Mo Salah

[Kenneth]

As infuriating as Gakpo is, he runs, does the work for the team. That itself puts him well ahead of Salah.

I don't have to fight every day for my position because I earn it. I earned my position.

Seriously, **** that guy.

[Mark79]

When i say first teamer, i mean the regular starting XI.

Jones has never been an automatic starter. He's always in and out

We signed a replacement for Robbo and if anything, hes won his place back..

I said persistently benched, Mac Allsiter has not been benched 3 games running.

The 9s are both new arrivals and one of them has barely been fit.

And no, he hasn't been worse than Gakpo.

[Kenneth]

That's just untrue. Robbo, Macallister, Jones, both number 9s, and he's been the worst of them. And if anything, he was given too long a run of games to prove himself before being left out.

And yes, he's been worse than Gakpo.

Maybe I'm biased because I wanted him to leave in the summer, but he's stunk the place out this season. The only question has been whether it's temporary or permanent. Slot's under pressure for results and has lost patience waiting for evidence that it's temporary, and that it totally reasonable. If Mo can't accept that, that's a matter of his lack of professionalism.

There's no room for sentimentality. Hopefully we can get a deal done over AFCON and move on, it's best for everyone concerned.

[Mark79]

Why is being benched considered scapegoating? Has Slot publicly blamed Salah for the position we're in, if not you're buying in to his narrative. This is a game Salah loves to play with the club

He's the only first teamer who's been persistently benched at any point this season, despite being far from the only one who should have been.

[Irishnev]

Why is being benched considered scapegoating? Has Slot publicly blamed Salah for the position we're in, if not you're buying in to his narrative. This is a game Salah loves to play with the club

We all agree that Salah isn’t without blame so let’s park that and I fully agree he has form gets when it suits him.

For me, Gakpo is worse than Salah and has less credit in the bank. Drop him and play Salah until AFCON, he can’t be worse than Gakpo. AFCON comes and then all of this can play out in the background

[vlahka]

Well I for one think him doing that interview was fine. We all know he most likely had one foot out the door last season but was convinced to stay for one more season. His drive is most likely a bit lower, one of the few who I can tell is strongly affected by Jota being gone, the team behind him also playing completely ****, and the manager doing manager weird stuff. For me the interview is him making the fans know he loves them and the club and that he'll be going, so hes giving everyone closure to be able to say farewell instead of just disappear like some other players do, or release some cringy youtube video with music. So I'm more than fine with it.Even if he had played well this season its extremely like he would have been 100% off at the end of the season.

[Exiled_red]

Last season Salah supposedly asked for less defensive responsibility and he would provide more in attack. Last year that worked really well. We started the season with the same plan and his form has been way off. IMO it's naive to think he can carry on having the privilege of not working back if he is not producing going forward as that just means he's a passenger as when the G/As dry up he offers nothing to the team, being dropped in such situation is inevitable. If he was working his arse off defensively and the G/As had dried up you could keep him in the side based on that contribution and it would probably have kept him in the side.

I don't think the suggestion that he doesn't have to fight for his place is what he thinks it is, his performances in the past count buy him chances, but if he isn't performing he isn't entitled to a place in the side without showing his worth. I think he statement is a mistake and he's been badly advised

[Kenneth]

Team selections have nothing to do with respect. You can't be owed a starting slot for the next game or minutes from the bench, no matter how much you think you've "done for the club" in the past. It's supposed to be a merit based system. I don't recall any of our players talking in these terms before, about how a position is theirs by right etc, it's egotistical in the extreme and totally classless. What a whiny little bitch.

And this is not a case of Salah Vs slot, neither are performing well and both can leave because of that alone.

In conclusion; **** the egos of multi millionaires

[Norbs]

Of course he needs to shoulder the blame, of course his form is way off and of course we need to plan for a future without him. But, he’s clearly being scapegoated - Gapko’s been as bad, Konate worse, Grav rolling out stinkers but we choose to single him out and not even bring him off the bench. Chiesa saved us last week and his reward was kicked to the bench and no even a minute today.

