Mo Salah

[kemm1]

But yet he made a lovely assist for Darwin and scored and instinctual goal too. Not his fault everything behind him went to utter ****.

I'm not blaming him for everything. This is a Salah thread specifically talking about Salah, so I'm addressing that. I've been posting about my concerns about our midfield even when we won the League. I hold the opinion that this started years ago. In any organization problems can take years to manifest itself.

[kemm1]

For whom though? Darwin for Jota who we know can do well. Bobby for Gakpo who we know can do well. Only Elliot for Mo, who is nowhere near ready to play against Real Madrid. Sad truth unfortunately.

That's for Klopp to figure out. I saw no reason to leave Salah on and take off Nunez.

[danperkins]

I'm not blaming him for everything. This is a Salah thread specifically talking about Salah, so I'm addressing that. I've been posting about my concerns about our midfield even when we won the League. I hold the opinion that this started years ago. In any organization problems can take years to manifest itself.

that's fair enough and I'm not denying that he hasn't been anywhere near his usual standards but juat there are other factors at play. We're a mess

[kemm1]

He’s just not punching the ridiculous numbers that he used to. But he’s still our top scorer. He’s not peak that’s for sure, can he get there again? Who knows. But by Wide right players in the PL he scores and assists more than most. We are just comparing this seasons Salah to the one that scored pretty much every game.

He should probably love to the middle like Ronaldo did.

[Tatterdemalion]

Pretty sure Salah is up for sale this summer and that's pretty much the only reason we agreed to his large (for us) wages. Hopefully PSG stay stupid.

[Charly]

He has been ****... But I dont see Nunez doing any better. He does one great thing a game and then goes completely missing too. He is a far cry for Mane, who would look to get possession and then tear the opposition a new one.

We desperately need Diaz back, imho.

I still blame the midfield for leaving gaps everywhere. Perhaps the forwards need to be more compact too

[kemm1]

that's fair enough and I'm not denying that he hasn't been anywhere near his usual standards but juat there are other factors at play. We're a mess

Yes and my point is, Salah and Mane papered over our cracks when they were in their prime (not saying we had a ton of them). Namely midfield. Everything flowed from them in my view. We should have taken the opportunity to keep on investing but we did not and here we are.

[kemm1]

He has been ****... But I dont see Nunez doing any better. He does one great thing a game and then goes completely missing too. He is a far cry for Mane, who would look to get possession and then tear the opposition a new one.

We desperately need Diaz back, imho.

I still blame the midfield for leaving gaps everywhere. Perhaps the forwards need to be more compact too

Nunez would look wat better with a strong midfield behind him. Diaz coming back will be huge, I agree.

Nunez is also what he is, a raw talent. This responsibility should not be put in him. This is years of squad mismanagement showing.

[Kenneth]

Yes and my point is, Salah and Mane papered over our cracks when they were in their prime (not saying we had a ton of them). Namely midfield. Everything flowed from them in my view. We should have taken the opportunity to keep on investing but we did not and here we are.

The fullbacks and forward combo was what set us apart. The midfield’s main job was watering carrying and pressing. The system has collapsed though, we’re going to need a new one.

[kemm1]

The fullbacks and forward combo was what set us apart. The midfield’s main job was watering carrying and pressing. The system has collapsed though, we’re going to need a new one.

Yep, spot on.

[danperkins]

Yes and my point is, Salah and Mane papered over our cracks when they were in their prime (not saying we had a ton of them). Namely midfield. Everything flowed from them in my view. We should have taken the opportunity to keep on investing but we did not and here we are.

aye, depressing times.

[Charly]

The fullbacks and forward combo was what set us apart. The midfield’s main job was watering carrying and pressing. The system has collapsed though, we’re going to need a new one.

Yes...

We need a new midfield, no doubt... But do we still have the fullbacks to make it work?

The dip in assists from Trent especially has fallen off the face of the planet.

Salah has 9 from 48 chances
Trent 3 from 55
Robertson 8 from 36
Jota 5 from 13
Timmy 5 from 20
Nunez 4 from 19
Bobby 4 from 27


Most of those players have a 1 in 4 to 1 in 5 ratio of chances to assists.
Apart from Trent who is at 1 in 18

To underline the point about the midfield being water carriers:

Milner 2 in 12
Elliott 1 in 29
Hendo 1 in 19
Thiago 1 in 20

And apparently Alisson has 1 in zero... lol... he broke reality, so dont worry everyone... nothing is real anymore

(Stats taken from the bbc) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football...corers/assists

[Deano]

He has been ****... But I dont see Nunez doing any better. He does one great thing a game and then goes completely missing too. He is a far cry for Mane, who would look to get possession and then tear the opposition a new one.

We desperately need Diaz back, imho.

I still blame the midfield for leaving gaps everywhere. Perhaps the forwards need to be more compact too

We got a peak Mane, we got a Nunez that needs work, but the same level as peak Mane.

Agreed on Diaz, but, TBF he won't be anywhere near 100% for months

[Exiled_red]

Yes...

We need a new midfield, no doubt... But do we still have the fullbacks to make it work?

The dip in assists from Trent especially has fallen off the face of the planet.

Salah has 9 from 48 chances
Trent 3 from 55
Robertson 8 from 36
Jota 5 from 13
Timmy 5 from 20
Nunez 4 from 19
Bobby 4 from 27


Most of those players have a 1 in 4 to 1 in 5 ratio of chances to assists.
Apart from Trent who is at 1 in 18

To underline the point about the midfield being water carriers:

Milner 2 in 12
Elliott 1 in 29
Hendo 1 in 19
Thiago 1 in 20

And apparently Alisson has 1 in zero... lol... he broke reality, so dont worry everyone... nothing is real anymore

(Stats taken from the bbc) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football...corers/assists

I don't really like the assist / chances created, as there are too many factors in play you can create great chance and the player on the end of it misses a sitter, or you can put an average ball in and the player on the end of it pulls out a great finish or a defensive howler means someone scores from it, those are really factors beyond your control.

I feel that we have missed alot of chances this season, Salah has been getting a fair bit of stick this season, but most games he has at least one chance you feel he should score, a year or two back he puts them away more often than not this year it seems to be he has a great run and then shoots wide or has a shot that is almost a pass back to the keeper.

For me I don't think our prefered forward line (Diaz, Nunez and Salah) has as many goals in it as the Mane, Firmino and Salah line of the past

[Tribute]

Just also remember folks, Salah got a goal and an assist tonight too. He was terrible in the 2nd half no doubts but tell me one people that was decent for us?

...apart from his assist and scoring that absolute worldie, he could have been a cardboard cut-out in the second half. As a senior player in the team on a shedload of money, I'd expect him to raise his game and others around him. Mind you, he certainly did that with Nacho...