Liverpool's Manager Provides Zero Justifications and Pledges to Find Route From Slump
Liverpool's head coach declared he had to “examine my own performance” after the Reds suffered a 6th defeat in seven English top-flight games on their own turf against Nottingham Forest and insisted he would discover a way out of the title holders' poor run.
Forest, fighting against the drop prior to the match, delivered the biggest win at Anfield in their history as Liverpool slipped to an 8th loss in eleven matches in every tournament. The British record signing, the Swedish striker, was again anonymous and the home side argued the defender's first goal should have been disallowed for comparable grounds to the captain's chalked-off goal versus Manchester City prior to the international break. But the manager conceded the buck stopped with him and made no excuses.
“No one wants to listen to me now talking about officiating calls if you lose 3-0 in your own stadium to Nottingham Forest,” said the Reds' boss. “I should look at myself first and my team, but it does show you how a score can change the momentum of a game. Before I was just hoping for us to net a goal. Afterwards we barely created any chances.
“Naturally there is a way out, particularly with the quality players we have. Regardless if you win or lose when you reflect you are always considering: ‘In which areas can we do better, in what aspects can we make changes?’ but that is something else from doubting yourself.
“I wish to stress I am responsible for the current losses. You are answerable when you are winning but also liable when you are defeated. I can never provide enough excuses for us to have the outcomes we have. That is not good enough and I am to blame for that.”
Liverpool’s performance fell apart as the coach introduced multiple offensive changes when chasing the game. “It was the same on the road at Nottingham Forest the previous campaign,” he remarked. “I substituted Ibou [Ibrahima Konaté] out and brought on [Diogo] Jota and he found the net immediately to make it 1-1. Then it was brave, currently it’s likely unwise.”
Liverpool previously were defeated in two successive at Anfield Premier League games against Forest in the sixties. The last time they lost consecutive top-flight games by a three-goal scoreline was in the mid-60s.
The manager commented: “It was very bad. Playing on home soil, conceding 3-0 regardless of which team you encounter is a very, very bad outcome. Unexpected if you consider the first half-hour of the match. I haven’t seen us creating so many chances in the opening 30 minutes maybe the whole campaign, and the initial occasion they arrived in our box they scored.
“It wasn’t against Manchester City, but in all other game we have been the dominant side and were capable to generate chances. Lately it is almost constantly that we miss our opportunities and the ones we concede find the net.”