Mohamed Salah

[Lee909]

He's definitely on the decline as a elite player. We need to figure out a new contract or sell him for 100ml or so and get a long term player in. 

 

Scored 17 again in the league, 5 are pens. 

If we are keeping him we need him closer to goal, he doesn't have the pace to beat players out wide much anymore and both him and Diaz cutting inside means we have little width and neither seems to want to use the weaker foot and at times hit the byeline

[Aventus]

Hasn't been the same since he came back from injury. 

 

No idea what to make of it, as he doesn't get big injuries ever really. 

 

Is this just ring rust while he plays his way back into form, or is this the beginning of his sharp decline? 

[coachpotato]

Mo’s shots per goal ratio is 5.69, that means for 23 goals he’s had approximately 130 shots.

Isak and Hwang Hee are at 3.6 shots per goals.

So on that basis, Mo should have around 36 goals this season if he was nearly as efficient as either of the other two. 
In other words he’s around a third down on where he should be.

Now there are lies, damned lies and then statistics (as the quote goes) but by any reasonable measure, Mo should have scored more and even his most avid admirers would have to say he hasn’t been been at the level expected, certainly when it comes to finishing.

I think it’s always been the case with him, and with Mane and Firmino even when they were tearing it up a couple of seasons ago, that although they scored loads, they also missed loads. 
Generally, we scored enough to win most games, in spite of the misses.
I don’t know what Jota’s goals per shots ratio is, there’s no doubting we’ve missed him, but despite the figures, Mo remains our biggest fittest goal threat.

[Daisy]

Dreadful today, fucking woeful. He never fucking steps up anymore 

[Judge]

18 minutes ago, razor said:

His little reversed/angled balls into space for the player running beyond him are as good as ever.  He's brilliant at that.

 

But that right footed slice in the six yard box in the second half is more typical of his current form.  It was poor.

 

It was better than Nunez's awful slice, though, so there's no point in selling him.

 

If he was out injured, there'd be a 50 page thread on here begging for updates on his comeback to the side.

I don`t think so. We managed very well in the period he was injured. With Jota back we are fine.

[Lee909]

His passing has been superb at times this year. But his around play of beating a player and isn't close to the same and its been like it 2 years. Its more moments of genius now that the full game. Its not helped by playing with 2 players that are neither the same quality or on his wave length like Mane and Bobby

[Barrington Womble]

For me, this isn't a question of if Salah still has it or not. For me it's a question of this injury problem. He is absolutely not the same. He's not running the same, he's not even striking the ball the same. I suspect his hamstring is fucked and he/us are nursing it through till the summer. But since he's return he looks about 50% of the player pre-afcon. Honestly 50% Salah isn't enough. I'd sooner see gakpo or elliot start games and bring salah in if/when we need to roll a dice. 

[El Rojo]

53 minutes ago, Barrington Womble said:

For me, this isn't a question of if Salah still has it or not. For me it's a question of this injury problem. He is absolutely not the same. He's not running the same, he's not even striking the ball the same. I suspect his hamstring is fucked and he/us are nursing it through till the summer. But since he's return he looks about 50% of the player pre-afcon. Honestly 50% Salah isn't enough. I'd sooner see gakpo or elliot start games and bring salah in if/when we need to roll a dice. 

That’s an interesting perspective. He was his usual elite self during the early part of the season. 
 

The international thing has always been a disaster for us - Henderson seemed to get injured in training half the time he joined them. 

[Barrington Womble]

43 minutes ago, El Rojo said:

That’s an interesting perspective. He was his usual elite self during the early part of the season. 
 

The international thing has always been a disaster for us - Henderson seemed to get injured in training half the time he joined them. 

I'm sure code will be along in a minute to show me this is the best version of Salah there's ever been. But for me there's a con going on with him. He's far from right. 

[TheHowieLama]

Afcon will have cost us two titles in the space of 12 months. Brexit my ass.

[aws]

Just now, Barrington Womble said:

I'm sure code will be along in a minute to show me this is the best version of Salah there's ever been. But for me there's a con going on with him. He's far from right. 

Our attack functioned better when he was away/injured.  Let’s hope he’s just struggling for form after the injury. 

[Barrington Womble]

3 minutes ago, aws said:

Our attack functioned better when he was away/injured.  Let’s hope he’s just struggling for form after the injury. 

We did have Jota then to be fair but he's another one (like my moan about konate in the match thread) who's a fucking waste of time. You barely see him kick a ball and if you do, his leg falls off. 

