Slot Provides Zero Justifications and Pledges to Find Way Out of Malaise

Liverpool's head coach declared he needed to “examine my own performance” after Liverpool suffered a 6th defeat in 7 Premier League matches on their own turf to Nottingham Forest and affirmed he would discover a solution from the title holders' slump.

Nottingham Forest, in the relegation zone before kick off, delivered the biggest win at Anfield in their club records as the Merseyside club slipped to an 8th defeat in 11 matches in all competitions. The British record signing, Alexander Isak, was once more anonymous and Liverpool argued Murillo’s opener ought to have been ruled out for comparable grounds to Virgil van Dijk’s chalked-off goal against Manchester City prior to the national team pause. But the manager admitted the responsibility rested with him and made no excuses.

“Nobody wants to hear me now speaking about officiating calls if you lose 3-0 in your own stadium to Forest,” said the Reds' boss. “I should look at myself initially and my squad, but it does show you how a goal can change the momentum of a match. Earlier I was just hoping for us to net a goal. Afterwards we barely created anything.

“Of course there is a way out, especially with the quality footballers we have. Regardless if you triumph or are beaten when you look back you are always thinking: ‘Where can we improve, where can we make changes?’ but that is something else from doubting your abilities.

“I want to emphasise I am accountable for the current defeats. You are answerable when you are winning but also liable when you are losing. I can never come up with sufficient excuses for us to have the results we have. That is not acceptable and I am to blame for that.”

Liverpool’s performance unravelled as the coach made several offensive substitutions when chasing the game. “It was the identical on the road at Nottingham Forest the previous campaign,” he remarked. “I substituted the French defender off and brought on [Diogo] Jota and he scored immediately to make it 1-1. At that time it was courageous, currently it’s likely stupid.”

The Anfield side previously were defeated in back-to-back home league fixtures against Nottingham Forest in the sixties. The last time they lost back-to-back top-flight matches by a 3-0 scoreline was in 1965.

Slot said: “It was extremely poor. Competing at home, losing 3-0 regardless of which opponent you encounter is a terrible outcome. Unexpected if you consider the first half-hour of the match. I did not witness us producing so many chances in the opening half-hour perhaps the whole season, and the initial occasion they arrived in our penalty area they scored.

“It wasn’t at City, but in all other game we have been the dominant team and were capable to generate chances. Recently it is almost consistently that we fail to convert our chances and the attempts we concede go in.”

Michael Rios
Michael Rios

A lifestyle curator and wellness advocate with a passion for minimalist luxury and sustainable living practices.