Arne Slot Fires Back at Virgil van Dijk's Explosive Outburst
Liverpool boss Arne Slot rejected Virgil van Dijk's assessment that certain squad members were avoiding their duties, choosing instead to place full responsibility on his own shoulders during a notably candid evaluation.
An evidently frustrated Van Dijk challenged his colleagues' commitment following Saturday's disappointing 3–0 loss to Nottingham Forest, acknowledging that the players were failing Slot during what he described as "a mess."
"You should feel frustrated," the Dutch captain urged. Slot followed that guidance but rejected the notion of doubting his players' character.
The coach was directly questioned whether his team had lost their determination after six losses in seven Premier League matches. "Absolutely not," he emphasized. "However, during certain phases of matches we have been losing too many battles."
Slot maintained it was about focus rather than commitment. "I believe in our most recent match we controlled 75% of possession, meaning we only needed to defend 25% of the time and around our penalty area we only faced four defensive situations," the Dutch manager explained.
"When I must defend for thirty minutes I enter defensive mindset, so I simply commit to every challenge, but when our defenders and perhaps even our keeper are considering ball retention and then suddenly must defend, we aren't as alert as we need to be."
'Frank Discussions' Within Liverpool Squad
Cody Gakpo disclosed that Van Dijk's calls for accountability weren't limited to media statements. The complete Liverpool roster has been fully conscious of their declining performance levels.
"In the period following that [loss to Forest] we were, I hesitate to say frustrated, but we attempted to communicate collectively and be candid with one another about what we must do to perform more effectively on the field," Gakpo shared.
"Everyone understands we must accept accountability both during matches and in training. This was a discussion you have with a colleague. It wasn't exactly a formal 'meeting' but we recognize we must accept responsibility, that we must improve certain aspects of our play. That's what we discussed."
Gakpo emphasized it wasn't a destructive blame session: "We also understand we must remain united and that's what we'll attempt to do once more to deliver strong performances and secure victories." Andy Robertson echoed identical sentiments.
"It's crucial now that individuals don't lose faith in their capabilities," the Scottish player stressed, "the self-assurance they possess, and it's vital that we all remain unified within our training facility."
Slot Criticizes 'Absurd,' 'Incredible' Decline
The Premier League Champions are nearer to the relegation zone than the summit of the table. pic.twitter.com/7drCKD6zF0
While he refrained from criticizing his players, the Dutch manager was unrestrained in his evaluation of the club's current form. Liverpool enters Wednesday's Champions League encounter with PSV Eindhoven following eight losses from their previous 11 matches, suffering their joint-poorest Premier League beginning in history.
"I would characterize it as absurd, nearly," Slot lamented. "Something I never anticipated experiencing. Not at any club I planned to manage, especially not Liverpool. That is incredible."
"[We are] allowing far more goals than previous season," the defending Premier League champion complained. "The number of goals we have allowed and the quantity from set pieces is nearly absurd for an organization like ours. The primary issue is the goals we surrender. From regular play, we can still create sufficient opportunities to achieve a positive outcome."