Mo Salah

[Cerbie]

Some good points here

Are Liverpool Actually BETTER Without Mo Salah? - YouTube

Superb analysis of our issues, and I think the unbiased comment on the interview reinforces my thoughts that it was just the wrong approach for Mo to use and piss poor timing.

It will be interesting to see what the follow-up analysis after the Spurs game shows.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Superb analysis of our issues, and I think the unbiased comment on the interview reinforces my thoughts that it was just the wrong approach for Mo to use and piss poor timing.

It will be interesting to see what the follow-up analysis after the Spurs game shows.

Shhhhh be quiet Marty, otherwise everyone will know that you and I used the DeLorean to check for the Brighton result and as such we are already thinking about the Spurs game.

[rudedog]

For me there are 2 answers to that, firstly the interview that he gave that was selfish and put himself ahead of the team and put an under fire manager in a difficult position. Were it not for that interview he would at least be in the squad...

The second answer is the situation before the interview. That has been a result of poor form which even he would have to admit. Why are others still getting picked? Well that comes down to availability of alternatives etc. Konate was (IMO) only playing because Gomez wasn't fit and there was no-one else. MacAllister has been dropped and IMO would have been more so were Jones not unavailable for a while. The problem for Salah is that he has been given a pass so he doesn't have to defend, the 'deal' being that he makes up for that by what he gives the side going forward and he hasn't been doing that, not doing enough going forward and doing little defensively makes him a passenger and we can't afford that at the moment...

He definitely made a mistake with the interview but the context here was the events that led to him speaking out (being benched for three games) not what happened afterwards.

Isak and Gakpo have been arguably just as bad a Mo but neither have the same treatment. I’m not saying what Mo did was right but he definitely had cause to be pissed off with how he was being treated. He just went out about it the wrong way IMO.

Klopp always talked about ‘finding solutions’, I don’t think what Slot did would ever have been a ‘solution’ he would have chosen. I think Klopp would have found a way to get the best out of Mo.

Yes Salah was wrong to speak out publicly but a lot of this is on Slot, it’s on his tactics and on his man management.

[Doc_Piptorious]

He definitely made a mistake with the interview but the context here was the events that led to him speaking out (being benched for three games) not what happened afterwards.

Isak and Gakpo have been arguably just as bad a Mo but neither have the same treatment. I’m not saying what Mo did was right but he definitely had cause to be pissed off with how he was being treated. He just went out about it the wrong way IMO.

Klopp always talked about ‘finding solutions’, I don’t think what Slot did would ever have been a ‘solution’ he would have chosen. I think Klopp would have found a way to get the best out of Mo.

Yes Salah was wrong to speak out publicly but a lot of this is on Slot, it’s on his tactics and on his man management.

What exactly is the treatment Mo got that is vastly different to Gakpo and Isak? Benched for being poor? Subbed off in games?

Gakpo only has one start more than Mo this season in the league, has been on the bench only one game less than Mo, and has been subbed off during games more times than Mo. Has a slightly better G/A return.


Isak has six starts less than Mo and has two starts from the bench. He has been subbed off in most games that he has started.


All three have comparable numbers in the CL thanks to Mo not being at the Inter game.


Another thing to look at with regards to Mo being dropped, our results have improved with him out of the team. So whether that is directly down to him being out or not, the fact remains we have improved without him which does back Slot's decision to drop him.

If Slot had dropped him and the losses continued, then there would be more of a case for Salah not being as much of a factor in the team being unbalanced, would not excuse the totally unprofessional way he went around things, but would be easier to understand it.

[rudedog]

What exactly is the treatment Mo got that is vastly different to Gakpo and Isak? Benched for being poor? Subbed off in games?
.

I was referring to being benched (and playing no part) for three consecutive games.

[Scratch]

I was referring to being benched (and playing no part) for three consecutive games.

Benched for 1st game (we won 2-0).

Came on at half time in the second game (0-0 at half time, finished 1-1, and IMO we were noticeably worse when he did come on)

Benched again for the 3rd game (3-3 draw, after being 2-0 up and 3-2 up after 80 mins, only for a 96th minute equaliser, so no real chance to get Mo on, assuming he and Slot had not already exchanged words).

