Slot Offers No Excuses and Pledges to Plot Way Out of Malaise
Liverpool's head coach stated he needed to “examine my own performance” following Liverpool endured a sixth defeat in seven English top-flight matches on their own turf against Nottingham Forest and insisted he would discover a solution out of the title holders' poor run.
Forest, in the relegation zone prior to the match, produced the biggest win at Anfield in their history as the Merseyside club slipped to an eighth loss in 11 matches in all competitions. The most expensive domestic acquisition, the Swedish striker, was again unnoticeable and the home side contended the defender's first goal ought to have been disallowed for similar reasons to Virgil van Dijk’s chalked-off goal against Manchester City before the national team pause. But Slot admitted the buck rested with him and offered no alibis.
“No one wishes to listen to me now talking about refereeing decisions if you are defeated 3-0 at home to Forest,” said the Liverpool head coach. “I ought to look at my own role initially and my squad, but it demonstrates you how a score can change the flow of a game. Before I was just waiting for us to net a strike. Later we hardly created anything.
“Naturally there is a path forward, particularly with the quality players we have. Regardless if you win or are beaten when you look back you are always thinking: ‘In which areas can we do better, where can we make changes?’ but that is different from doubting yourself.
“I wish to stress I am responsible for the current losses. You are answerable when you are victorious but also liable when you are losing. I can never provide sufficient reasons for us to have the results we have. That is far from good enough and I am to blame for that.”
Liverpool’s display fell apart as Slot introduced several attacking substitutions when chasing the match. “It was the identical on the road at Forest the previous campaign,” he remarked. “I took the French defender out and brought on the Portuguese forward and he found the net immediately to make it 1-1. At that time it was courageous, currently it’s likely stupid.”
The Anfield side last lost back-to-back home Premier League fixtures against Forest in 1963. The most recent occasion they suffered back-to-back top-flight games by a three-goal scoreline was in the mid-60s.
The manager commented: “It was very bad. Playing at home, losing 3-0 regardless of which opponent you face is a very, very bad outcome. Unexpected if you look at the first half-hour of the game. I did not witness us producing so much in the opening half-hour perhaps the entire campaign, and the first time they entered in our box they scored.
“It did not happen against Manchester City, but in all other game we have been the dominant team and were able to create chances. Lately it is nearly consistently that we miss our opportunities and the attempts we allow find the net.”