Liverpool's Captain Admits Team Faces Crisis, Challenges Players on Accountability

Virgil van Dijk has issued a blunt evaluation of Liverpool's woeful title defence, confessing the title holders are in a mess and letting down head coach Slot while questioning whether every player is owning up for the team’s slump.

Van Dijk could not contain his anger after the weekend's heavy loss at Anfield by Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the bottom half of the top-flight standings with a deficit in goals. Tom Werner was in attendance to observe Liverpool’s latest loss in seven league games, their eighth loss in 11 matches across all competitions, and a performance that fell apart against a Forest side that started the day in the drop zone.

Poor Second Half and Set-Piece Woes

The captain described Liverpool’s opening after halftime as “not good enough” and admitted “panic kicked in” as soon as Murillo gave Sean Dyche’s team the advantage. The first goal was the ninth concession Liverpool have conceded from a set piece in the current campaign.

“There was 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 poor concession at the start of the second half,” stated the defender. “As a team, we're definitely failing the manager, but we’ve let ourselves down as well. Start with self-reflection and then you support teammates, you help each other get out of this mess because at the moment it is a difficult situation – that’s just a fact.

Captain’s Challenge: Take Responsibility

Van Dijk usually speaks the press after a match as part of his duties as team leader. Saturday was different, however. He spoke was much louder – audible enough that any player in the stadium corridors could hear him – and he shook with anger while urging the squad to react. “Anger is justified,” he emphasized. “The main thing for me is that everyone has to take responsibility.” Asked whether that is happening, Van Dijk replied: “It's unclear. But it's essential. It’s the main thing I expect the players to do. It’s not easy during difficult times but we have to do it if we aim to recover of this.”

Summer Signings and Team Problems

The Merseyside club invested almost £450m to strengthen a championship-winning team in the summer but have gone backwards, with several high-profile signings failing to make an impact so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s issues go beyond the recent additions. “It's difficult for everyone,” he said. “My expectation is for each player to take responsibility on the pitch. This is necessary in order to motivate one another, to make each other better. When someone is pressing, you must join the effort. It’s basic things but they're lacking enough.”

Call for Unity

Van Dijk added: “In the current term we lack any steady form, we allow excessive scores, we are being out-fought and everyone is responsible for it and I hope this is recognized. It's vital to take responsibility to reverse the situation and tempting to assign blame but you have to do it together. Past successes were collective and won the league and all contributed, and during a tough time you must remain united and not point fingers.

“You have to be a man and face the toughness and go again, repeatedly because if you want to give up then you are in the wrong environment in my view, because this club has been going through numerous challenges over recent seasons and we’ve consistently emerged of it. But it doesn’t mean it is straightforward, 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 midweek visit of PSV in the Champions League. He said: “Wednesday is another game so what am I going to do, dwell on the loss? No, I'll go home and try to think how we can improve results and hopefully that is the collective focus as well.”