“Nowhere Near The Level!” 🔴 Steven Gerrard SLAMS One Liverpool Star For Failing The ‘Anfield Test’ Against Chelsea! 🚨**
OPINION: The ‘Anfield Test’ is Non-Negotiable, and Today, One Man Failed Miserably**
**ANFIELD —** There are draws that feel like steps forward, and then there are draws that feel like an identity crisis. Yesterday’s 1-1 stalemate against a struggling Chelsea side was firmly the latter. While the Kop tried to rally the troops after Ryan Gravenberch’s early brilliance was cancelled out by an Enzo Fernández fluke, the post-match atmosphere was thick with a different kind of frustration.
Watching from the stands was a man who knows more about the “Anfield Test” than perhaps anyone else in the modern era. **Steven Gerrard** didn’t hold back when reflecting on a performance that saw Liverpool surrender control and, more importantly, spirit.
### **“Nowhere Near the Level”**
Speaking to reporters post-match, the legendary former captain was visibly agitated by the lack of “bite” in the second half. While he praised the energy of youngsters like Rio Ngumoha, he directed a scathing critique toward one established individual who he believes lacked the required temperament for a fixture of this magnitude.
> “I’ve played in many Liverpool vs Chelsea games, but what I saw today from **Cody Gakpo** was nowhere near the level of this club,” Gerrard said, dropping the diplomat act. “At Anfield, you fight for every blade of grass, and he looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but on that pitch. It’s hard to watch.”
>
Gerrard’s comments hit a nerve with a fanbase that has grown weary of Gakpo’s recent “drifting” performances. While the Dutchman has undeniable technical quality, his inability to impose himself physically on a Chelsea defense that was there for the taking was glaring.
### **The Stats of a Ghost**
The numbers from the afternoon back up Gerrard’s assessment. Before being hauled off by Arne Slot in the 77th minute for Federico Chiesa, Gakpo’s impact was minimal:
* **Shots on Target:** 0
* **Successful Dribbles:** 1
* **Ground Duels Won:** 2/9
* **Possession Lost:** 14 times
In a game where Liverpool’s forward line was already decimated by injuries to Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz, the onus was on Gakpo to be the focal point. Instead, he spent the majority of the second half isolated on the periphery, failing to track back as Malo Gusto exploited the right flank.
### **A Culture of Accountability**
Gerrard’s “Anfield Test” isn’t about scoring worldies or 40-yard passes; it’s about the psychological demand of wearing the Red shirt when the pressure is on.
“You can have a bad game; I’ve had hundreds,” Gerrard added. “But you cannot have a game where you look uninterested. When you see the kids out there putting their bodies on the line, and then you see a senior international player shying away from a tackle or failing to make a recovery run, it breaks the connection with the fans.”
Arne Slot now faces a massive selection headache. With the Champions League spots still not mathematically secure and a trip to face a rampant Manchester City on the horizon, he cannot afford passengers.
Gerrard has officially called it out. The question is: **does Cody Gakpo have the character to respond, or has he reached the end of the road at Anfield?**