My point is that both Salah and Slot carry blame, I’m not saying Salah is without blame, I just think he deserves more respect.

Why is being benched considered scapegoating? Has Slot publicly blamed Salah for the position we're in, if not you're buying in to his narrative. This is a game Salah loves to play with the club

[BobTheCharmer]

Thos just underlines the fact it's always been the mo salah show. He's selfish. He can **** off. I'd empty his locker now. Legend? My arse. He's thrown his whole legacy away. In 7 years he's barely done an interview now he choses this time? Dickhesd.

[Tatterdemalion]

Of course he needs to shoulder the blame, of course his form is way off and of course we need to plan for a future without him. But, he’s clearly being scapegoated - Gapko’s been as bad, Konate worse, Grav rolling out stinkers but we choose to single him out and not even bring him off the bench. Chiesa saved us last week and his reward was kicked to the bench and no even a minute today.

My point is that both Salah and Slot carry blame, I’m not saying Salah is without blame, I just think he deserves more respect.

Certainly agree he deserves respect, but he could just ask the manager why he isn't playing - I don't think he is being scapegoated. Thing is, the first time he was on the bench he came on at half time (for Gakpo) and achieved nothing. I don't think it is so much about each individual players performance as such, but that a lot of the team set up has to change to accommodate Salah not tracking back. That's not the only problem for sure, but one that is easier to solve given we have a lot of forward options. Konate, for instance shouldn't be anywhere near the bus, never mind being thrown under it, but we just don't have as many options at the back. Gakpo for sure, I don't understand why he is still starting.

[Irishnev]

Of course he needs to shoulder the blame, of course his form is way off and of course we need to plan for a future without him. But, he’s clearly being scapegoated - Gapko’s been as bad, Konate worse, Grav rolling out stinkers but we choose to single him out and not even bring him off the bench. Chiesa saved us last week and his reward was kicked to the bench and no even a minute today.

My point is that both Salah and Slot carry blame, I’m not saying Salah is without blame, I just think he deserves more respect.

[Norbs]

So true. He wouldn't be getting as many pelters on here (and everywhere else presumably) if he hadn't done that interview and behind the scenes a more fitting end could be arranged.

Surely in training, given everything is measured to within an inch of credulity these days, it must be apparent that his pace has dropped at the very least. Why can't a player be a witness in their own decline? He must realise he can't play at the top level forever? Did he really think he would bow out at 35/6 whilst still a regular starter?

I think he was gone in January regardless, but in his dream scenario he carries on playing, in the hope that he'd improve and get a couple of goals. Sitting on the bench, he feels humiliated, but is completely obvious to the reasoning.

When we were chasing a goal, Slot turned to Isak which was the wrong call. Should've turned to Chiesa, then Salah, then Isak

[Tatterdemalion]

Salah himself must shoulder a big portion of how this is ending. He could've accepted a reduced amount of game time but insisted on playing every minute, to his and the team's detriment. He forced it to the point where Slot finally acted and it's taken 3 whole games for him to reach the **** throwing stage.

Quick resolution to this now, just one more home game and he'll be gone

So true. He wouldn't be getting as many pelters on here (and everywhere else presumably) if he hadn't done that interview and behind the scenes a more fitting end could be arranged.

Surely in training, given everything is measured to within an inch of credulity these days, it must be apparent that his pace has dropped at the very least. Why can't a player be a witness in their own decline? He must realise he can't play at the top level forever? Did he really think he would bow out at 35/6 whilst still a regular starter?

[Norbs]

It’s mad to see how divided we are on this one - if we get big money then it’s best for all concerned but it’s such as sad ending. Not sure I trust Hughes or Slot to spend it wisely - we need 1 if not 2 CBs, a DM and a fast winger FFS

Salah himself must shoulder a big portion of how this is ending. He could've accepted a reduced amount of game time but insisted on playing every minute, to his and the team's detriment. He forced it to the point where Slot finally acted and it's taken 3 whole games for him to reach the **** throwing stage.

Quick resolution to this now, just one more home game and he'll be gone