Mo Salah

[kemm1]

I thought it was the same salah we've seen for 2 years now. Struggling to get on the end of long balls, heavy touch, zero ability to beat a man, giving up possession easily, followed by some great through balls, good movement, a goal and assist. Mixed bag. No doubting he affects games in a positive way but he's also responsible for a lot of attacks breaking down. But I fully understand why people gloss over his failings while he keeps producing moments. I hope he's used better this season ie doesn't start every game. That way we can keep him fresher so he doesn't completing nose dive after Christmas. Incredible first day scoring record. Insane figures. 37 more wins required.

[SB]

I thought it was the same salah we've seen for 2 years now. Struggling to get on the end of long balls, heavy touch, zero ability to beat a man, giving up possession easily, followed by some great through balls, good movement, a goal and assist. Mixed bag. No doubting he affects games in a positive way but he's also responsible for a lot of attacks breaking down. But I fully understand why people gloss over his failings while he keeps producing moments. I hope he's used better this season ie doesn't start every game. That way we can keep him fresher so he doesn't completing nose dive after Christmas. Incredible first day scoring record. Insane figures. 37 more wins required.

[Rich]

I know he's always been superfit but it's looking like he's gone another level with his fitness. He's looking a bit stockier and perhaps that's going to help him as he gets older. Judging by his Gram account he's also big time into joga/stretching, which is going to help him too.

Long may it continue.

[Exiled_red]

I thought it was the same salah we've seen for 2 years now. Struggling to get on the end of long balls, heavy touch, zero ability to beat a man, giving up possession easily, followed by some great through balls, good movement, a goal and assist. Mixed bag. No doubting he affects games in a positive way but he's also responsible for a lot of attacks breaking down. But I fully understand why people gloss over his failings while he keeps producing moments. I hope he's used better this season ie doesn't start every game. That way we can keep him fresher so he doesn't completing nose dive after Christmas. Incredible first day scoring record. Insane figures. 37 more wins required.

Yes his level has dropped a bit when you watch him compared to a few years back. Personally I think part of it is because he doesn't have the same understanding with players around him now that he had with Mane and Firmino etc.

That said in the previous 2 seasons he has 55 goals and 29 assists, I don't think there are many players that can match the level of productivity.

Age will have an effect so managing his minutes is something that makes alot of sense going forward, but we don't really have another right sided option. I wonder if Diaz might play there a bit, because I don't see us signing anyone there in this window.

[danperkins]

I thought it was the same salah we've seen for 2 years now. Struggling to get on the end of long balls, heavy touch, zero ability to beat a man, giving up possession easily, followed by some great through balls, good movement, a goal and assist. Mixed bag. No doubting he affects games in a positive way but he's also responsible for a lot of attacks breaking down. But I fully understand why people gloss over his failings while he keeps producing moments. I hope he's used better this season ie doesn't start every game. That way we can keep him fresher so he doesn't completing nose dive after Christmas. Incredible first day scoring record. Insane figures. 37 more wins required.

fair post

[Buzzo]

I agree he didn’t impact first half (was still dangerous tho - in good positions constantly) but so did everyone. He was excellent second half.

The expectations are higher with him. None of the other forwards offered much first half either. When Salah gets the ball we expect a goal or assist every time.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I thought it was the same salah we've seen for 2 years now. Struggling to get on the end of long balls, heavy touch, zero ability to beat a man, giving up possession easily, followed by some great through balls, good movement, a goal and assist. Mixed bag. No doubting he affects games in a positive way but he's also responsible for a lot of attacks breaking down. But I fully understand why people gloss over his failings while he keeps producing moments. I hope he's used better this season ie doesn't start every game. That way we can keep him fresher so he doesn't completing nose dive after Christmas. Incredible first day scoring record. Insane figures. 37 more wins required.

Not untrue, but we also have Diaz on the other flank who either slows down a lot of attacks with less than stellar end play or with a piece of poor ball control.


Unlike Salah he does not come with the benefit of being able to play so so and still chip in with regular goals and assists.

Diaz for me is very much a luxury player and at 27 years of age he does not have a lot of scope to suddenly improve his end product.


How many times does Diaz make a run that looks exciting at first but that ends up going nowhere or another player looks to play a pass and Diaz is slow getting into that attacking position?



Much easier to "gloss over" Salah's failings because Salah still has a world class level of end product. Diaz has so so end product and I suspect he might get ousted on the left in favour of Gakpo or even for Nunez.

The latter of those two I think would be much more suited physically to the long cross field balls we try to release towards the left flank when we are trying to spring a counter attack, whereas the former would provide, imo of course, a much higher level of both skill and game intelligence if we want someone to be feeding the runs of Jota from that flank.

Actually seem to recall around January last season when Jota and Nunez got an extended run together that they seemed to interchange very easily wwhereas I cannot think of a signle player be it in attack or at left back that seems to have struck up a good partnership with Diaz.

[Buzzo]

Not untrue, but we also have Diaz on the other flank who either slows down a lot of attacks with less than stellar end play or with a piece of poor ball control.


Unlike Salah he does not come with the benefit of being able to play so so and still chip in with regular goals and assists.

