A PLAN Virgil savours Reds glory days even more
YOu would have thought that Liverpool couldn’t wait to see the back of this season, their suffering finally brought to an end.
Yet for Virgil van Dijk, after another trial by fire in what has been a campaign full of them, there is something to take from a season where hope of a trophy was lost long ago — just how blessed they have been with previous success.
Van Dijk had batted away the usual questions about Liverpool’s inconsistency, which saw them struggle against their lowly opponents, after thrashing Leeds just six days previously, suggesting they still had to take joy from laboured victory.
Was it possible to enjoy being pummelled by Forest’s exacting set-piece delivery, which nearly exposed the home side’s weakness with another shocking result in a season full of them?
Van Dijk said: “This season, at times, you maybe have to remind yourself that we’re really blessed.
“We are very privileged. We’re going out there, performing for one of the biggest clubs in the world, and we’ve all contributed to winning big trophies. Everyone wants to win, no-one wants to make mistakes and lose.
Results
“We have been very successful over the years. So we just need to find that joy.
“I’m certainly happy and buzzing to be out there, trying to get good results to put a run together.
“It’s about consistency now, staying positive and trying to enjoy the rest of the games.”
Liverpool rarely looked as though they were enjoying it, as
Forest exposed their set-piece weakness.
The back line were probably still seeing phantom, missilelike throw-ins coming at them hours after the final whistle.
Twice the Nottingham club equalised through those long throws — with Van Dijk admitting they didn’t defend the second ball anywhere near well enough.
“There are things we have to improve, we know that.
“We have to defend throw-ins better and especially the second balls. It was down to the quality of them but still we have to do better. It’s been a very difficult season so far. To win after conceding an equaliser twice is a good thing.”
Fabinho was AWOL for Forest’s first goal as a long throw and a simple pass across the defence gave returning Liverpool old boy Neco Williams the chance to score.
Fabinho was subbed soon afterwards, with Thiago used as the holding midfielder as Trent Alexander-Arnold slipped in alongside him.
It hardly worked defensively, with Morgan Gibbs-White again levelling, and Forest creating late chances to have equalised for a third time.
But going forward, at least Liverpool were creative, with Diogo Jota, after failing to score in the previous 372 days, scoring his third and fourth goals in the past six days to give Liverpool the lead at 1-0 and 2-1.
Mo Salah also joined Robbie Fowler in sixth on the all-time scoring list for the club, with his winning goal.
And the creativity of Alexander-Arnold in a new role was a massive plus, as Van Dijk explained: “It’s a work in progress but we all like it.
“The manager has been saying that it’s all about the counter-press.
“If everyone comes across and makes the pitch as small as possible then we have a big chance to win the ball back. Everyone has to feel the freedom in possession to be important. That’s what we try to do.”
Steve Cooper has told his shellshocked players they must stick together, and believe they can beat the drop.
The Nottingham Forest boss was left stunned by some shocking defending at set pieces, which saw Liverpool score three from free kicks and corners, and he admitted it simply wasn’t good enough.
But they scored twice from set pieces of their own, and Cooper wants his players to take the positives, as they attempt to fight they way out of the bottom three.
Difficult
“We win or lose together, it has never been more key to stay together in one of the most difficult away games you can play,” he said.
“The huge frustration is we have conceded three goals from set pieces. Really avoidable, but there are quite a few positives.
“So we have to use some of the decent things we did, put them all together and just keep going. There are loads of aspects to our out-of-possession game that are really good.
“Keylor in open play has not had a lot to do and that is not easy to do at Anfield. Some of our play was fantastic so we have to use that.”