Virgil van Dijk was likely squirming in his seat when Jurgen Klopp replayed the Naples "horror show" back to his Liverpool players at the AXA Centre last Friday.
A miserable 4-1 defeat to Napoli on Wednesday of last week led to Klopp labelling it the worst performance of his near seven years at Anfield and the players were made sure they knew about it during what was said to be a particularly candid and forthright team meeting that was called to analyse just what went wrong in Italy.
Van Dijk was not especially culpable for the Napoli nightmare but the £75m Dutch defender sees the concession of Liverpool goals as a personal affront and a disappointing opening month to the season reached a nadir at the Maradona Stadium.
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A week on, the picture is looking a little healthier at least: Tuesday's 2-1 win over Ajax has got the Reds back to winning ways and kick-started their Group A campaign in the Champions League.
With no Premier League fixture this weekend due to policing concerns around matches in London ahead of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, Klopp and his team now have the rare prospect of an empty schedule for a few weeks.
It provides the club with an opportunity to whittle down an lengthy injury list as best as possible before Brighton visit Anfield on October 1. For those fit enough to have played a part so far this season, though, Van Dijk accepts performances on the whole have been far from the requisite standard.
And while the Netherlands captain was refusing to hide that in a candid post-match chat with reporters at Anfield on Tuesday evening, he did seek to offer some mitigation behind a run of form that has seen Liverpool win just three of their eight games this term.
Having captained the side against Ajax in the absence of the injured Jordan Henderson and benched James Milner, Van Dijk fronted up to the media after the 2-1 win to give an honest appraisal of events so far this term.
Virgil, do you think because of the club's sustained period of success, it is disconcerting now it is not going so well?
“There are reasons for why it is not going so well. I think the reasons have been highlighted, especially the game against Napoli. We were absolutely shocking that night, we know it, it hurts all of us, it hurts me.
"We spoke about it, we drew a line under it and we showed glimpses of what we normally are. More than glimpses, by the way, but it is something we just have to carry on [doing]. We are a very good team, a very good football club and the last week was quite tough to watch for everyone associated with us, but we also have to remember we are human beings, we try every day our best to perform as good as we can and these moments also it is possible that it happens unfortunately and it is how you react to it and I think we reacted quite well today."
Are you more angry or cross with the fact the team isn't playing well or that you are under scrutiny over that?
“With all due respect all you [journalists] never played at this level so I'm not criticising you, but the obvious criticism is there, but ex-pros and players who have played at this level know there are times when you can have a blip, a period like this unfortunately, and it is how you react to it.
"What we did last week was unacceptable, all of us, and the days after that game we definitely had a reality check. We spoke with each other and we have to carry on. You don't want to be in the situation but we all know the season will be so long to turn this around.
“I think what we are is we are good if we perform as a team. That's the reason behind the success we had over the last five years. We press as a team, we defend as a team and if you start doing it in bits and people are not in the best form of their life it is tough.
"Everyone wants to do as good as they can but if you are not in the same connection you can have performances like we had last week. I think it is a good start to be where we want to be again, we don't get carried away as things can change easily, but we have to be positive, believe in our structure and believe in ourselves.
"The manager has spoken about it very loudly during the week but as players as well we are responsible for performances on the pitch. We are the ones who have to do it."
You've had three centre-back partners already this season just eight games in...
“That's not the issue, that's not the thing because over the seasons we've always changed players. Even when there was success we have always said it was because of the team and that's always been the case. If people start blaming each other personally then it's a different story. But we don't do that.
"We want to perform as a team, as good as we can because we know if we do that we have a good chance of getting results. Today we were aggressive, dominating, creating chances and showed what we are about and that is what we have to keep going."
The ex-footballers you mentioned? Any names?
“Did I mention that!? The only thing I meant is they have been in our situation and everyone has been acting like you can't have a bad period, a difficult game or a difficult situation. It is too easy to say these types of things but they are doing their job and that is what they do. I would never go that route, I think."
How do you assess your own season?
“I can do much better and I think today was a good step in the right direction for all of us. It is like it is: if you perform well as a team everyone is going to do well if you are in the same direction.
“They focus on me? But that's always going to be the case. That's the good and the bad thing about it. If we do well I obviously get praise and if we don't then I don't. But I still think I need to improve and that's fine. The only way to do it is play the games, learn from the mistakes, don't listen to the outside world too much, speak to the people close to you.
"I've said it many times, we are all human beings and we all want to do as well as we can and the same goes for me. I know for a fact I can do better – but we all can do better. I feel very hurt if we concede goals and don't keep clean sheets and I feel that responsibility but that's a good thing.
"I want to turn this season around not for myself but for all of us associated with the club and we want to perform as good as we can. And luckily for us this season is going to be so long with so many games and competitions. Let's just go for it, enjoy it. We will still have difficult moments but why not enjoy it?"
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