ReactionArne Slot press conference: Liverpool 3-0 Bournemouth, Nunez, Kelleher and more
The Reds returned to winning ways in the Premier League after fine finishes from Luis Diaz (two) and Darwin Nunez.
Diaz netted a quickfire double midway through the first half before Nunez added the hosts' third with a curling effort eight minutes prior to the interval.
Read on for a full transcript of Slot's post-match press conference…
On the victory and performance...
There were 12 minutes where we scored three goals but I think during the whole first half we saw many of those moments. Unfortunately for us, the first, second and third didn't go in. The good thing for us was their first chance didn't go in as well. Then there were these 12 minutes of one attack after another that led to three goals, which was really pleasing to see at that moment – and which we also needed because we played against a tough opponent. An opponent which showed today that even when they were 3-0 down they just kept on going, kept on going and kept on going. It was tougher than the result might look like.
On Diaz's two goals...
The finishes in both situations were really good, but I think the lead-up to both goals was different and that's why it was really good. In the first goal, Ibou [Konate] recognised really well that they had a high last line and they wanted to press us really high, completely different to Nottingham Forest. He recognised the right moment to play the ball in behind. In the second one, we needed to play Mo [Salah] and Trent [Alexander-Arnold] reacted fantastically by coming underneath, bounced pass [to] Mo and he just went all the way with the ball all over the pitch and assisted to Lucho. Both team goals with different set-ups.
On how he sees the team shaping up six games in...
I said to them today in the pre-match meeting that I learn from them day by day and I was really curious to see how we would react after the Milan game. What I know from the start – and what I knew before I even started – is that there is a lot of quality in this team, that's clear, but we are not the only one. There are a lot of quality teams in this league. So, winning games is not so difficult if you have so much quality, but if you want to win more than only a few games it's also about mentality. After the United game, which was a big win, or a statement win I think you call it here in England, then to see us coming back against Nottingham Forest like that, that was not what you expect from a team that wants to compete for something. So, after the big win against AC Milan I was curious to see how we would react today – and it was a much, much better reaction than we had against Nottingham Forest.
On how Bournemouth's approach impacted the game...
It's both ways around because I think against Nottingham Forest they were only in front of our goal two times – and the goal they scored, was that a chance? A shot from 20 yards? This team today, Bournemouth, created much more chances against us than Nottingham Forest did. On the other hand, we created much more than we did against Nottingham Forest, so if you face a low block normally you don't concede a lot of chances. I expect the longer we work together if we play against a low block that we can create much more. It's a bit weird that we didn't concede today and we did concede against Nottingham Forest because looking at the chance creation, today the other team created much more than Nottingham Forest did.
On Nunez's all-round performance...
That's what I noticed as well. Of course, I play a striker because I like him to score goals, I play a winger because I like them to assist or to score goals. Because if you want to win a game, you need to score goals. But it also helps if you keep a clean sheet. We just spoke about the lead-up to both goals, Ibou was involved in this – but keeping a clean sheet, Darwin is also involved in this because of the reasons you just told me. So first and foremost, they have to work really hard for the team. In the beginning of the season it was Mo who made the difference and with Lucho and then it was Cody [Gakpo] and Diogo [Jota] who's been involved in goals – and today it was Lucho and Darwin. That's all we want to see.
On Caoimhin Kelleher and 'the need to have two good goalkeepers'...
Yeah, but not only two goalkeepers, also two good wingers, left wingers, two good right wingers, two good strikers. That's what you saw today. I just said about Cody, how good he was in San Siro, how good Lucho was now – and it's the same with the goalkeepers. We needed our goalkeeper today more than in all the other matches we played before because, like I just said, Bournemouth got more chances than I am used to seeing the other teams getting against us in the first six games of the season. But it was a good thing that we had Caoimhin today because he made some really good saves – which Alisson [Becker] did in the other games as well, but he didn't have to make that many as Caoimhin made today.
On Nunez finding 'consistency'...
I think consistency you get by two things – you get by work-rate and you get it by team performance. If the team performance is not consistent, it's so difficult for an individual to be consistent as well. We just have to create our habits day by day on the training ground and in the games to get this consistency. Because while working on your habits, you create consistency. That's what we try to do every day and he showed today a good game and maybe he can show Wednesday again, but let's wait and see.
On Nunez's goal...
My first instinct when he shot, I said, 'Why does he shoot? Why don't you keep on dribbling?' Because he made the ball free and I think the defender was on the ground. But then there was a fraction of a second later when I saw the ball went in off the post and I was like, 'OK, maybe you are a better football player than I was in the past!' [A] good choice of him.
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