Anfield emptied well before the final whistle, in a cathedral silence only broken by the chants of the visiting supporters. This Saturday was supposed to be one of redemption after the slap received at City, it turned into an absolute nightmare. Liverpool were crushed on their lawn (0-3) by Nottingham Forest, despite being 19th and in great difficulty. At the heart of this historic debacle, Ibrahima Konaté delivered an abysmal performance. Feverishness, placement errors, passivity: the French international was the face of the rout, far from the impassable “Rock” which once ruled the roost in the Reds’ box.
Konaté, a terrible sanction in the 55th minute
The ordeal lasted less than an hour, but it seemed like an eternity. Faulty on Murillo’s opener, totally overwhelmed on Savona’s break goal after returning from the locker room, Konaté suffered the ultimate disavowal. In the 55th minute, when the score was already insurmountably behind, Arne Slot made a quick decision. No feelings, no protection: the Dutch coach took out his central defender to bring in an attacker, Hugo Ekitike. A tactical and public humiliation for the former Sochalien, forced to return to the bench with his head bowed under the stunned gaze of his own fans.
This sinking is not an accident, it is confirmation of a free fall. The statistics from his season are chilling: with only 43% of duels won on the ground, Konaté displays one of the worst ratios in the championship. For a team that concedes goal after goal and slips dangerously in the standings, retaining such a weak link becomes untenable. Jamie Carragher was not mistaken, pointing out an individual bankruptcy which contaminates the entire collective. Zero “clean sheets”, murderous ball losses in his own area: the Frenchman no longer reassures anyone.
The departure seems inevitable
The contractual context makes the situation even more toxic. While his lease expires in 2026, Konaté has rejected extension offers, visibly eyeing Real Madrid. A strategy reminiscent of that of Trent Alexander-Arnold last year, except that the English full-back started at the top. Konaté, for his part, gives the impression of already having his head elsewhere while his feet no longer respond. The Anfield public, who forgive mistakes but not lack of commitment, are starting to get tired of this soap opera which is parasitizing the season.
This 0-3 against Forest will perhaps mark the point of no return. Arne Slot has proven that he will no longer hesitate to do without his executives if they are not up to standard. Ibrahima Konaté is today at a critical turning point: either he wakes up suddenly to save what can be saved, or he is already preparing his bags for a departure which, given his latest outings, will not make many people cry on the banks of the Mersey.
