Liverpool's Manager Offers Zero Justifications and Pledges to Find Route From Malaise
Arne Slot declared he needed to “examine my own performance” following the Reds endured a sixth loss in seven Premier League matches on their own turf to Forest and affirmed he would find a solution out of the champions’ poor run.
Nottingham Forest, in the relegation zone prior to the match, produced the biggest win at Liverpool's stadium in their club records as the Merseyside club slipped to an 8th loss in eleven fixtures in all competitions. The British record signing, Alexander Isak, was once more anonymous and the home side contended Murillo’s opener ought to have been ruled out for similar reasons to Virgil van Dijk’s chalked-off goal versus Manchester City before the national team pause. But the manager conceded the responsibility rested with him and offered no alibis.
“No one wishes to hear me now talking about refereeing decisions if you lose 3-0 in your own stadium to Forest,” stated the Liverpool head coach. “I ought to look at myself initially and my squad, but it demonstrates you how a goal can change the flow of a game. Before I was just hoping for us to net a strike. Later we barely generated any chances.
“Of course there is a path forward, particularly with the talented players we have. Regardless if you win or lose when you reflect you are always thinking: ‘In which areas can we improve, in what aspects can we adjust?’ but that is different from questioning yourself.
“I wish to emphasise I am accountable for the current defeats. You are answerable when you are victorious but also responsible when you are defeated. I can not provide enough excuses for us to have the outcomes we have. That is not good enough and I am responsible for that.”
The team's display fell apart as the coach introduced several offensive substitutions when pursuing the game. “It was the same on the road at Nottingham Forest the previous campaign,” he said. “I substituted Ibou [Ibrahima Konaté] off and put on the Portuguese forward and he found the net straight away to make it 1-1. At that time it was brave, now it’s probably stupid.”
The Anfield side previously were defeated in two successive home league games by Nottingham Forest in 1963. The most recent occasion they lost consecutive league games by a 3-0 scoreline was in 1965.
Slot commented: “It was extremely poor. Competing at home, losing 3-0 regardless of which opponent you face is a very, very bad outcome. Surprising if you look at the first half-hour of the match. I did not witness us producing so many chances in the initial 30 minutes maybe the whole season, and the first time they entered in our penalty area they found the back of the net.
“It wasn’t against Manchester City, but in all other game we have been the dominant side and were capable to generate chances. Recently it is almost constantly that we fail to convert our opportunities and the attempts we concede find the net.”