Mo Salah

[Irishnev]

He’s been **** and his recent form (end of last season) dropped off from the insane highs of the start of the season.


But


Most of the team has been **** and it’s hard to judge him when things around him are so dysfunctional. I don’t know if he’s a victim of the dysfunction or one of the main causes. He has credit in the bank until the summer as well

[DerKrampus]

He'd leave an absolute legend and a hero for LFC - one of our best ever players.

[baitman]

There was a problem for management, he has carried this team for so long, how could we possibly get rid of him.
The two year contract extension seemed the best option, it allowed us to attract new players and allow the new players time to settle in. It was clear to me his power was on the decline, and I'm convinced the plan would be to sell him after a year and then recover the massive wages and also get enough money for his replacement (Olise or Semenyo).
His decline has been more dramatic then anyone could have forseen and it then leaves us with a massive problem.
It's got to the point where we now need to drop him, maybe just use as a last 10 minute sub.
He still has a massive value to the Saudi teams due to his Arabic connection, but will they still commit to buying this version of Mo.

[Charly]

What if he doesnt want to leave? His family might be settled

[Kenneth]

He'd leave an absolute legend and a hero for LFC - one of our best ever players.

Absolutely. But he's getting old in footballer terms, especially for the type of speed and close control player he has been. This was discussed a lot on before he renewed in the Expiring Contracts - LFC Players thread, so many people convinced themselves that he's a machine and normal rules don't apply to him.

Yes, he has the quality to change his game, run less and less etc, he'll still get some goals and assists this season, but that doesn't mean him in that role is a £300k per week starter for liverpool.

Giving him that contract was a mistake, but refusing to manage a declining player out of the team will be a bigger one.

[kemm1]

…well, except for last season. He carried us at the point when we ran away with the league. What it shows is how much we rely on his goals and assists - someone else needs to show up.

He needs to earn his spot now tho not just play because of what he has achieved.

He would find a way to score even when he played like crap and that got glossed over. He also caused a lot of counter attacking opportunities by being sloppy.

[kemm1]

I think he is the problem for the new players, more than the other way round. Everyone else has to do his defensive duties which ultimately leads to us struggling for bodies in midfield. At the other end, he's offering basically nothing.

100% agree with this.

[kemm1]

HE is physically shot at this level. He is no longer an elite level athlete.

But he still had a great touch.

His touch has left him so we currently have a player that brings nothing to the team.

Perhaps against tired legs, but he is a luxury that we cannot afford to indulge when the entire team is looking unsettled.

Slot needs to decide on the system he want, and then pick the best players to fit that system. Frimpong showed more in 10 minutes than Salah the whole game, and Cheisa got another goal contribution.

Ekitike is showing far more than Isak. We were a different team when he came on. Our form has collapsed since Isak came into the team.

Slot has to stop picking players on rpicetag and reputation

[peterbread]

It’s some of the basics that he still got right last season that he’s missing now. I can think of two chances yesterday that he couldn’t even get on target whereas before even if he was poor in other areas would have been a goal or he would have tested the keeper. That’s the bigger worry.

[Buzzo]

He would find a way to score even when he played like crap and that got glossed over. He also caused a lot of counter attacking opportunities by being sloppy.

Nah.

29 goals and 18 assists for a team that ran away with the league. It’s disingenuous to claim he had anything other than an outstanding season.

We were defensively resolute last season.

This season l, of course there is a strong argument but we can’t rewrite history to suit narrative.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Nah.

29 goals and 18 assists for a team that ran away with the league. It’s disingenuous to claim he had anything other than an outstanding season.

We were defensively resolute last season.

This season l, of course there is a strong argument but we can’t rewrite history to suit narrative.

[memzey]

I'd like to see Fede given at least 60 minutes from the start in our next couple of games with Salah coming off the bench. Seems logical to me.

[peterbread]

Yeah I think Salah needs some time out of the starting 11 at the moment. He might find form at some stage this season considering his history but for the good of the team others need to be starting ahead of him.

Other players deserve to be starting with the contributions they are making and if you aren’t picking players on merit it’s got the potential to cause problems behind the scenes. I said it yesterday but both Chiesa and Jones deserve to be starting. They are both playing well and would also bring much needed energy and enthusiasm. Add Ekitike to that list.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Yeah I think Salah needs some time out of the starting 11 at the moment. He might find form at some stage this season considering his history but for the good of the team others need to be starting ahead of him.

Other players deserve to be starting with the contributions they are making and if you aren’t picking players on merit it’s got the potential to cause problems behind the scenes. I said it yesterday but both Chiesa and Jones deserve to be starting. They are both playing well and would also bring much needed energy and enthusiasm. Add Ekitike to that list.

Chiesa, Jones, Ekitike and Gomez all should be starting imo. All have either done well with the minutes thay have gotten, or their counterparts in the starting XI have been playing poorly.

Maybe an arguement could be made for Frimpong too, be it at RB or at RW (If Chiesa started on the left then Frimpong could be on the right with Bradley behind him at RB)

[Exiled_red]

Chiesa, Jones, Ekitike and Gomez all should be starting imo. All have either done well with the minutes thay have gotten, or their counterparts in the starting XI have been playing poorly.

Maybe an arguement could be made for Frimpong too, be it at RB or at RW (If Chiesa started on the left then Frimpong could be on the right with Bradley behind him at RB)

I agree with Chiesa, Jones and Ekitike all starting. Gomez deserves more game time, as Konate is very hit or miss, yesterday was one of his better games so that makes it a more difficult call, but we need to sort the defence out and seeing if Gomez improves things has to be worth a try. Similarly Frimpong should probably get more game time but I don't feel that he is a RB so playing him ahead of Bradley makes sense not sure if he offers enough in the goal scoring department to be along term option there (RW) though.

I know Gakpo has been getting some stick but he is probably on the best form of the front three that started yesterday. Reality of it is there are probably at least 3 or 4 players starting who are badly off form.