Curtis Jones says Liverpool are "in the sh*t" after their demoralising 4-1 loss to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League. Defeat at Anfield condemned the Reds to their worst run of form in 71 years, with many scratching their heads at how they can arrest this slide. While some players will have kept their anger for the changing rooms, Jones gave a brutally honest post-match interview.
Liverpool's plight is 'unacceptable'
Following Liverpool's 4-1 loss to PSV on Wednesday night, which came days after a 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, midfielder Jones held nothing back when analysing his side's woeful run of form. The England international said their results have been "unacceptable" and that everyone needs to do better.
He told RTE: "I don’t have the answers. Honestly, I don’t. I’m saying that to everybody. It’s just unacceptable. I don’t even have to wait to think about it. I’m past being angry inside. I’m at the point now where I just don’t have the words. It’s hard because I’m playing for the team I support. I’m a fan, and I’ve seen this club all my life. In a long, long time, I haven’t experienced a Liverpool team going through a period like this with results like these. But at the end of the day, we still have that badge on our chest. And until that badge is gone, we’re always going to fight. We’re going to try and get this team back to where it needs to be, show everyone again what this club is about and why people call it the best team in the world. But right now, we’re in the s***, and it needs to change."
AdvertisementLiverpool 'too nice' now
The 24-year-old also believes that the fear factor once associated with Anfield is nowhere to be found. He also thinks that the Liverpool team are being a bit too "nice" and should be pressing sides like "absolute dogs".
He also told CBS: "You just want to be a man out there and you just want to tackle someone and just be a dog out there. It’s got to be on me and the rest of the lads to change this around to not be so nice where teams are coming here thinking, ‘We’re gonna win here and score two, three, four goals’. This used to be a place that you hated to come – with the fans and how we’re going to play and how we’re going to press and be absolute dogs. Now we hardly even play. There’s times where we do play but off the ball stuff… I think that is the stuff that has to change."
'Cannot continue like this'
Naturally, Slot cut a dejected figure after yet another history-making loss. Reds legend Jamie Carragher does not think the club should sack Slot but even the Dutchman is increasingly doubting his own competency.
He said: "I'm not questioning the players, because I know that we have very good players. Their mentality after us going 1-0 down was also what I was hoping for, but also what you have to expect if you are a Liverpool player. So it's something normal for me that you're questioning your line-ups, you're questioning your tactics, you're questioning the substitutions you make, but that's also what you do if you don't lose every single time. But it's normal for me to question the choices I make, because I've said many times that I'm responsible for this situation. But the players have so much quality that this cannot continue like this."
Getty Images SportWhat comes next for struggling Liverpool?
After a run of nine defeats in their last 12 games in all competitions, on top of losing six of their last seven in the Premier League, Liverpool will be low on confidence heading into a clash with lowly West Ham this weekend. The Hammers have picked up their form in recent weeks and will be hopeful of causing another upset. After that, the Reds take on Sunderland and struggling Leeds United as a huge run of matches beckons.