Slot Offers Zero Justifications and Pledges to Plot Route From Malaise

Liverpool's head coach stated he had to “examine my own performance” after the Reds endured a sixth defeat in seven Premier League matches on their own turf to Nottingham Forest and affirmed he would find a solution out of the title holders' slump.

Nottingham Forest, in the relegation zone prior to the match, delivered the biggest victory at Anfield in their club records as Liverpool slipped to an 8th defeat in eleven fixtures in every tournament. The most expensive domestic acquisition, Alexander Isak, was again anonymous and the home side contended the defender's opener ought to have been disallowed for similar reasons to the captain's chalked-off goal against Manchester City prior to the international break. But Slot conceded the responsibility rested with him and offered no alibis.

“No one wishes to hear me now talking about officiating calls if you are defeated 3-0 in your own stadium to Forest,” stated the Reds' boss. “I ought to examine my own role first and my team, but it does show you how a score can change the flow of a match. Before I was just waiting for us to score a strike. Afterwards we hardly generated any chances.

“Naturally there is a path forward, especially with the quality footballers we have. Regardless if you triumph 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 want to stress I am responsible for the current defeats. You are answerable when you are winning but also liable when you are defeated. I can not come up with enough reasons for us to have the results we have. That is not acceptable and I am to blame for that.”

The team's display unravelled as Slot made several attacking changes when chasing the match. “It was the identical on the road at Nottingham Forest the previous campaign,” he said. “I substituted the French defender out and brought on the Portuguese forward and he found the net straight away to make it 1-1. At that time it was brave, now it’s likely stupid.”

Liverpool previously were defeated in two successive at Anfield league fixtures against Nottingham Forest in the sixties. The most recent occasion they suffered consecutive league matches by a three-goal margin was in the mid-60s.

Slot said: “It was extremely poor. Playing on home soil, losing 3-0 regardless of which opponent you face is a terrible outcome. Unexpected if you look at the first half-hour of the match. I haven’t seen us producing so much in the opening 30 minutes perhaps the entire season, and the initial occasion they entered in our penalty area they found the back of the net.

“It wasn’t at City, but in every other fixture we have been the dominant side and were capable to create chances. Lately it is almost constantly that we miss our opportunities and the ones we concede go in.”

Lori Dickson
Lori Dickson

Aerospace engineer and space enthusiast with over a decade of experience in satellite systems and orbital mechanics.