Liverpool v Nottingham Forest - A Quick Liverpool Perspective

Liverpool v Nottingham Forest A Liverpool Perspective



First thing to point out is that 3-0 flattered Liverpool and even 4-0 would have probably undersold just how badly beaten they were. I know a lot are pointing to Forest's first goal and claiming it should have been disallowed because Liverpool's goal against Manchester City was, but I disagree with that. The issue is that the goal against City should have stood as well, rather than that the Forest goal should have been chalked off.

It did start off a bit brighter, the first 30 minutes Liverpool looked a lot better, played some decent combinations, but still the same problems of too many touches, too many side to side and backwards passes when there were better options. It was better though, with Forest having to defend well and requiring a couple of blocks. Then Forest scored. Liverpool just disintegrated at that point, confidence evaporated and it was already almost certain Forest would win at that point as they just did not look like they had anything to offer to turn it around.

The worst thing is that Slot, who seemed to have all the answers last season, looked utterly clueless as to how to respond and weakened the midfield even further by dropping Gravenberch into defence. It is hard to understand how he fails to spot that the weak midfield is the biggest problem in this Liverpool side. It was the weak link last season, with teams able to bully it at will, but the ability of the team to lift itself and just overrun teams at the end of games due to superior fitness and attitude is no longer there. The failure to address the weakness in the summer is really telling badly now though, with every team exploiting it. The biggest issue is Slot's refusal to accept the need for anyone physical in there, which is making the problem worse. Put a Rice or a Rodri in this team alongside Gravenberch, instead of the lily-livered Mac Allister whose main skill is to flop around on the ground like a goldfish that has got out of its bowl, and they would be immediately massively improved.

Adding that to the complete lack of fitness that the team has right now, and lack of intensity to their play, it is a recipe for the disaster we are currently witnessing. The only question is whether Slot can take the right lessons from what he is seeing and turn it around. I hope he can, but I fear he is unable to.



Nottingham Forest


Forest were excellent, they defended well early on and then picked Liverpool apart at will and fully deserved their win. They will be extremely annoyed about the goal that was wrongly ruled out, and rightly so, it was clear to see the ball hit well above the sleeve line and I have no idea what the VAR officials were looking at if they could not see it. Not that it made a difference to them getting the points, but when the league is as close as this season's Premier League is, goal difference and even goals scored could make a genuine difference to where you finish at the end of the year. VAR is becoming a burden on the game, rather than a help.

What they did well was not to just sit back and hold on, they could have easily just taken the lead and held onto it as they were defending so well but they did more. They kept looking for opportunities to extend their lead and exploit the space in midfield. While Slot got his tactics and subs completely wrong, Dyche got his spot on and that was the difference. He is quickly turning them back into the team they were last season, but with a little more attacking thrust and they should quickly climb the table over the next few months if they continue to play like this.



Liverpool


Alisson - not even the brilliant Brazilian could do anything about the Forest goals.


Szoboszlai - playing a bizarre right-back/midfield hybrid role, in an almost job-sharing set up with Jones, he worked hard but it is just a waste of his talents. Also the lack of confidence is palpable, the constant back-passing to Jones when there were options forward and the unwillingness to take a shot early when it is on, instead electing to take an extra touch or two, they are all signs of a player lacking in confidence. Just shoot when it is on!


Konate - another abysmal performance. Once again he wilted under pressure and folded like a cheap suit when it mattered. It is a shame as he started out looking up for it, but as soon as he made a mistake he just fell apart. He simply does not have the mentality for the top end of the game, he is too weak and loses his head at the slightest thing.


van Dijk - a poor game, he is meant to be a leader but he is not standing up when it counts. He does not drive the team forward, nor does he lead by example by putting in extra work on the pitch to make up for the lack of confidence in the team. He needs to stop whining about what critics say and start proving them wrong by doing what he used to do - work harder and be better. He needs to stop being 'effortlessly cool' and put in some effort, starting with moving around to create a passing option, rather than allowing himself to be marked out of the game when Liverpool are in possession.


Kerkez - he is taking a lot of criticism this season, though I fail to understand how he is being singled out as the problem. He was given a bit more freedom to attack and looked better because of it, his strengths are as an attacking full-back, he needs to be let fully off the leash.


Mac Allister - his fitness can no longer be used as an excuse for his horrifically bad performances, week after week. Questions need to be asked about why he is still first choice despite being abysmal every time he plays this season. It is embarrassing to watch him flop to the ground any time anyone brushes against him.


Gravenberch - he was fairly decent on the ball, but defensively he is just not protecting the defence like last season, drifting too far forward when Liverpool are in possession. There is no cover behind him, there are no defensive midfielders in the side, he needs to sit deeper and provide a bit of protection. For all his good work on the ball, off the ball teams, including Forest, are exploiting the space left in behind him.


Jones - he spent large periods of the game sat in at right-back, while Szoboszlai and Salah were in front of him down the right, in an odd hybrid right-back role. I get the desire to have cover there, but he could have just as easily provided a passing option and cover there from a more central position further forward. There was no Forest player looking to make a run into the space at the times, which is when he should move out there. I know he was trying to do what Milner and Henderson did for years, but they did not just sit out in the full-back position while the rest of the midfield were pushed up the pitch, they did it when there was cover in the centre. All that Jones achieved was to leave a hole in the centre, where it is much more dangerous.


Salah - he is definitely getting back to something like his best, linking up well down the right, particularly with Szoboszlai in the first 30 minutes. But he needs a little help, someone actually attacking the box, rather than all in a horseshoe shape around it, to draw away defenders and open spaces or for him to play the ball to.


Gakpo - had a poor game, seemed to have no idea what he was actually meant to be doing after the substitutions began to be made.


Isak - he is a mile away from being even close to match sharpness and consequently offers absolutely nothing as a starter. A terrible decision to drop Ekitike for him. He should be a substitute coming on to work his way towards sharpness, rather than being carried from kick off. You simply cannot carry players when you are in bad form.


Ekitike - replaced the hapless Konate in the 55th minute. Received no service as Forest defended extremely well. He was not helped by the tactics, which seemed to have degenerated into just putting as many attacking players on the pitch at once and hoping something would happen.


Chiesa - came in for Isak in the 68th minute. At least offered energy and urgency, but there was no space for him to operate and he ended up dropping deep most of the time. I just do not understand the consistent misuse of an asset like Chiesa.


Robertson - took the place of Kerkez in the 68th minute. Seemed a waste of a substitution when you are losing to take off an extremely attacking full-back in a like for like sub. He did not offer any more to the game.


Ngumoha - was brought on for Jones in the 78th minute. Just another ridiculous, desperate sub emptying an already weak midfield to bring on yet another attacker, when there was no space for them to operate. He did nothing, but he had no chance as Forest could just mass their defence and not have to worry about Liverpool doing anything different to draw them out.

Written by Tris Burke November 27 2025 05:40:32