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Virgil van Dijk has issued a blunt assessment of the club's woeful title defence, admitting the title holders are in disarray and failing manager Arne Slot while doubting whether every player is owning up for the current downturn.

The Dutch defender struggled to hold back his frustration after the weekend's 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, a result that left Liverpool in the bottom half of the Premier League table with a negative goal difference. The club's chair was in attendance to observe Liverpool’s latest loss in seven league games, their eighth loss in 11 matches across every tournament, and a performance that fell apart against a opponent that started the day in the relegation 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 the Forest player gave Sean Dyche’s team the advantage. The first goal was the ninth concession Liverpool have allowed from dead-ball situations in the current campaign.

“We had a great three or four days’ preparation but in a game you are facing facts and the facts are we gave away a set piece in the first half and a poor concession at the start of the second half,” stated 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 help each other get out of this crisis because at the moment it is a mess – that's the reality.

Van Dijk’s Demands: Take Responsibility

The skipper typically addresses the media after a game as part of his role as team leader. This time was distinct, however. His voice was more forceful – so loud that any teammate in the Anfield tunnel could listen in – and he expressed visible fury while urging the dressing room to react. “You should be angry,” he insisted. “The key point for me is that each individual has to take responsibility.” Asked whether that is happening, Van Dijk answered: “It's unclear. But you have to do that. That's crucial I want the players to do. It’s not easy during tough periods but we have to do it if we want to get out of this.”

Squad Investment and Broader Issues

Liverpool invested almost £450m to strengthen a title-winning squad in the off-season but have gone backwards, with new arrivals failing to make an impact so far. The captain insisted that Liverpool’s problems extend past the new recruits. “It's difficult for all involved,” he said. “My expectation is for each player to take responsibility on the pitch. We have to do that in order to motivate one another, to make each other better. When someone is pressing, you have to follow the press. These are fundamentals but they're lacking enough.”

Call for Unity

Van Dijk continued: “In the current term we lack any steady form, we allow far too many goals, we are losing battles and everyone is responsible for it and I trust this is recognized. It's vital to take responsibility to reverse the situation and tempting to point fingers but unity is essential. We have been through it together and claimed the title and everyone was part of it, and during a challenging phase you must remain united and not point fingers.

“Show character and face the toughness and persist, repeatedly because if you want to give up then you are at the wrong place in my eyes, because Liverpool has been going through many adversity over recent seasons and we’ve always come out of it. However, that doesn't imply it is easy, it’s tiring but there is only one path forward.”

Looking Ahead

Next up in the Premier League is a trip to West Ham next Sunday, after the midweek visit of the Dutch side in the Champions League. He commented: “The next game is another opportunity so what am I going to do, dwell on the loss? Certainly not, I’m going to go home and analyze how we can improve results and I trust that is what everyone is doing as well.”