Slot Provides No Excuses and Pledges to Find Way From Malaise
Arne Slot declared he had to “examine my own performance” after the Reds endured a sixth defeat in seven English top-flight games on their own turf to Nottingham Forest and affirmed he would find a solution out of the champions’ slump.
Forest, in the relegation zone before kick off, produced the largest victory at Liverpool's stadium in their history as Liverpool fell to an 8th defeat in eleven fixtures in all competitions. The British record signing, the Swedish striker, was again unnoticeable and Liverpool contended the defender's first goal should have been ruled out for comparable grounds to the captain's chalked-off goal against Manchester City prior to the international break. But Slot conceded the buck rested with him and offered no alibis.
“Nobody wants to listen to me now speaking about officiating calls if you lose 3-0 in your own stadium to Forest,” stated the Liverpool head coach. “I should examine myself initially and my team, but it does show you how a score can alter the momentum of a match. Earlier I was just hoping for us to net a strike. Afterwards we barely created anything.
“Of course there is a way out, especially with the quality players we have. Regardless if you triumph or are beaten when you reflect you are always considering: ‘Where can we improve, in what aspects can we make changes?’ but that is different from doubting yourself.
“I wish to stress I am responsible for the current losses. You are responsible when you are winning but also responsible when you are defeated. I can never provide enough reasons for us to have the results we have. That is not good enough and I am to blame for that.”
Liverpool’s performance fell apart as the coach made several offensive substitutions when chasing the game. “It was the identical on the road at Nottingham Forest the previous campaign,” he remarked. “I substituted the French defender out and brought on the Portuguese forward and he scored immediately to make it 1-1. At that time it was brave, currently it’s likely stupid.”
Liverpool previously were defeated in back-to-back home Premier League games against Nottingham Forest in 1963. The last time they suffered consecutive top-flight games by a three-goal scoreline was in the mid-60s.
The manager said: “It was very bad. Playing on home soil, conceding 3-0 no matter which opponent you encounter is a terrible outcome. Unexpected if you look at the first half-hour of the match. I haven’t seen us creating so much in the opening 30 minutes perhaps the entire season, and the first time they arrived in our box they scored.
“It wasn’t against Manchester City, but in every other fixture we have been the dominant side and were capable to create chances. Recently it is almost constantly that we miss our chances and the attempts we allow find the net.”