[Doc_Piptorious]

I was referring to being benched (and playing no part) for three consecutive games.

So what? He is a footballer and has been very poor this season.

Unlike Gakpo he got 12 starts in a row in the league to improve.

Maybe in the manager's mind other players who were/are underperforming were doing so in a manner that saw ups and downs and he saw Salah as having less ups and more downs than those players from the 12 starts in a row that he had gotten.

In any sport, you have a problem with your coach then you ask that coach for a chat about things if your coach has not spoken to you first. You don't go bitching publically about that coach, especially if part of your complaining includes the fact said coach took the time to let you know one on one you were being dropped and also too the time to have a one on one meeting with you.

And you also have a personal responsibility to look hard at your own form and your's alone. Does not matter if others are playing poorly, all you can control is your own form, your own work rate and your own application.

You go and prove the coach wrong with your work rate in training and you keep doing that until you can force your way back into a set up. You don't talk about a spot being your spot and how you no longer have to earn it.

Salah talked about being thrown under buses, the only people thrown under a bus were Slot and Salah's teammates imo, and it was Salah doing the throwing with his interview and attention seeking social media pics on a match day.

Salah keeps his mouth shut and the team does badly, then the media would have done his talking for him and put pressure on Slot for still losing and not playing Salah.

[Exiled_red]

He definitely made a mistake with the interview but the context here was the events that led to him speaking out (being benched for three games) not what happened afterwards.

Isak and Gakpo have been arguably just as bad a Mo but neither have the same treatment. I’m not saying what Mo did was right but he definitely had cause to be pissed off with how he was being treated. He just went out about it the wrong way IMO.

Klopp always talked about ‘finding solutions’, I don’t think what Slot did would ever have been a ‘solution’ he would have chosen. I think Klopp would have found a way to get the best out of Mo.

Yes Salah was wrong to speak out publicly but a lot of this is on Slot, it’s on his tactics and on his man management.

Isak clearly isn't fit and Slot has been playing him to try and build his fitness, yes there are some issues with that Isak's form has been poor and you could question the merits of the way that has been done, but it has needed to be done somehow. Gakpo I have been frustrated with too, but as has been pointed out he has had games out of the side too, I would again argue that Gakpo does also work back which Salah doesn't he also has a height advantage being 6' 4" even if he doesn't act like it at times. These mean that even when he isn't contributing G/As he is able to have some impact on the play, whereas Salah hasn't. The other factor for me is that we knew that Salah was about to go away to AFCON. It would have been really frustrating to have just been getting used to a system and finding some form of which Salah was a key part just as he was about to leave and have to figure out an alternative.

Also I have said this before but I have never been comfortable giving Salah a pass not to defend, it worked great last season, but Slot made a rod for his own back with that IMO. Because as new players come in if you see your star player busting a gut for the team you think 'if he has to do it so do I'. (we had seen this type of thing mentioned about how professional the players were under Klopp). If you are a Wirtz or and Isak coming in as a big name player and you see Salah gets a pass and doesn't have to defend you probably think why should I have to. You mention Klopp finding solutions I don't think this lack of defending for Salah happens under Klopp

[Doc_Piptorious]

Isak clearly isn't fit and Slot has been playing him to try and build his fitness, yes there are some issues with that Isak's form has been poor and you could question the merits of the way that has been done, but it has needed to be done somehow. Gakpo I have been frustrated with too, but as has been pointed out he has had games out of the side too, I would again argue that Gakpo does also work back which Salah doesn't he also has a height advantage being 6' 4" even if he doesn't act like it at times. These mean that even when he isn't contributing G/As he is able to have some impact on the play, whereas Salah hasn't. The other factor for me is that we knew that Salah was about to go away to AFCON. It would have been really frustrating to have just been getting used to a system and finding some form of which Salah was a key part just as he was about to leave and have to figure out an alternative.

