Liverpool's Manager Offers No Excuses and Vows to Find Route Out of Malaise
Arne Slot stated he had to “look at myself” after Liverpool endured a 6th defeat in 7 Premier League games at home to Nottingham Forest and affirmed he would find a solution from the champions’ poor run.
Forest, in the relegation zone before kick off, delivered the largest win at Anfield in their club records as the Merseyside club slipped to an eighth defeat in 11 fixtures in all competitions. The most expensive domestic acquisition, the Swedish striker, was once more anonymous and Liverpool contended the defender's first goal should have been disallowed for similar reasons to the captain's chalked-off goal versus City prior to the national team pause. But Slot admitted the buck stopped with him and made no excuses.
“No one wants to hear me now talking about officiating calls if you lose 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest,” said the Reds' boss. “I ought to examine myself initially and my team, but it does show you how a goal can change the momentum of a match. Earlier I was just waiting for us to net a goal. Later we barely generated anything.
“Naturally there is a path forward, especially with the talented players we have. Regardless if you win or are beaten when you reflect you are always considering: ‘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 accountable for the current losses. You are answerable when you are victorious but also responsible when you are losing. I can not come up with enough excuses for us to have the outcomes we have. That is far from acceptable and I am responsible for that.”
The team's display fell apart as Slot introduced several attacking substitutions when pursuing the game. “It was the identical away at Nottingham Forest the previous campaign,” he said. “I substituted Ibou [Ibrahima Konaté] off and brought on the Portuguese forward and he scored straight away to make it 1-1. Then it was brave, currently it’s probably stupid.”
Liverpool previously were defeated in two successive home Premier League fixtures against Forest in the sixties. The most recent occasion they suffered consecutive league games by a three-goal margin was in 1965.
The manager said: “It was extremely poor. Competing on home soil, losing 3-0 no matter which opponent you face is a terrible outcome. Surprising if you consider the opening 30 minutes of the game. I haven’t seen us producing so many chances in the opening 30 minutes perhaps the whole 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 team and were capable to generate chances. Lately it is nearly constantly that we miss our opportunities and the ones we allow find the net.”