Slot Offers Zero Justifications and Pledges to Find Route Out of Malaise
Arne Slot declared he needed to “examine my own performance” after Liverpool suffered a 6th loss in seven Premier League matches on their own turf to Forest and affirmed he would find a way out of the title holders' poor run.
Forest, in the relegation zone before kick off, delivered the largest win at Anfield in their history as Liverpool fell to an 8th loss in 11 fixtures in all competitions. The most expensive domestic acquisition, Alexander Isak, was once more unnoticeable and Liverpool argued Murillo’s first goal ought to have been disallowed for similar reasons to Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed effort against City before the national team pause. But Slot admitted the responsibility stopped with him and made no excuses.
“No one wishes to hear me now speaking about officiating calls if you lose 3-0 at home to Forest,” said the Reds' boss. “I should look at myself initially and my team, but it does show you how a goal can alter the flow of a game. Earlier I was just waiting for us to score a strike. Later we hardly created anything.
“Naturally there is a way out, particularly with the quality players we have. No matter if you win or are beaten when you reflect you are always thinking: ‘In which areas can we improve, in what aspects can we make changes?’ but that is something else from doubting your abilities.
“I wish to stress I am responsible for the current losses. You are answerable when you are victorious but also liable when you are defeated. I can never come up with sufficient reasons for us to have the outcomes we have. That is not good enough and I am to blame for that.”
Liverpool’s display fell apart as Slot introduced several offensive changes when pursuing the match. “It was the identical on the road at Nottingham Forest last season,” he said. “I took Ibou [Ibrahima Konaté] off and brought on the Portuguese forward and he scored straight away to equalize at 1-1. Then it was courageous, now it’s likely stupid.”
The Anfield side last lost two successive at Anfield league fixtures by Nottingham Forest in 1963. The last time they lost consecutive league games by a 3-0 margin was in the mid-60s.
The manager said: “It was very bad. Competing at home, conceding 3-0 regardless of which opponent you encounter is a very, very bad result. Surprising if you look at the first half-hour of the game. I haven’t seen us creating so many chances in the initial half-hour maybe the entire campaign, and the first time they arrived in our penalty area they found the back of the net.
“It did not happen against Manchester City, but in all other game we have been the controlling side and were able to create opportunities. Lately it is nearly constantly that we fail to convert our opportunities and the attempts we allow go in.”