The Anfield lights also seem to be unable to hide the frustration of Liverpool fans, Nottingham Forest's stubborn defence, and finally fell silent, this unexpected defeat not only gave the Reds a taste of the bitterness of the new season, but also pushed manager Slot's tactical arrangement to the forefront
The game was full of ups and downs, but it was also a clear indication of Forest's tactical intent, they used dense midfield interceptions to cut Liverpool's attack to pieces, and the tireless fighter on the pitch became the perfect executor of Forest's tactics, he pressed viciously again and again, making every touch of the ball full of pressure on the Liverpool players
On the other hand, Liverpool, despite their dominance in possession and shots on goal, have never been able to find an effective way to tear apart the opponent's defence
The heart of Liverpool's attack also seems to have failed to fully recover from the fatigue of the national team, with his breakthroughs losing his sharpness and passing with a little precision, which is the cruelty of football, and even the brightest stars cannot stay at their peak forever
Slot's tactical arrangement, this night became the focus of doubt, in the face of Forest midfield strangulation, Liverpool appeared unprepared, so that the team at both ends of the attack and defense should be out of balance
It is undoubtedly a wake-up call for Liverpool, who have only just started the new season and have exposed such obvious tactical holes, which is really worrying, and Slot needs to find a solution to the problem as soon as possible, and it will be an even more difficult challenge for them
We can't ignore the tenacity of Forest's tenacity in this game, and their iron-blooded defense proved that even in the face of strong opponents, they are not powerless, perhaps reflecting this possibility of a weak defeat of the strong
The defeat may have been a valuable lesson for Liverpool, as it reminded them that even those who are familiar with Anfield are not invincible, and that only by facing up to the problems can they go far in the future
For Slot, the bigger test lies ahead, as he needs to prove that he has what it takes to lead Liverpool out of trouble and back to their former glory
In this game, although Liverpool's wing attack was active, the quality of crosses was not high, making it difficult to form an effective threat, and in the midfield, the lack of a core player who could connect attack and defend and dispatch rhythm also made the team's attack seem to lack a sense of hierarchy
It would be a bit arbitrary to dismiss Slot's tactical system in just one game, as every coach has his own football philosophy and tactical philosophy, and players need time to adapt and execute
There's no denying that Slote need to find a solution to their problems as soon as possible, Liverpool are an ambitious team who are hungry to win every game, and if Slote can't lead the team out of trouble, then his position will be in jeopardy
The world of football is changing so fast that no team can win forever, and Liverpool need to learn from this defeat and adjust their tactics and improve their players in time to regain confidence in the upcoming games
For Slot, he needs to withstand the pressure, strengthen his tactical beliefs, and also adapt flexibly to the characteristics of the opponent to lead Liverpool out of the haze and back to victory
It may be just a small episode in Liverpool's journey for the new season, but it is a wake-up call for the team and a new challenge for Slot
I believe that after this defeat, Liverpool will be more aware of its own shortcomings and meet the future challenges with more tenacious fighting spirit
I will continue to support this team and look forward to them reaching the top of glory again