Slot Offers Zero Justifications and Vows to Find Way Out of Slump
Liverpool's head coach stated he had to “look at myself” following the Reds suffered a sixth loss in seven English top-flight games on their own turf against Forest and affirmed he would find a solution out of the champions’ slump.
Forest, fighting against the drop prior to the match, produced the biggest win at Liverpool's stadium in their club records as the Merseyside club slipped to an eighth defeat in 11 matches in all competitions. The most expensive domestic acquisition, the Swedish striker, was again unnoticeable and Liverpool argued the defender's opener ought to have been disallowed for similar reasons to Virgil van Dijk’s chalked-off goal against City before the national team pause. But the manager admitted the responsibility stopped with him and made no excuses.
“No one wishes to listen to me now talking about officiating calls if you lose 3-0 at home to Nottingham Forest,” said the Liverpool head coach. “I ought to examine myself initially and my team, but it demonstrates you how a score can change the momentum of a match. Before I was just waiting for us to net a strike. Afterwards we barely generated any chances.
“Of course there is a way out, particularly with the quality players we have. No matter if you win or lose when you look back you are always considering: ‘In which areas can we do better, where can we adjust?’ but that is something else from doubting yourself.
“I want to emphasise I am accountable for the current defeats. You are responsible when you are victorious but also responsible when you are defeated. I can not come up with enough excuses for us to have the results we have. That is not good enough and I am responsible for that.”
Liverpool’s display unravelled as Slot introduced several offensive substitutions when chasing the match. “It was the same away at Forest the previous campaign,” he said. “I substituted the French defender out and put on [Diogo] Jota and he found the net immediately to equalize at 1-1. Then it was brave, now it’s likely stupid.”
The Anfield side last lost back-to-back at Anfield Premier League games against Nottingham Forest in 1963. The most recent occasion they suffered consecutive top-flight games by a three-goal margin was in the mid-60s.
The manager commented: “It was very bad. Competing at home, losing 3-0 regardless of 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 many chances in the opening 30 minutes perhaps the entire campaign, and the initial occasion they arrived in our box they found the back of the net.
“It did not happen at City, but in all other game we have been the controlling side and were able to create chances. Lately it is nearly constantly that we fail to convert our opportunities and the ones we concede go in.”