Slot Offers No Excuses and Pledges to Find Way Out of Malaise
Liverpool's head coach stated he had to “examine my own performance” after Liverpool endured a sixth loss in seven Premier League matches on their own turf against Forest and affirmed he would find a solution from the champions’ poor run.
Nottingham Forest, in the relegation zone before kick off, produced the largest victory at Anfield in their club records as the Merseyside club fell to an 8th loss in 11 matches in every tournament. The most expensive domestic acquisition, the Swedish striker, was once more unnoticeable and Liverpool contended the defender's first goal should have been ruled out for similar reasons to the captain's chalked-off goal against Manchester City before the international break. But Slot conceded the responsibility rested with him and offered no alibis.
“Nobody wishes to hear me now speaking about refereeing decisions if you lose 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest,” stated the Reds' boss. “I should look at myself first and my squad, but it demonstrates you how a score can alter the flow of a match. Earlier I was just waiting for us to net a goal. Afterwards we barely generated anything.
“Of course there is a way out, particularly with the talented footballers we have. Regardless 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 questioning your abilities.
“I want to emphasise I am responsible for the present losses. You are answerable when you are winning but also liable when you are losing. I can never provide enough reasons for us to have the outcomes we have. That is far from good enough and I am responsible for that.”
Liverpool’s display unravelled as the coach made multiple offensive changes when pursuing the match. “It was the same away at Nottingham Forest the previous campaign,” he said. “I took the French defender out and brought on the Portuguese forward and he scored straight away to make it 1-1. Then it was courageous, now it’s likely stupid.”
The Anfield side last lost two successive home league games by Forest in 1963. The last time they lost consecutive league games by a three-goal scoreline was in 1965.
The manager said: “It was very bad. Competing on home soil, conceding 3-0 regardless of which team you face is a terrible outcome. Surprising if you consider the opening 30 minutes of the match. I did not witness us creating so much in the initial half-hour perhaps the entire campaign, and the first time they arrived in our penalty area they scored.
“It wasn’t against Manchester City, but in all other game we have been the controlling team and were able to generate opportunities. Recently it is nearly consistently that we miss our chances and the ones we concede find the net.”