Journalist Ian Doyle has hit out at some ‘so-called’ Liverpool fans over the ‘disgraceful’ abuse of one Reds player.
It’s been a curious season for Cody Gakpo, whose seven-goal tally makes him the third-highest scorer in the squad and who Jamie Carragher feels is largely underappreciated.
However, the 26-year-old has come in for vitriolic criticism from some supporters online who’ve bemoaned his decison-making in the final third of the pitch and insisted that he should be dropped from the starting XI.
Ian Doyle condemns ‘disgraceful’ abuse of Gakpo
In a readers’ Q&A for the Liverpool Echo, Doyle was asked why the much-maligned Dutch forward is a ‘100% starter’.
The journalist launched a passionate defence of the winger as he replied: ‘The amount of abuse Cody Gakpo receives online from some so-called supporters borders on the disgraceful.
‘He’s not had the best season but he’s not alone in that, and it appears a group of fans think the Dutchman is only being picked because he was born in the same country as his manager, which is patently ridiculous.
(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
‘It’s been easy to forget how important Gakpo was last season and the amount of key goals he contributed in helping Liverpool win the title.’
Doyle added: ‘Why does Gakpo start? Because he’s versatile, he’s proven and Slot trusts him. And, on some occasions, there just hasn’t been anyone else.’
Gakpo could be doing more for Liverpool, but abuse is uncalled for
Wanting more from the 26-year-old in terms of his output in attack is a legitimate critique. Abusing him personally and demanding his exit from the club on social media is completely uncalled for.
Gakpo’s goalscoring returns have significantly diminished from last season to this, and a starting forward for Liverpool should have more than one goal from his previous 11 Premier League matches, with Arne Slot admitting that his compatriot has ‘struggled’ at times in this campaign.
There are certainly things that our number 18 could be doing better, but some of the online criticism of him has been way over the top, with him often being a go-to whipping boy for ‘fans’ who feel a compulsion to continually slate one player.
A return of 48 goals in 161 games for the Reds is far from disgraceful, and the Dutchman has proven capable of hiting the sort of purple patch which could yet be vital in getting his team over the line in the hunt for Champions League qualification.
Yes, we haven’t seen the best of Gakpo this season, but the same can be said for plenty of his teammates. While we would like to see the winger contributing more in the final third, we condemn the excessive abuse and defamation he’s received from some quarters online.
Hopefully he can put in a match-winning performance against Brighton tonight and answer some of the criticisms which have been thrown at him in recent weeks and months.