Diaz for me is very much a luxury player and at 27 years of age he does not have a lot of scope to suddenly improve his end product.


How many times does Diaz make a run that looks exciting at first but that ends up going nowhere or another player looks to play a pass and Diaz is slow getting into that attacking position?



Much easier to "gloss over" Salah's failings because Salah still has a world class level of end product. Diaz has so so end product and I suspect he might get ousted on the left in favour of Gakpo or even for Nunez.

The latter of those two I think would be much more suited physically to the long cross field balls we try to release towards the left flank when we are trying to spring a counter attack, whereas the former would provide, imo of course, a much higher level of both skill and game intelligence if we want someone to be feeding the runs of Jota from that flank.

Actually seem to recall around January last season when Jota and Nunez got an extended run together that they seemed to interchange very easily wwhereas I cannot think of a signle player be it in attack or at left back that seems to have struck up a good partnership with Diaz.

It’s all about end product.

I’d like to see Nunez and Gakpo given a chance on the left also.

[Doc_Piptorious]

It’s all about end product.

I’d like to see Nunez and Gakpo given a chance on the left also.

Yep.

Well for the attackers more so than other positions.

But Salah has it and he is the one attacker we have that can have a stinker of a game but still have you thinking he is going to change that same game with a goal or assist.

Spent the transfer window hoping there was some truth to Barca or whatever team being interested in Diaz if the mooted 70m+ were involved as I think he would be the easiest of our attackers to replace as his end product usually seems the worst versus minutes played.


Salah is Salah and that crazy level of end product means he is safe.

Jota has great end product but his injury record is horrible. But is second on our attacker list based on that end product.

Nunez sits in the middle of the attacking options for me. Could improve a lot imo but at the same time has pretty good levels of end product, enough that he would be less easy to replace than those below him.

Gakpo I think has a hell of a lot to his game and said it a lot last season that I think we should be playing him the way the Dutch national team does. He seems to have a bit of a left winger/wide left playmaker role for them and it really suits him plus he is a skillfull and clever enough player to spot runs by others along with making runs onto passes about to be played.


Diaz sits at the bottom for me. Play breaks down with him as much as with Salah but he does not have the end product to offset that at all. Not in terms or goals, not in terms of assists and not even in terms of secondary assists (the pass that leads to the assist).


Get offered 60m to 75m for Diaz and I would hope the club would jump at it.


Hell there are rumours Barca want to unload de Jong and bring in Mountain man Zubimendi. Offer them a straight swap of Diaz for de Jong and they can then use whatever cash their latest levers raise to buy Zubimendi.


My EA FC2025 tendencies raise their head again

[BigChief]

I would agree with most of that if Jota was reliable injury wise. It is highly likely we will be playing a large part of the season with Diaz, Nunez and Salah up front. In which case I would prefer we kept Diaz (unless Gordon from Newcastle is realistic).

Screw the straight swap for DeJong.

[RichC]

I think Gapko is ahead of Nunez at the moment.

Hopefully the change in style might help Jota stay fit a little more than he's shown since he's been with us.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I would agree with most of that if Jota was reliable injury wise. It is highly likely we will be playing a large part of the season with Diaz, Nunez and Salah up front. In which case I would prefer we kept Diaz (unless Gordon from Newcastle is realistic).

Screw the straight swap for DeJong.

I think Gordon would be potentially an upgrade on Diaz. He is four years younger and seems to be able to link well with other attackers and midfielders when it comes to build up play. Does look like he has some end product too.

Though if we did sell Diaz I am not sure if I would go with getting in another Left sided attacker or if I would bring in someone that can play at bother rw and up front instead if Salah intends to leave in 10 months time.


After all even if Diaz left we have Gakpo, Nunez and Jota that can all play on the left wing.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I think Gapko is ahead of Nunez at the moment.

Hopefully the change in style might help Jota stay fit a little more than he's shown since he's been with us.

Hope so but I think a lot of his injuries are the result of a build up self inflicted wear and tear.


Watch how he plays, he rarely is a silky dribbler but rather has a bit of a battering ram approach that sees him hit against other players a lot.

Have a feeling that when something "breaks" in him, that a lot of the time it is down to, or partially down to, a cumulative effect from his niggly snide style of play.

Not sure that can be trained out of him at this stage of his career nor am I sure if he would be as effective (when fit) a player without that little bit of rough housing to his game.

[Buzzo]

Hope so but I think a lot of his injuries are the result of a build up self inflicted wear and tear.


Watch how he plays, he rarely is a silky dribbler but rather has a bit of a battering ram approach that sees him hit against other players a lot.

Have a feeling that when something "breaks" in him, that a lot of the time it is down to, or partially down to, a cumulative effect from his niggly snide style of play.

Not sure that can be trained out of him at this stage of his career nor am I sure if he would be as effective (when fit) a player without that little bit of rough housing to his game.

Agree on Jota his all action style is 100% why he picks up so many injuries.

[Angryred]

Let's hope Slot & his team has identified that & will work their magic on him to keep him fit & firing.
We all know that a fit Jota would have fired us to better outcomes than we have achieved in the last 3 years.