Liverpool's Struggles Exposed in Heavy Defeat to Nottingham Forest
What is Going Wrong at Liverpool?
Saturday's 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest marks a troubling period for the defending champions, who have now lost six of their last seven league matches. This loss also represents Liverpool's joint-heaviest home defeat in the Premier League era, leaving them languishing in 11th place in the standings.
Disorganized Defending from Corners
Forest capitalized on Liverpool's struggles with set-pieces this season, scoring their first goal after exploiting a defensive lapse. Excluding penalties, Liverpool has conceded nine league goals from set-pieces this season, matching the total from the entire previous season.
For the opening goal, Liverpool had six players positioned in the six-yard box, including goalkeeper Alisson, while Forest strategically placed only two. One of these players applied light pressure on Alisson, while the other engaged with Virgil van Dijk, hindering his movement.
In the center of the box, a 4v4 situation unfolded with Liverpool's players—Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Mohamed Salah—failing to communicate effectively. Salah attempted to direct Mac Allister to mark Forest's dangerous player, Murillo, but Mac Allister remained focused on his designated opponent, leaving Murillo unmarked.
As the cross came in, Gibbs-White narrowly missed connecting with the ball at the near post, a situation created by van Dijk being occupied and Szoboszlai neglecting to track Gibbs-White. Murillo's intelligent movement allowed him to score with minimal pressure.
Ultimately, the poor communication among Liverpool's defenders, particularly Salah's failure to mark his man, contributed to the goal. Questions may arise as to why Salah was assigned this defensive role, given his natural attacking prowess.
Clever Movement Pulls Liverpool's Defense Apart
For Forest's second goal, Salah's defensive shortcomings were again evident. The visitors utilized three players on the left flank, and Liverpool matched them numerically with Salah, Curtis Jones, and Szoboszlai. However, Liverpool's defenders focused on individual assignments rather than maintaining positional discipline, allowing Forest to exploit rotations.
Gibbs-White's movement from central midfield to the left wing drew Ryan Gravenberch out of position. Neco Williams, Salah's responsibility, made a run into the middle that went untracked, forcing Mac Allister to abandon his central position to cover Williams.
As Forest advanced, they flooded the box with players, causing Liverpool to retreat deeper, which created space for Nicolo Savona to score. Although the first and second goals appeared different, they shared key themes: Salah's loss of his marker and the emergence of space for the scorer in front of a vulnerable Liverpool defensive line.
Last season, Salah's offensive contributions outweighed his defensive lapses, but with Liverpool's current struggles in attack, this imbalance raises significant concerns.
A Lack of Intensity
For Forest's third goal, a quick switch found Omari Hutchinson in space on the wing. Hutchinson received the ball facing the goal, allowing him to advance with momentum. Similar situations have arisen in previous matches, highlighting Liverpool's vulnerability to wingers receiving the ball in advantageous positions.
Hutchinson showcased his skill by beating Andy Robertson and taking a shot that Alisson saved. However, Mac Allister's attempt to block the shot left the central area unprotected, allowing Gibbs-White to score unopposed. This pattern of space opening up for all three goals is a pressing issue Liverpool must address, whether by having defenders step out more proactively, stopping chances at the source, or employing a more positionally aware defensive midfielder.
Forest Impress in Statement Win Under Dyche
By the time the third goal was scored, Slot's substitutions had skewed the team heavily towards attack, leaving Mac Allister with insufficient defensive support. Thus, while he must share responsibility, the goals conceded against Forest underscore a broader lack of balance, intensity, and cohesion—traits that have historically underpinned Liverpool's success.
Nonetheless, credit must be given to Forest for their impressive performance. Their physicality, ability to win second balls, and commitment to off-the-ball movement were crucial to securing a remarkable victory.