Also I have said this before but I have never been comfortable giving Salah a pass not to defend, it worked great last season, but Slot made a rod for his own back with that IMO. Because as new players come in if you see your star player busting a gut for the team you think 'if he has to do it so do I'. (we had seen this type of thing mentioned about how professional the players were under Klopp). If you are a Wirtz or and Isak coming in as a big name player and you see Salah gets a pass and doesn't have to defend you probably think why should I have to. You mention Klopp finding solutions I don't think this lack of defending for Salah happens under Klopp

I agree with most of the post save for the highlighted bit.

It did happen under Klopp, both for Salah and TAA. Depending on the game and who was available, Klopp had one from Henderson, Wijnaldum and Fabinho covering/supplementing the defensive duties for the right flank. Then it moved to Konate having to cover the right flank up to the half way line to facilitate TAA and to a lesser degree Salah.


And do think if Klopp was manager last season and Salah was racking up goals and assist as he was, then the same would have happened in terms of others taking up more defensive duties so that the goals/assists could continue.

[rudedog]

So what? He is a footballer and has been very poor this season.

Unlike Gakpo he got 12 starts in a row in the league to improve.

Maybe in the manager's mind other players who were/are underperforming were doing so in a manner that saw ups and downs and he saw Salah as having less ups and more downs than those players from the 12 starts in a row that he had gotten.

In any sport, you have a problem with your coach then you ask that coach for a chat about things if your coach has not spoken to you first. You don't go bitching publically about that coach, especially if part of your complaining includes the fact said coach took the time to let you know one on one you were being dropped and also too the time to have a one on one meeting with you.

And you also have a personal responsibility to look hard at your own form and your's alone. Does not matter if others are playing poorly, all you can control is your own form, your own work rate and your own application.

You go and prove the coach wrong with your work rate in training and you keep doing that until you can force your way back into a set up. You don't talk about a spot being your spot and how you no longer have to earn it.

Salah talked about being thrown under buses, the only people thrown under a bus were Slot and Salah's teammates imo, and it was Salah doing the throwing with his interview and attention seeking social media pics on a match day.

Salah keeps his mouth shut and the team does badly, then the media would have done his talking for him and put pressure on Slot for still losing and not playing Salah.

Not sure what’s going on here, I’m not defending Salahs behaviour - I thought I’d been pretty clear on that? I was just trying see things from his perspective and what led him down this path. TBH, Im finding the whole thing to be sad, don’t think anyone is coming out of this looking good

[memzey]

Not sure what’s going on here, I’m not defending Salahs behaviour - I thought I’d been pretty clear on that? I was just trying see things from his perspective and what led him down this path. TBH, Im finding the whole thing to be sad, don’t think anyone is coming out of this looking good

I think Slot has handled this well and continues to be exemplary in his interviews. It's a real strength of his. The only blemish he bears in that regard is his repetitive moaning about teams not playing against us the way he would like them to. I could definitely do without that.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Not sure what’s going on here, I’m not defending Salahs behaviour - I thought I’d been pretty clear on that? I was just trying see things from his perspective and what led him down this path. TBH, Im finding the whole thing to be sad, don’t think anyone is coming out of this looking good

[Catrin]

I almost wish he would do one of those ****ty Piers Moron interviews like Ronaldo did. It would be horrible and cringey but I just want him to actually explain himself properly. Does he actually think his lack of numbers and the team’s results this season is 100% because of Slot’s tactics and the rest of the team playing poorly, and 0% because of his physical decline, lack of effort and poor form? Is he so confident in his own greatness that he is that deluded? And if so, why are players liking his insta photos instead of handing him his arse?

[peterbread]

Del

[Doc_Piptorious]

I almost wish he would do one of those ****ty Piers Moron interviews like Ronaldo did. It would be horrible and cringey but I just want him to actually explain himself properly. Does he actually think his lack of numbers and the team’s results this season is 100% because of Slot’s tactics and the rest of the team playing poorly, and 0% because of his physical decline, lack of effort and poor form? Is he so confident in his own greatness that he is that deluded? And if so, why are players liking his insta photos instead of handing him his arse?

I imagine it is because they know him personally and might be backing their mate rather than backing his words.

Could be some are backing their mate and his words.

Or could be they are worried about him ****ting in their gear bags while they are playing a game.