Recent reporting has suggested that Gakpo had considered whether he needed a new challenge before Liverpool blocked interest from Manchester City, but that he has subsequently found greater clarity under Iraola.
Whatever was happening behind the scenes, the player we’re seeing now looks much more settled.
And that’s brilliant news for Liverpool.
Because there is a seriously good footballer in Cody Gakpo.
We’ve seen it before.
We’ve seen the goals.
We’ve seen the technique.
We’ve seen his ability to play across the front three.
We’ve seen him produce important moments.
The challenge has always been doing it consistently.
I Think Liverpool Are Getting The Best Out Of Him Now
For me, Gakpo looks like someone who has something to prove.
And that’s exactly what I want.
He’s not playing like somebody who is satisfied with what he’s achieved.
He’s playing like somebody who knows there is another level.
Liverpool need players like that.
Especially with Iraola trying to build his own team.
There are no guarantees for anybody.
Everyone has to perform.
And Gakpo seems to understand that better than most.
Last Season Doesn’t Define Him
This is the other thing I’d say.
Just because Gakpo admits he wasn’t good enough last season doesn’t mean he’s suddenly a bad player.
Football doesn’t work like that.
Players have good seasons and bad seasons.
They lose confidence.
They struggle for consistency.
Sometimes things simply don’t click.
What matters is what happens afterwards.
And that’s where Gakpo deserves credit.
He’s trying to put it right.
Rather than running away from the criticism, he’s accepted it.
Rather than complaining about it, he’s used it as motivation.
And now he’s trying to show Liverpool supporters what he can actually do.
This Is The Gakpo I Want To See
I don’t need Gakpo to tell me he’s going to have a brilliant season.
I don’t need him to make big promises.
I’d much rather see what he does on the pitch.
And so far, I’m liking what I’m seeing.
He’s becoming more influential.
He’s looking dangerous.
He’s contributing.
And he’s starting to look like the player Liverpool supporters hoped they were getting when he arrived from PSV.
Maybe last season was a setback.
Maybe the criticism was deserved.
Gakpo himself seems to think there was some justification for it.
But here’s the important thing:
He’s not hiding from it.
He’s accepting responsibility and trying to improve.
And I think that’s exactly the mentality Liverpool need.
Because at this football club, the standards are incredibly high.
Gakpo knows that.
He knows he wasn’t good enough last season.
But now he’s got the chance to show us just how good he can actually be.
And judging by what we’ve seen from him recently, I think Cody Gakpo is determined to make up for lost time.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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