Konate suffers a nightmare outing as Liverpool lose to Forest | OneFootball

Liverpool suffered a 3-0 loss against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League at Anfield yesterday.

Defender Ibrahima Konate delivered a woeful performance. His positioning for the first two goals Liverpool conceded was suspect, and his build-up play was dreadful.

Liverpool journalist James Pearce claimed Konate had a ‘nightmare’ and his assessment was accurate. He was hauled off in the 55th minute for Hugo Ekitike

Konate has been poor this season, performing well below the levels he showed last term.

The 26-year-old Frenchman is struggling badly, and this drop in form has coincided with Liverpool’s decline.

While the transfer noise could be affecting the centre-back’s performance, it’s more likely the same drop-off that has bogged down the rest of the team.

Unfortunately for Liverpool, manager Arne Slot has little choice but to keep starting him.

Joe Gomez hasn’t impressed in his brief cameos, offering no real authority or leadership at centre-back.

Slot is effectively forced to roll the dice on Konate every week, hoping he snaps out of this slump before the damage becomes irreversible.

The Reds will likely have to ride out these struggles until January, when a move for Marc Guehi could be on the cards.

The Crystal Palace man would undoubtedly raise the bar, but even he might not be enough to plug all the holes in a rearguard with issues everywhere you look.

This is not a one-player fix. It’s a systemic unravelling. And until reinforcements arrive, Slot will have to manage a fragile defence with no real impetus.