[TheHowieLama]

Non Pelanty League Goal Contributions / minute

 

Jota - 87.7

Nunez - 95.4

Salah - 98

Gakpo - 133.2

Diaz - 176.2

 

[Kevin D]

I thought he was okay, today. 
 

It was a big penalty in a hostile environment and it took nerves of steel to score.
 

On the ball, he created a decent number of chances that Diaz, Nunez and Szoboszlai combined to miss, take too many touches or pick the wrong option. 

If he’s scoring and creating, I can’t really ask too much more.

[Dapower]

He’s getting on end of the day sell him or let him finish career here and buy some more intelligent forwards to work with him 

[Baltar]

When Mo was away/injured we looked a better team. He's obviously a brilliant player still, guarantees goals and assists but we look less fluid with him. He's been incredible for us for so long but I can't say I'll be gutted to see him leave at the end of the season.

[Code]

7 hours ago, Baltar said:

When Mo was away/injured we looked a better team. He's obviously a brilliant player still, guarantees goals and assists but we look less fluid with him. He's been incredible for us for so long but I can't say I'll be gutted to see him leave at the end of the season.

No we did not. 

[Anubis]

11 hours ago, coachpotato said:

I think it’s always been the case with him, and with Mane and Firmino even when they were tearing it up a couple of seasons ago, that although they scored loads, they also missed loads. 
Generally, we scored enough to win most games, in spite of the misses.

 

I think this is spot on. We were wasteful even with Bobby and Mane, but not to the extent we are now, and Mo has definitely lost some of that finishing sharpness. Add that to he clearly feels he carries the attack more and sometimes engages hero mode to our detriment.

[Carra_is_legend]

11 hours ago, Barrington Womble said:

For me, this isn't a question of if Salah still has it or not. For me it's a question of this injury problem. He is absolutely not the same. He's not running the same, he's not even striking the ball the same. I suspect his hamstring is fucked and he/us are nursing it through till the summer. But since he's return he looks about 50% of the player pre-afcon. Honestly 50% Salah isn't enough. I'd sooner see gakpo or elliot start games and bring salah in if/when we need to roll a dice. 

 

I am not so sure Barry, he looked pissed off coming off against Sheff United. He is may be worried about getting injured again but not sure if he his carrying an injury. I am certain we wouldn't be playing him if he is. Nor should he.

[Code]

Some people have short memories.

 

This is our goalscoring record the last 10 seasons, talk about getting rid of Salah is genuinly insane and the talk of a raving mad lunatic. 

[Pidge]

I think if he can fund the signing of genuine quality,  it's a far better outcome than letting him go for nothing. What are his successful dribble and dribbles attempted numbers over the years? Or his defensive numbers? It feels like he's still a real factor around the area, but has been declining outside of it more and more.

 

May well be wrong on that, but feels like a threshold coming up for us and him. If he stays, he may have to accept a slightly different role as the club has to look forward. 

 

Given us everything, deserved so much more for it, a genuine legend. 

[Barrington Womble]

1 hour ago, Carra_is_legend said:

 

I am not so sure Barry, he looked pissed off coming off against Sheff United. He is may be worried about getting injured again but not sure if he his carrying an injury. I am certain we wouldn't be playing him if he is. Nor should he.

he should have been pissed off coming off against sheffield, he'd been shite. he's not stupid, he'll have known this. 

[Bob]

24 minutes ago, Pidge said:

I think if he can fund the signing of genuine quality,  it's a far better outcome than letting him go for nothing. What are his successful dribble and dribbles attempted numbers over the years? Or his defensive numbers? It feels like he's still a real factor around the area, but has been declining outside of it more and more.

 

May well be wrong on that, but feels like a threshold coming up for us and him. If he stays, he may have to accept a slightly different role as the club has to look forward. 

 

Given us everything, deserved so much more for it, a genuine legend. 

Shouldn't forget he'll be asked to play differently for a new manager. It might suit him better or it might not suit him at all. That has to be figured into all of this too.

[Pidge]

Agreed

[VladimirIlyich]

He's either still carrying that injury from the AFCON or the Ramadan thing has fucked him up more this year than previous years. It could also be a combination of the two? It's clear he isn't anywhere near his best but we'll probably never truly find out why. The only real problem I see,and it relates to Elliott particularly too. It's why the fuck are these top players and possibly left footers,so bad on their right side? I get that it's foreign and they,like most,will never be equally adept on both feet but a basic level is good enough. They get plenty of time,or could make that time to practice and improve it.