Virgil van Dijk has issued a blunt assessment of Liverpool's woeful championship campaign, confessing the title holders are in disarray and failing manager Arne Slot while questioning whether all squad members is owning up for the current downturn.
The Dutch defender could not contain his anger after Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat by Forest, a result that saw the Reds in the lower section of the Premier League table with a negative goal difference. Tom Werner was present at Anfield to witness Liverpool’s latest loss in recent outings, their eighth loss in eleven fixtures across all competitions, and a display that unravelled against a Forest side that began the match in the drop zone.
“Unacceptable” Start and Defensive Lapses
The captain described Liverpool’s start to the second half as “unacceptable” and admitted “anxiety set in” as soon as Murillo gave the visitors the lead. Forest’s opener was the ninth goal Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the current campaign.
“We had a productive three or four days’ preparation but in a game you are dealing with facts and the truth is we conceded a set piece in the opening period and a terrible goal at the beginning after the break,” said the defender. “We are certainly letting him down, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. Start with self-reflection and then you help each other, you work together to escape of this mess because at the present time it is a difficult situation – that’s just a fact.
Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility
The skipper typically addresses the media after a match as part of his duties as team leader. Saturday was different, however. His voice was much louder – audible enough that any teammate in the Anfield tunnel could hear him – and he expressed visible fury while challenging the squad to react. “You should be angry,” he emphasized. “The main thing for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” When questioned whether that is happening, he replied: “I don’t know. But you have to do that. That's crucial I expect the players to do. It’s not easy during difficult times but we must act if we aim to recover of this.”
Squad Investment and Team Problems
The Merseyside club invested almost £450 million to replenish a championship-winning team in the summer but have regressed, with several high-profile signings failing to make an impact so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s problems go beyond the recent additions. “It's difficult for all involved,” he said. “What I want is for each player to take responsibility on the field. We have to do that in order to motivate one another, to make each other better. When someone is pressing, you must join the effort. These are fundamentals but it’s not happening enough.”
Appeal to Stick Together
The Dutchman added: “This season we lack any steady form, we concede far too many goals, we are being out-fought and everyone is responsible for it and I trust everyone sees that. It's vital to take responsibility to turn this around and tempting to point fingers but unity is essential. We have been through it together and won the league and everyone was part of it, and during a tough time you must remain united and not point fingers.
“Show character and face the toughness and persist, again and again because if you want to give up then you are at the wrong place in my view, because Liverpool has been going through many adversity over recent seasons and we’ve always come out of it. But it doesn’t mean it is easy, it’s tiring but there is no other way.”
Next Fixtures
The upcoming match in the Premier League is a trip to West Ham next weekend, after the Champions League fixture of the Dutch side in the Champions League. Van Dijk commented: “The next game is another opportunity so how should I respond, go home and cry? Certainly not, I'll return and try to think how we can turn this around and I trust that is what everyone is doing as well.”
