Liverpool's Manager Offers No Excuses and Vows to Find Route Out of Slump

Liverpool's head coach stated he needed to “examine my own performance” after Liverpool endured a sixth defeat in 7 Premier League games on their own turf to Forest and affirmed he would discover a way from the title holders' slump.

Nottingham Forest, in the relegation zone before kick off, produced the largest victory at Liverpool's stadium in their club records as the Merseyside club fell to an 8th defeat in 11 fixtures in all competitions. The British record signing, the Swedish striker, was again anonymous and Liverpool argued Murillo’s opener should have been disallowed for similar reasons to Virgil van Dijk’s chalked-off goal against Manchester City before the national team pause. But Slot conceded the buck stopped with him and made no excuses.

“No one wishes to listen to me now talking about officiating calls if you are defeated 3-0 in your own stadium to Forest,” said the Liverpool head coach. “I ought to examine my own role first and my team, but it does show you how a score can change the flow of a game. Earlier I was just hoping for us to net a goal. Later we hardly generated anything.

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

“I want to emphasise I am accountable for the current losses. You are responsible when you are victorious but also responsible when you are defeated. I can never provide enough excuses for us to have the outcomes we have. That is far from good enough and I am to blame for that.”

Liverpool’s performance fell apart as the coach made several offensive changes when pursuing the match. “It was the same away at Nottingham Forest last season,” he said. “I substituted Ibou [Ibrahima Konaté] out and put on [Diogo] Jota and he found the net immediately to make it 1-1. At that time it was courageous, now it’s probably stupid.”

The Anfield side last lost back-to-back home league fixtures by Forest in 1963. The last time they suffered consecutive top-flight games by a 3-0 scoreline was in 1965.

The manager said: “It was very bad. Playing on home soil, conceding 3-0 no matter which opponent you encounter is a very, very bad result. Surprising if you look at the first half-hour of the game. I did not witness us producing so much in the initial half-hour perhaps the whole campaign, and the first time they entered in our box they found the back of the net.

“It did not happen at City, but in all other fixture we have been the controlling team and were capable to create chances. Recently it is almost constantly that we miss our opportunities and the ones we concede find the net.”

Angela Hood
Angela Hood

A passionate writer and urban explorer sharing insights on city life and cultural trends.